Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Pteranodon
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5
The Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Pteranodon is a chess opening classified as ECO B06, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5. It is a line of the Pterodactyl Defense. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 56 times by this move order. White won 55%, 9% were drawn and Black won 36%. The most popular continuation is 6. Qd4 (59% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.99 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 6. Qd4 Nf6 7. Qb4 Qc7 8. Bd3 Nc6)
- ECO
- B06
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp1ppp1p/6p1/q1P5/4P3/2P5/P1P2PPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 1 6- PGN
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 2 | |
| 1500-1999 | 23 | |
| 2000+ | 31 | |
| All | 56 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 6. Qd4 | 33 (59%) | |
| 6. Nf3 | 5 (9%) | |
| 6. Bd3 | 5 (9%) | |
| 6. Bb2 | 5 (9%) | |
| 6. Bd2 | 4 (7%) | |
| 6. Ne2 | 4 (7%) |
Master games
160 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 21%, Black 29%). The strongest:
- GM Ivan Saric (2669) – GM Kacper Piorun (2651) 0-1 · European Blitz 2017 · 2017-12-15
- GM Velimir Ivic (2581) – GM Kacper Piorun (2615) 0-1 · Chess.com Bullet Open 1 · 2020-12-19
- GM Misratdin Iskandarov (2535) – GM Kacper Piorun (2615) 0-1 · Titled Arena Mar 6th 2021 · 2021-03-06
- GM Sergei Zhigalko (2572) – GM Misratdin Iskandarov (2535) 1-0 · Titled Arena Jan 2nd 2021 · 2021-01-02
- GM V Pranav (2632) – IM Marcos Lianes Garcia (2416) 1-0 · Chess.com Speed Play-In · 2024-06-27
Search all games of the Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Pteranodon and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Viva_La_Gloria (2461) – GM ObiWanKANOEBI (2553) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- gek76 (2507) – Iliakrivich01 (2434) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- FM Gransiurell (2364) – CM kesarev (2435) 1-0 · 2026-09-06 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Modern Defense: Modern Pterodactyl 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5
More Pterodactyl Defense lines (all)
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Beefeater Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Benoni Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pterodactyl A40
- Pterodactyl Defense: Queen Pterodactyl, Quiet Line A40
- Pterodactyl Defense A42
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Bogolubovia A42
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Grand Prix Pterodactyl B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Pteranodon B06
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Anhanguera B06
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.