Pterodactyl Defense
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6
The Pterodactyl Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO A42, reached after 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6. White is to move.
This exact move order didn't appear in our sample of 12.6 million Lichess games: it's a rare line.
Engine evaluation: +0.48 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 6. d5 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Bg4 8. Qc2 Bxf3)
- ECO
- A42
- Moves
- 10 plies
- FEN
rnb1k1nr/pp2ppbp/3p2p1/q1p5/2PPP3/2N2N2/PP3PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6- PGN
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Comes from
Modern Defense: Semi-Averbakh Variation, Pterodactyl Variation 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+
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: 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
- Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Benoni Quetzalcoatlus 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.