Pterodactyl Variation
- 1.e4c5
- 2.Nf3g6
- 3.d4Bg7
- 4.Nc3Qa5
314 games
A Sicilian-flavored Modern Defense line in which Black fianchettoes, keeps the c5 pawn and pins White's c3-knight with an early ...Qa5.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Pterodactyl Variation
The Pterodactyl Variation arises when Black meets 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 with 3...Bg7 instead of the usual 3...cxd4. After 4. Nc3, Black plays 4...Qa5, pinning the knight that guards e4. The most common reply is 5. Bc4, the Siroccopteryx. Other named tries are 5. Be3, the Anhanguera, 5. Bd2, the Unpin, and 5. dxc5, the Rhamphorhynchus. Engines favor 5. d5 and rate White clearly better, although Black scores well in online games.