Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon
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Statistics from Lichess
33,448 games: White 46.0% / Draw 4.5% / Black 49.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 14,20914K | ||
| 11,49711K | ||
| 2,9652,965 | ||
| 1,5451,545 | ||
| 1,3511,351 | ||
| 1,3081,308 | ||
| 203203 | ||
| 146146 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.93 White is better
Best play: 6. Qc2 d6 7. e4 Nf6 8. Ne2 Nbd7 9. a4 h5 10. h4 Ne5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Pterodactyl Defense: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon (ECO A40, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense, reached after 1. d4 g6 2. c4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c5 4. d5 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Qa5 (5 moves).
In 33,448 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.0%, Black 49.5% and 4.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Bd2, in 42% 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: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon
The most played answer, 6. Bd2, also scores best for White: 48.6%, with White winning 46.5% and Black 49.2% of 14K games. Of the main answers, 6. Qb3 scores lowest: 46.2%. Stockfish's first choice is 6. Qc2.
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: Fianchetto, Queen Pteranodon (A40)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pterodactyl-defense-fianchetto-queen-pteranodon