Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western
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Statistics from Lichess
849 games: White 46.8% / Draw 4.7% / Black 48.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 471471 | ||
| 276276 | ||
| 9494 | ||
| 44 | ||
| 33 | ||
| 11 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.08 White is better
Best play: 5. Bd2 Qd8 6. dxc5 Bxb2 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. e5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Ne4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western (ECO B06, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. f4 c5 4. Nf3 Qa5+ (4 moves).
In 849 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.8%, Black 48.5% and 4.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. c3, in 55% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western
5. Bd2 scores best for White: 50.7%, with White winning 48.6% and Black 47.1% of 276 games. The most played answer, 5. c3, scores lowest: 48.1% in 471 games. Stockfish's first choice is also 5. Bd2.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Pterodactyl Defense: Austrian, Austriadactylus Western (B06)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pterodactyl-defense-austrian-austriadactylus-western