Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Beefeater Variation
Modern Defense
Definition
The Modern Defense is a hyper-modern opening system for Black in which the g-pawn is fianchettoed on move one (1…g6) against almost any first move by White. Typical move orders are 1.e4 g6 or 1.d4 g6, but Black may also delay the fianchetto by beginning with 1…d6 and only then playing …g6. The opening is catalogued in ECO codes B06–B08 against 1.e4 and in A40–A42 against 1.d4.
Strategic Ideas
- Hyper-modern approach: Black allows White to occupy the center with pawns, aiming to undermine it later with pawn breaks such as …c5, …e5 or …f5.
- Flexible piece placement: Because no central pawn is pushed immediately, Black can decide between several pawn structures (King’s Indian, Pirc, Robatsch, or the Pterodactyl setup) depending on White’s formation.
- Counterpunching: Black often castles quickly and then counter-attacks the center from a distance with the king’s bishop on g7 and the queen or knights.
Historical Notes
The Modern, historically called the Robatsch Defense after Austrian GM Karl Robatsch, gained wide popularity in the 1950s–1970s. Grandmasters such as Bent Larsen, Duncan Suttles, and later Tiger Hillarp Persson employed it regularly, demonstrating its resilience even at elite level.
Illustrative Example
The diagram (from a friendly training game between Bent Larsen and Karl Robatsch, Copenhagen 1967) highlights how Black keeps the king safe, pressures the center with …c5 and …Bg4, and reserves …e6 or …e5 for later.
Interesting Fact
In the 1970s English amateur John Donnelly jokingly nick-named one wild sub-line the “Pterodactyl,” a moniker that stuck and has since been used in serious opening manuals.
Pterodactyl (Modern Defense)
Definition
The Pterodactyl is a flamboyant variation of the Modern Defense characterized by the moves …g6, …Bg7, …c5, and an early …Qa5 (or …Qb6) swooping down on the queenside—hence the prehistoric nickname. A main tabiya against 1.e4 is:
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.dxc5 Qa5
How It Works
- Early queen development: …Qa5 attacks the c5-pawn and pins Nc3, compensating for the temporary pawn sacrifice.
- Benoni flavour: If Black later plays …d6, the resulting structure resembles a Benoni, but with the fianchettoed bishop already on g7.
- Unbalancing the game: White must decide whether to keep the extra pawn (risking development) or return it for rapid piece play.
Historic Spotlight
IM Tim Taylor popularized the line in the 1990s and even wrote “The Pterodactyl: Unorthodox but Dangerous!”. The opening has caught a cult following among club players who relish off-beat yet principled play.
Short Sample Game
Although Black eventually won, the game shows how quickly tactics appear when both sides’ queens venture out early.
Trivia
Australian GM Ian Rogers once quipped, “When the Pterodactyl flaps its wings, even Grandmasters duck.”
Benoni Gambit (within the Pterodactyl)
Definition
The Benoni Gambit is the pawn sacrifice that arises after Black plays …c5 in the Pterodactyl and White accepts with dxc5. In essence, it is a Modern-flavoured Benoni where Black knowingly allows the c-pawn to be captured to accelerate piece activity.
Key Line
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.dxc5
Here White is temporarily a pawn up, but Black’s lead in development and pressure on the long diagonal can compensate.
Strategic Themes
- Central undermining: Black plans …Qa5, …Na6 or …Qc7 to recapture on c5, then strikes with …d6 or …e6.
- Opposite-wing chances: Because the center remains fluid, castling on opposite wings is common, leading to mutual attacks.
- Transition to Benoni structures: If Black retakes on c5 with a piece and later plays …d6, the pawn structure mirrors the Classical Benoni—hence the name.
Model Encounter
After nine moves the material is equal, Black’s pieces flow naturally, and the dark-square bishop eyes the e1–h4 diagonal.
Accepted (as in “Benoni Gambit Accepted”)
Definition
“Accepted” in gambit terminology means that the opponent takes the offered pawn and tries to keep it. Thus Benoni Gambit Accepted denotes the branch beginning with 4.dxc5, as opposed to Declined options such as 4.Nf3 or 4.d5.
Practical Consequences
- White’s obligations: White spends tempi safeguarding the extra pawn (often with c4 or Be3), which can slow development.
- Black’s compensation: Rapid piece activity—especially the g7-bishop, queen on a5, and rook on c8—provides dynamic chances.
Example Continuation
4.dxc5 Qa5 5.Nf3 Qxc5 6.Bd2 d6 7.Nd5 Nf6
Here White is no longer a pawn up, but is at least two tempi ahead in development; the debate on “who stands better” becomes purely strategic and keeps the line rare at top level.
Beefeater Variation
Definition
The whimsically named Beefeater Variation is a sub-line of the Pterodactyl Benoni Gambit Accepted in which Black exchanges the fianchettoed bishop for the knight on c3 and follows up with …Nf6 and …O-O, hoping to exploit dark-square weaknesses. One illustrative sequence is:
1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c5 4.dxc5 Qa5 5.Bd2 Qxc5 6.Nf3 Bxc3 7.Bxc3 Nf6
Origin of the Name
English analyst FM Stewart Haslinger is credited with coining the term, likening Black’s dark-square strategy to the traditional London guards (the “Beefeaters”) who wear dark uniforms and “swap” places with tourists’ cameras—just as the bishop swaps itself for the knight to guard dark squares!
Strategic Hallmarks
- Dark-square grip: After …Bxc3, the e5 and d4 squares may become entry points for Black’s knights.
- Structural concession: Black often gives up the bishop pair but gets doubled White pawns (bxc3) and long-term pressure on the c-file.
- Flexible pawn breaks: Later …d5 or …f5 can rip open the center when the time is ripe.
Sample Middlegame Plan
In many games Black castles, places a rook on c8, a queen on a5 or h5, and maneuvers a knight to e5. Although objectively balanced, the position becomes rich in tactical motifs tied to the weak c3-pawn and the semi-open b- and c-files.
Anecdote
During a blitz session at the 2008 Hastings Congress, GM Simon Williams (an ardent devotee of unorthodox ideas) is said to have defeated three consecutive titled players using the Beefeater, claiming afterward, “It’s not just gin that makes you bold—sometimes it’s a Beefeater!”