Pterodactyl Defense
What is the Pterodactyl Defense?
The Pterodactyl Defense is a chess opening that begins with 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6. It is classified under ECO A40–B27 and has 33 named variations. Black chooses it with the move d6.
Moves: 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6
ECO: A40–B27
Chosen by: Black
Main variations
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Be3
1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5
1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+
1. e4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. c3 Qa5
All 33 variations
| ECO | Variation | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| B06 | Eastern, Anhanguera | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Be3 |
| B06 | Eastern, Benoni | 1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 |
| A40 | Queen Pterodactyl, Quiet Line | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. e3 |
| B06 | Austrian, Austriadactylus Western | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Austrian, Grand Prix Pterodactyl | 1. e4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5 |
| B06 | Austrian, Pteranodon | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. c3 Qa5 |
| A40 | Central, Benoni Pterodactyl | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Eastern, Benoni Pterodactyl | 1. d4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. e4 c5 4. d5 Qa5 |
| B06 | Eastern, Rhamphorhynchus | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Qa5 |
| B06 | Fianchetto, King Pterodactyl | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+ |
| A40 | Fianchetto, Queen Benoni Pterodactyl | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Qa5 |
| A40 | Fianchetto, Queen Pterodactyl | 1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. Bg2 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Fianchetto, Rhamphorhynchus | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. g3 c5 4. dxc5 Qa5+ |
| B06 | Western, Anhanguera | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 c5 4. Be3 Qa5+ |
| B27 | Western, Pterodactyl | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 Bg7 4. d4 Qa5 |
| B27 | Western, Rhamphorhynchus | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ |
| B27 | Sicilian, Anhanguera | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Be3 |
| B27 | Sicilian, Benoni Gambit | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. d5 |
| B27 | Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 |
| B06 | Sicilian, Siroccopteryx | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5 5. Bc4 |
| B27 | Sicilian, Unpin | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5 5. Bd2 |
| A42 | Main line | 1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 d6 |
| B06 | Central, Anhanguera | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 d6 5. Be3 Qa5 |
| B06 | Central, Benoni Quetzalcoatlus | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. d5 d6 5. Nc3 Qa5 |
| A42 | Central, Bogolubovia | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Nc3 c5 5. Nge2 Qa5 |
| B06 | Central, Quetzalcoatlus Gambit | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 d6 5. dxc5 Qa5 |
| B06 | Eastern, Benoni Pteranodon | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5 |
| B06 | Eastern, Pteranodon | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. dxc5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5 |
| A40 | Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5 |
| B06 | Sicilian, Quetzalcoatlus | 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5 5. Be2 d6 |
| B06 | Western, Siroccopteryx | 1. e4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. d4 c5 4. Bc4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Qa5+ |
| B27 | Sicilian, Pteranodon | 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 |
| A40 | Central, Benoni Beefeater Pterodactyl | 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 d6 5. e4 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Qa5 |
How to learn an opening
Learn the ideas before the moves: where the pieces go, which pawn breaks matter and what the typical middlegame plans are. Then play it, and after each game look up the point where you or your opponent left the known moves. MentoChess shows that point automatically for every game you import.
Opening lessons: Three golden opening rules · Scholar’s mate and how to stop it · Italian Game: plans, not just moves · Answering 1.d4: the Queen’s Gambit Declined · Meeting the Sicilian with 2.c3 · From moves to structures