Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3
The Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus is a chess opening classified as ECO B27, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3. It is a line of the Pterodactyl Defense. Black is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 132 times by this move order. White won 44%, 5% were drawn and Black won 51%. The most popular continuation is 5… Qxc5 (70% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 37; best line 5… Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qxc3+ 7. Bd2 Qxc5 8. Bd3)
- ECO
- B27
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp1pppbp/6p1/q1P5/4P3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 33 | |
| 1500-1999 | 72 | |
| 2000+ | 27 | |
| All | 132 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Qxc5 | 93 (70%) | |
| 5… Bxc3+ | 32 (24%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 6 (5%) | |
| 5… Bd4 | 1 (1%) |
Master games
12 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 58%, draw 17%, Black 25%). The strongest:
- CM Tobias Lang Nilsen (2293) – GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2679) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 25th Jan · 2022-01-25
- V Pranav (2486) – IM Egor Bogdanov (2427) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 16th Nov · 2021-11-16
- GM Sergei Azarov (2616) – Vjatseslav Garber (2147) 1-0 · Paul Keres Mem 2014 · 2014-01-11
- Oleg Budnikov (2393) – Artem Marchenko (2264) 1/2-1/2 · Kyiv Spring 2023 · 2023-03-31
- IM Viani Antonio Dcunha (2397) – IM Alberto Santos Flores (2182) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 12th Oct · 2021-10-12
Search all games of the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- ph0rial (2459) – FM ItRelates (2512) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- ChessValkyrie (2458) – Mandarria-76 (2375) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
- Nikkkita (2404) – Mandarria-76 (2416) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+
Continuations
- Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Pteranodon B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3
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.