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Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin

2.8K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.5%

40%55%
Floor45.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.0%.

Measured over 2.8K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

White comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.8K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
2.8K
Best context
not measured yet
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.6%
Draws
3.4%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.4% · Rapid best · Bullet worst

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 44.2% at 0-999, 27.2% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999——
1000-1199——
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799—
1800-1999
2000-2199—
2200-2499——
2500+———

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 25.9% expected score (13 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (104 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (69 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (75 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 63.1% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (123 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 57.1% expected score (97 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 68.7% expected score (28 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (114 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 58.4% expected score (142 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 56.6% expected score (59 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 43.9% expected score (194 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (153 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (45 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 64.3% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (171 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (220 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (14 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 44.0% expected score (180 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (299 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 38.9% expected score (12 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (293 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (208 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 40.7% expected score (121 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 13.7% expected score (4 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Pterodactyl Defense
44.0%
Variations (5)
Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Anhanguera
48.1%
Pterodactyl Defense: Queen Pterodactyl, Quiet Line
47.7%
Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Benoni
49.3%
Pterodactyl Defense: Western, Rhamphorhynchus
48.0%
Pterodactyl Defense: Eastern, Rhamphorhynchus
51.1%
Analyze Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin scores 47.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.9% and 49.0% — from 2.8K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
2.8K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate?

Playing the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin, White wins 45.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 2.8K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin perform best?

The Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin performs best for White at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 54.4% (250 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 48.1% in Blitz (1.3K games) against 56.0% in Rapid (183 games).

How sharp is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin?

The Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin has a sharpness score of 96.6 (very decisive), meaning 96.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 45.7%, draws 2.0% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 122 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.8%, draws 6.1% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 154 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 250 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 317 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 44.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 396 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 43.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 53.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 409 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 44.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 52.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 492 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 44.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 511 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 36.8%, draws 5.1% and loses 58.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 39.4%. It rests on 125 Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 44.4%, draws 2.2% and loses 53.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 46.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games.

What is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 52.8%, draws 6.2% and loses 40.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 183 Lichess games.

Is the Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin a good opening?

The Pterodactyl Defense: Sicilian, Unpin is hard work for White — it favours Black. Across all ratings, White wins 45.8% of its games and loses 50.8%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.