Yes. The Sicilian is troublesome. I play it myself as black. I am not afraid of the Smith-Morra gambit or the c3-Sicilian anymore, but the closed Sicilian is a bit of a worry. As white I have tried the open Sicilian, Smith-Morra gambit and the c3-Sicilian. Even 2. b4 in some games. I play 1. e4 to attack and should really play the open sicilian, but the Najdorf, Sveshnikov and Classical are deadly. Black players just love to get their favorite open Sicilian. I am just too lazy to look at all the open variations. My weapon of choice is now 2. b3! 

I love playing the Sicilian, and also playing as White against it.  My favorite response (which I've seen many other players adopt from time to time, and which was actually featured in a Game of the Week a few months ago, in which White won!) is 2. Nf6, followed by 3. c3.  This alteration to the move order of the Alapin allows for the early development of the Knight; I've never seen any way for Black to prevent White from playing c3 or to diminish the effectiveness of this move when it is delayed until after the development of the Knight.

I do love playing my sicilian, yummy! As white I play d4 so I guess i fear it as much as I love it.

I don't have a phobia for the Sicilian. If I play 1. e4 and get 1..c5 reply, I know I will have to buckle up if I even want a draw. With all the other replies, it's the other way round. Is it surprising no one wants to play 1.e4 only to meet the sicilian? With 1.d4, white usually keeps the advantage. There is not much of a direct way to attack that can't be dampened by white.

I don't play 1.e4 because of the Sicilian. why? Because there are just too many lines. Any one of them could be used against you. They are all, in the main, rather sharp openings. Some of the variations have been analyzed 30 moves deep! I invariable either play two or three variations when faced with the sicilian. How many times will play those before you switch?

Hey, I use to play Sicilian with black pieces, but Closed Sicilian with white ones...

sound cute but true! each time i played e4 i always hope that the other player won't play c5......but if he does, the game will turn out to be real interesting with no one enjoying an advantage.......

if u dont dig the opening then abandon it.

I still think that White has the advantage if one knows the main lines against the Sicilian. 

Ok guys, I will try to do the next parts in the following order -

Part One - Introduction

Part Two - Closed Sicilian (wdygml)

Part Three - Open Sicilian (uritbon)

Part Four - Alapin Defence (elam)

Part Five - Morra Gambit

Part Six - Wing Gambit

Part Seven - Grand Prix Attack

If anyone would like a different order, you can either message me or submit it as a comment. I've already started on the Closed Sicilian, and I will try to submit by Friday Sydney time.

Very nice article ogerboy, you 've got a point with the term Sicilian-phobia.

Changing from 1.e4 to 1.d4 because of the Sicilian, is normal - for white the fear exists. However, this "solution" causes two problems (it's like the Lernaean Hydra - you cut one head and two heads grow back)
a) Okay, now you are safe from 1.e4 c5 .Now prepare to deal with the new closed positions that occur from 1.d4 , learn a bunch of new openings and change your playing! People that play 1.d4 successfuly are those who feel they can handle the positions after this move - not those who cannot play 1.e4
b) The other problem is that if you abandon the Sicilian - because it favors black - then what will be your response at 1.e4 ... as black !? Surely, something less ... favorite.

I wish I knew more to give a more accurate approach, I personally enjoy a lot of non-Sicilian openings, because some of them are ... fun - and not expected! I suppose a good player mush know many opening lines and chooses what suits her.

Isn't it good players?

Hmm... i used an engine to evaluate the different variations of the open sicillian and i got this:

(+ means white is winning and - means black's winning)

• Najorf variation (+0.29)
• Dragon variation (+0.22)
• Classical variation (+0.33)
• Scheveningen variation (+0.33)

So despite how deadly each of the variation may be, white will still have that slight advantage since it is a tempo!

Good article!

sicilian can be the open sicilian, which is the terror of the chessboard, but other lines, such as the closed sicilian, Alapin, some weird 2.-c4, may result in a totaly different game atmosphere. i am wishing to know more about the open lines, so get your engines to work on that please...

You have to work on your grammar and punctuation.

I would like to read something on the closed variation......