Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+
The Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus is a chess opening classified as ECO B27, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+. It is a line of the Pterodactyl Defense. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 437 times by this move order. White won 48%, 4% were drawn and Black won 48%. The most popular continuation is 5. Bd2 (31% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.63 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 5. c3 Nf6 6. b4 Qc7 7. Bd3 O-O)
- ECO
- B27
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp1pppbp/6p1/q1P5/4P3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 102 | |
| 1500-1999 | 246 | |
| 2000+ | 89 | |
| All | 437 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Bd2 | 134 (31%) | |
| 5. Nc3 Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus | 132 (30%) | |
| 5. c3 | 131 (30%) | |
| 5. Qd2 | 25 (6%) | |
| 5. Nbd2 | 12 (3%) | |
| 5. Nfd2 | 2 (0%) | |
| 5. b4 | 1 (0%) |
Master games
200 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 45%, draw 22%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) – Integral 7.0.0-dev-453c1dc4 (3735) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-12
- Integral 7.0.0-dev-453c1dc4 (3735) – LCZero 0.33-dev-f6ec55c-BT4-6147500-it332 (3749) 1-0 · TCEC 29 Premier 2026 · 2026-03-09
- GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (2754) – GM Loek Van Wely (2672) 1/2-1/2 · 76th Tata Steel Masters · 2014-01-12
- GM Alexander Motylev (2656) – GM Kaido Kulaots (2571) 1-0 · Paul Keres Memorial 2015 · 2016-01-10
- GM Yuriy Kryvoruchko (2701) – IM Samy Shoker (2500) 1-0 · World Teams 2013 · 2013-12-03
Search all games of the Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- notkevich (2719) – Barry_Lindon (2582) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Yaponets (2586) – Barry_Lindon (2582) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
- solkim86 (2570) – Barry_Lindon (2541) 0-1 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Pterodactyl 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7
Continuations
- Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3
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.