Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus
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Statistics from Lichess
324,293 games: White 47.3% / Draw 4.7% / Black 47.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 105,561106K | ||
| 99,48599K | ||
| Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus | 87,62088K | |
| 19,08319K | ||
| 9,7919,791 | ||
| 2,5252,525 | ||
| 212212 | ||
| 1616 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 25, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.92 White is better
Best play: 5. c3 Nf6 6. b4 Qc7 7. Bd3 d5 8. cxd6 exd6 9. Bf4 O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
The stronger the players, the worse this line does for Black: Black scores 52% under 1400, 47% at 2200 and up and 45% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 39K | |
| 1400–1799 | 190K | |
| 1800–2199 | 174K | |
| 2200 and up | 33K | |
| Masters, over the board | 680 |
Master games
- Bruzon Batista, L. – Ponomariov, R.
- Dominguez Perez, L. – Van Wely, L.
- Malakhov, V. – Savchenko, B.
- Motylev, A. – Kulaots, K.
- Shaposhnikov, E. – Malakhov, V.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026
Overview
Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus (ECO B27, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated Pterodactyl, reached after 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ (4 moves).
In 324,293 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.3%, Black 47.9% and 4.7% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. Bd2, in 33% of those games.
It continues into one named variation, Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Rhamphorhynchus. In all, 3 named lines continue from it.
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: Western, Rhamphorhynchus
5. c3 scores best for White: 50.5%, with White winning 48.1% and Black 47.0% of 99K games. The most played, 5. Bd2, scores 49.3% in 106K games, and 5. Qd2 scores lowest: 46.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 5. c3.
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
Popularity by year
The Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus has lost ground since 2016: 0.011% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.013% (its peak: 0.015% in 2019).
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.013% | 4,771 |
| 2017 | 0.014% | 7,902 |
| 2018 | 0.015% | 11,759 |
| 2019 | 0.015% | 18,839 |
| 2020 | 0.014% | 41,633 |
| 2021 | 0.013% | 52,478 |
| 2022 | 0.012% | 46,526 |
| 2023 | 0.012% | 43,745 |
| 2024 | 0.011% | 40,586 |
| 2025 | 0.011% | 38,537 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.011% | 12,418 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (1)
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus (B27)”. Lichess data as of 25 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/pterodactyl-defense-western-rhamphorhynchus