Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Anhanguera
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Statistics from Lichess
900 games: White 42.8% / Draw 4.1% / Black 53.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 273273 | ||
| 256256 | ||
| 161161 | ||
| 4545 | ||
| 3131 | ||
| 3030 | ||
| 2121 | ||
| 1919 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.34 White is slightly better
Best play: 6. d5 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Nf6 8. f3 Nbd7 9. Qc2 h6 10. Rb1 Nb6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Pterodactyl Defense: Central, Anhanguera (ECO B06, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Modern Defense, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. c4 c5 4. Nc3 d6 5. Be3 Qa5 (5 moves).
In 900 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.8%, Black 53.1% and 4.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Nf3, in 30% 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: Central, Anhanguera
6. Qd2 scores best for White: 46.3%, with White winning 44.1% and Black 51.6% of 161 games. The most played answer, 6. Nf3, scores lowest: 45.1% in 273 games. Stockfish's first choice is 6. d5.
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: Central, Anhanguera (B06)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pterodactyl-defense-central-anhanguera