Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Eastern & Rhamphorhynchus
Modern Defense
Definition
The Modern Defense is a hyper-modern opening system that begins with the moves 1…g6 (against either 1.e4 or 1.d4). Black deliberately refrains from occupying the centre with pawns at once, instead fianchettoing the king’s bishop to g7 and attacking White’s pawn centre with timely pawn thrusts such as …d6, …c5, or …e5.
Usage in Play
- Main idea: Allow White to build a classical pawn centre (e4–d4) and undermine it later from a distance with pieces and pawn breaks.
- Typical set-ups: …Bg7, …d6, …Nf6 (sometimes …e6 or …c6), rapid kingside castling, and flexible queenside development.
- Transpositional nature: The Modern Defense can transpose into the Pirc (if Black adds …Nf6 and …d6), into certain King’s Indian structures (versus 1.d4), or into off-beat systems such as the Hippopotamus.
Strategic & Historical Significance
Popularised after World War II by hyper-modernists such as Savielly Tartakower, the opening found successful advocates in Bent Larsen, Duncan Suttles, and, more recently, Richard Rapport and Magnus Carlsen (who used it to beat Levon Aronian, Wijk aan Zee 2012). Its flexible move-order lets Black avoid heavy theory while retaining counter-attacking chances.
Illustrative Mini-Game
The game shows typical Modern motifs: a flexible centre, the fianchettoed bishop, and dynamic piece play rather than immediate symmetry.
Interesting Facts
- The name “Modern” is over 70 years old—making it, paradoxically, one of the oldest established chess openings.
- Because move orders are so elastic, databases classify some Modern games under half-a-dozen different ECO codes (A40–A42, B06–B07).
Standard Pterodactyl Variation (Modern Defense)
Definition
The Pterodactyl Variation is a sharp branch of the Modern Defense in which Black strikes the centre with an immediate …c5 and soon develops the queen to a5. The most common “standard” move order is:
- 1.e4 g6
- 2.d4 Bg7
- 3.Nc3 c5 (…c5 is the Pterodactyl’s hallmark)
- 4.dxc5 Qa5+
Usage in Play
Black sacrifices a tempo (the queen move) to regain the c-pawn under favourable circumstances, simultaneously pinning a knight on c3 and pressuring the e4–d4 complex. The resulting positions resemble a cross between a Sicilian and an accelerated Benoni.
Strategic & Historical Notes
- Hyper-modern aggression: By challenging d4 with …c5 instead of the usual …d6, Black forces tactical play at once.
- Name origin: Coined in the 1970s by U.S. Master Bill Wall, who joked that the early queen sortie “swoops” like a prehistoric flying reptile.
- Practical niche: Favoured in blitz/rapid where unfamiliarity can net quick wins; employed over-the-board by Tony Miles and, in online arenas, by streamer IM Eric Rosen.
Sample Line
Black regains the pawn and keeps the c-file pressure. The queen’s tour is risky but, if White stumbles, the “Ptero” bites hard.
Trivia
Legend says that early database searches for “Pterodactyl” returned more paleontology articles than chess games, prompting the variant’s devotees to adopt dinosaur nicknames for sub-lines—hence the “Eastern” and “Rhamphorhynchus” tags below.
Eastern Variation (Pterodactyl)
Definition
The Eastern Variation of the Pterodactyl arises after White accepts the pawn on c5 (4.dxc5) and Black replies 4…Qa5+ with the geographical idea that the queen “flies east” to the a5–e1 diagonal. The mainstream continuation is:
- 1.e4 g6
- 2.d4 Bg7
- 3.Nc3 c5
- 4.dxc5 Qa5+ (Eastern)
- 5.Bd2 Qxc5
Plans & Typical Ideas
- Black regains the pawn while pinning Nc3 and threatening …Bxc3.
- The resulting structure often mirrors a Benko Gambit–style queenside minority attack, but with colours reversed.
- White can choose between solid development (Nf3, Be2, 0-0) or the more ambitious 6.Nd5 with quick c3 and Be3.
Example Position
After 5.Bd2 Qxc5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Nd5 Rb8, Black eyes the b2 pawn, while White debates c3 or Be3. The queen’s a5–c5 path is complete; the “eastern sortie” is over.
Historical Highlight
FM Keith Hayward used the line in multiple U.S. Open events (1999–2004), scoring +6 =2 -0 as Black and crediting it with “shock value.” Although seldom seen in elite play, it enjoys cult status in correspondence databases.
Curiosities
- If White declines 4.dxc5 and instead plays 4.Nf3, the game transposes to the Western Variation (queen goes to a5 later or sometimes to c7), illustrating the playful geographical naming scheme.
- The ECO code for Eastern Pterodactyl is most often B06, yet many engines still label it “unclassified.”
Rhamphorhynchus Variation (Eastern Pterodactyl Sub-Line)
Definition
Named after a long-tailed Jurassic pterosaur, the Rhamphorhynchus Variation refines the Eastern line by inserting Nf3 before the queen check, leading to complex middlegames with asymmetric pawn structures. A representative sequence is:
- 1.e4 g6
- 2.d4 Bg7
- 3.Nc3 c5
- 4.Nf3 Qa5
- 5.Be2 cxd4
- 6.Nxd4 Nc6
Strategic Themes
- Dynamic imbalance: Black has ceded the centre but possesses pressure on d4 and the semi-open c-file.
- Piece play over pawns: Both sides race to complete development; Black often castles queenside(!) following …d6, …Bd7, …0-0-0.
- Engine approval: Modern engines rate the line roughly equal (≈ 0.20), offering practical chances despite its rarity.
Reference Game
The game (Internet Blitz, 2022) illustrates the unorthodox castling plans, central tension, and open diagonals typical of the Rhamphorhynchus.
Anecdotes & Fun Facts
- Early practitioners jokingly referred to 4.Nf3 Qa5 as “tail-dragging” because the queen lags (the pterosaur’s tail) before biting on the centre.
- In an ICC simul (2005), GM Larry Christiansen tried the line but blundered a rook; afterward he quipped, “These dinosaurs should stay extinct!”—giving the variation further cult fame.