Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Anhanguera
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. Be3 Qa5+
The Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Anhanguera is a chess opening classified as ECO B06, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. Be3 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 7 times by this move order. White won 86%, 14% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 5. Nc3 (43% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.70 (Stockfish, depth 28; best line 5. Nc3 d6 6. Qd2 cxd4 7. Bxd4 Bxd4)
- ECO
- B06
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp1pppbp/6p1/q1p5/3PP3/4BN2/PPP2PPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 2 5- PGN
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. Be3 Qa5+
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 3 | |
| 1500-1999 | 4 | |
| All | 7 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Nc3 | 3 (43%) | |
| 5. c3 | 3 (43%) | |
| 5. Qd2 | 1 (14%) |
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Tiagominifaustinooro (1914) – Yquox (1843) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-01 · 300 + 3s
- MNkosinathi (1820) – DaleWales (1774) 1-0 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
- Aristo888 (1716) – jorge0577 (1769) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Modern Defense (2. d4 Bg7) 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7
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.