I'd appreciate your comments on this game, as it represents the kind of game I've been playing as black lately, and I can't decide if it's sound or not. In this case, I ended up with the win, but obviously I lose often enough to pose the question.
So my question, specifically, is: Is this an okay way to play the Sicilian Defense, or am I taking so long to develop that I am asking for trouble from stronger players?
This example is a recent 10 minute blitz game that worked out according to my plans (set up for an eventual ...d5, fianchetto the dark-square bishop, and open things up later for some tactical chances), although the last 5-6 moves were rushed due to time trouble. I annotated a few moves here to help illustrate my question.
Thoughts on the general style would be appreciated - thank you!
The Sicilian is definitely an opening where you want to stick to the book moves. If you don't, then you definitely will be asking for trouble against stronger players.
In a blitz game though, you might be able to get away with it.
Don't listen to dmeng; in this case, it's White that leaves the book moves with his 3.Bc4.
By doing that, White is taking it pretty slowly already (faster attacks generally come after d2-d4 c4xd4 Nxd4, or in f2-f4 systems. So you can as well.
I think I've played the same system as you do against that sort of setup by White.
The combination of both e6 and g6 looks a bit suspect at first -- if your bishop on g7 is ever exchanged, you'll have a lot of weak dark squares around your king. h6 and f6 won't be guarded by pawns anymore. If White then lands a knight on either, you're already in danger. Just saying that's something to watch out for with such pawn formations, it's probably not very relevant, the e-file is going to open anyway -- it doesn't matter where the pawn used to be :-)
Your d7-d5 plan reminds me of a line in the Closed Sicilian where I go for a similar plan (known from theory):
I think your plan is quite sound. White probably shouldn't go Bb5 after d7-d5, but rather to b3 or a2. I'd say Black has an equal game after d7-d5.
You could play 4...d5 with easy equality straight-away.
Thanks for the help folks!!
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