Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Pterodactyl
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. d4 Qa5
The Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Pterodactyl is a chess opening classified as ECO B27, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. d4 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 1 times by this move order. White won 0%, 0% were drawn and Black won 100%. The most popular continuation is 5. Be3 (100% of games).
Engine evaluation: +1.27 (Stockfish, depth 29; best line 5. Bc4 cxd4 6. O-O d6 7. Qb3 e6)
- ECO
- B27
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp1pppbp/6p1/q1p5/3PP3/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. d4 Qa5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1 | |
| All | 1 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Be3 | 1 (100%) |
Master games
6 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 0%, draw 50%, Black 50%). The strongest:
- GM Cyril Marcelin (2490) – IM Samy Shoker (2453) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-FRA Top 12 2014 · 2014-05-30
- FM Jakub Petr (2236) – FM Alexander Sokolov (2354) 0-1 · TCh-CZE 1 Liga Zapad · 2022-01-23
- FM Evgeny Zanan (2283) – Boris Malisov (2264) 1/2-1/2 · 2nd Gideon Japhet Mem Op · 2014-07-18
- Piotr Kondys (2048) – GM Oleg M Romanishin (2372) 1/2-1/2 · Ostravsky Konik Open A · 2024-05-01
- Kim Paul Mariani (1742) – GM Samy Shoker (2446) 0-1 · 11th Floripa Open 2025 · 2025-01-18
Search all games of the Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Pterodactyl and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- knightfoe (1433) – Zotmund98 (1407) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 600 + 5s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (2. Nf3 g6) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6
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.