Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Pterodactyl
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7
The Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Pterodactyl is a chess opening classified as ECO B27, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7. It is a line of the Sicilian Defense. White is to move. 2 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 1,691 times by this move order. White won 51%, 4% were drawn and Black won 45%. The most popular continuation is 4. dxc5 (38% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.66 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bc4 O-O)
- ECO
- B27
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
rnbqk1nr/pp1pppbp/6p1/2p5/3PP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 1 4- PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 343 | |
| 1500-1999 | 918 | |
| 2000+ | 430 | |
| All | 1,691 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. dxc5 | 646 (38%) | |
| 4. c3 | 230 (14%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 229 (14%) | |
| 4. d5 | 216 (13%) | |
| 4. Be3 | 163 (10%) | |
| 4. e5 | 80 (5%) | |
| 4. Bc4 | 52 (3%) | |
| 4. c4 | 49 (3%) |
Master games
575 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 37%, draw 23%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- GM Sanan Sjugirov (2695) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2830) 0-1 · Titled Tue 20th Feb Late · 2024-02-20
- GM Sergey Karjakin (2774) – GM Samy Shoker (2489) 0-1 · Eurasian Blitz Chess Cup · 2016-06-18
- GM Bojan Vuckovic (2594) – GM Konstantine Shanava (2563) 1/2-1/2 · IsBank TCh-TUR 2013 · 2013-07-06
- GM Onischuk, V. (2639) – GM Alexey Kislinsky (2516) 0-1 · Tsaghkadzor Open 2017 · 2017-12-01
- GM Arturs Neiksans (2567) – GM Kaido Kulaots (2556) 1-0 · Baltic zt Tallinn 2015 · 2015-01-14
Search all games of the Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Pterodactyl and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- notkevich (2719) – Barry_Lindon (2582) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- apollothedog (2687) – Barry_Lindon (2560) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- CM chess23time (2665) – Barry_Lindon (2577) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Dragon (2… g6 3. d4) 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4
Continuations
- Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5
- Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus B27 · 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+
More Sicilian Defense lines (all)
- Sicilian Defense (1. e4 c5) B20
- Sicilian Defense: Amazon Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Big Clamp Formation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Brick Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack B20
- Sicilian Defense: Czerniak Attack, Queen Fianchetto Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Euwe Attack, Prins Gambit B20
- Sicilian Defense: Gloria Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Grob Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: Keres Variation B20
- Sicilian Defense: King David's Opening B20
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.