Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Pteranodon is a chess opening with the ECO code B27, part of the Pterodactyl Defense family. It goes 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. dxc5 Qa5+ 5. Nc3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... c5. After 11 moves it is Black to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... c5 – Black plays the pawn to c5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... g6 – Black plays the pawn to g6
3. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
3... Bg7 – Black plays the bishop to g7
4. dxc5 – White captures on c5 with the d-pawn
4... Qa5+ – Black plays the queen to a5, giving check
5. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
5... Bxc3+ – Black takes on c3 with the bishop, giving check
6. bxc3 – White captures on c3 with the b-pawn
About the Pterodactyl Defense
An offbeat system with ...g6, ...Bg7, ...c5 and an early ...Qa5. Black hits the dark squares and the c3 knight.
The g7 bishop and the queen on a5 both pressure c3.
Black sometimes gives up the bishop with ...Bxc3+ to damage White's pawns.
Without the dark-squared bishop, Black's king can be weak, so be careful.
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