Ideas to counter these two Sicilian lines as black

 Hi, 

I am a Sicilian player as black. I used to play slightly longer games only (say 45 min games atleast) and had no taste for shorter games.

I have recently started playing shorter games (5 and 10 min games) and having some serious difficulties  facing below mentioned two lines in sicillian:

1.

  and 2. 

My official fide online ratings are Rapid :1801 (still on provisional) and  Blitz (3-10 min) : 1650

I don't know theories in these lines but I don't have much dificulties in facing these lines in longer games since I somehow enter into an almost equal middle games and try to play positionally from there.. But in 3-10 min games I am really having a problem in finding ideas or lines to effectively counter these two line.

I am reading some other stuff so can't allocate much time to analyse these two lines... 

So just want to know what you guys suggest against these two lines.

 

if white plays an early f4, you should immediately focus on the d5 break.  A styraight forward response to this could simply be 1.e4 c5 2.f4 e6 followed by 3...d5 and your game is already much easier to play. As for the anti sicilian (2/3.c3) your sharpest and IMO best reply is again d5! but this time right away without preparing with e6. for example: 

1.e4 c5 2.nf3 nc6 3.c3 d5! 4. exd5 qxd5 and the Q is nicely position on the center square and cannot be booted by playing the usual Nc3, nor does it have to retreat for a bit, as white is not castled so black keeps the pressure on the d file and white Q.  From here there are a few different setups.  You can play more  conservatively with a quick e6 be7 0-0 and prepare fianchetto bishup on b7, with standard sicilian position play, or play more aggressively with the light bishup outside of e6 and play bg4 quickly before e6. But its important to note that if you play in this manner, the point is NOT to just give up the B for the N on f3. The idea is to merely develop the peice outside the pawn chain to 1st pin the N, and then if white plays h3 you play bf5 w/ a strong diagonal. I personally prefer the bishup outside the chain as opposed to on d7 of bb7 in this line, but probably just a matter of taste.

Hope this helps.

2... d5 is also best in the first line.

ah yes! haha, funny thing is I always, always play 2..d5 followed by e6 Bxe6 if white plays 2 f4..but I was thinking in my head it was 2nc3 and 3. f4  line since I always see that and rarely ever 2 f4

Thanks for reminding me of that  :p

Thank you guys,

I too play 2..d5 but the problem, I feel with 1.e4 c5 2.f4 d5 line is that 3.e5 cause after that this e5 pawn is going to be here for a long time and for me it recudes my attacking ideas and I end up playing passively, which is not the best thing in shorter games.

It is okay that in case of 3.e5, black gets good center and space on Q side but it also means that he is going to defend  his K side in the game.

Try this.

and play for Queen side control.

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3 d5 4 ed5 Qd5 5 d4 Nf6 6 dc5 is the question you must answer.

Why would white give his good bishop away like that?

I often pray silently to the chess gods that white play closed with e5 here and in countless other positions. It looks aggressive but imo playing it concedes center (d4) and creates immediate targets/ weaknesses that black should immediate swhift his focus; namely d4. As others have already mentioned, take advantage of this concession by playing your N to f5 via h6y or e7. 

Again not just referring to the position here- just in general when white closes w/ e5- moves that focus on hitting d4 like nh6-nf5, e6 and c5, amd even qb6.

Just follow opening principles and youll be fine.

when u will b in critical condition and not getting the right move, then correct answer is to just resign and say sorry buddy, my head is not working properly. I will see u tomorrow.

sicilianka no good gg

After 1.e4 c5 2f4 d5 3e5?! Nc6 black is already somewhat better. White is playing a poor caro kann type position were black hasn't wasted time on c6-c5, and f4 is suspect. 3e5 is the sort of "attacking" move played by weak players, not aware of all the positional concessions making, and getting no attack.