Alapin Sicilian

Could anyone tell me what the Alapin Sicilian is as I have been hearing it and want to know what it is. i might even play the Alapin Sicilian.

The Alapin is 1. e4 c5 2. c3, with the main idea being that White threatens a nice 2 pawn center with 3. d4.  If White can achieve that (pawns at d4, e4), he is doing quite well!

That diagram was meant to illustrate a slightly sneakier way to enter the Alapin.  Sorry.  

I personally play the Sneaky way, aka the Delayed Alapin :) 2. Nf3, and only then 3. c3, it avoids the early ..d5 lines that are kind of annoying (at least to me) in the regular Alapin.  There is even a 'Good Trap' in that line, 3...Nf6 4. Be2 Nxe4?? Qa4+ picking up the Ne4 knight.

Other fun lines include the Basman-Palatnik 2-pawn gambit!

http://chesstempo.com/gamedb/opening/2058

Could you tell me what to play for black

I would think 1. e4 c5 2. c3 Nf6 would be a fine choice, I would look over some of the games in this line at chessgames.com

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?gamekey=Nf3Nc6c3Nd5cxd4Nf6d4c5e4cxd4e5d6/Bc4&notkey=Nf3Nc6c3Nd5cxd4Nf6d4c5e4cxd4e5d6/Bc4e6&title=1.%20e4%20c5%202.%20c3%20Nf6%203.%20e5%20Nd5%204.%20Nf3%20Nc6%205.%20d4%20cxd4%206.%20cxd4%20d6%207.%20Bc4%20&result=0-1

Against the Alapin, I'd recommend 2...d5 or 2...Nf6.

I forgot to mention, learning the 2...Nf6 lines also gives Black the option of transposing a Smith-Morra into the Alapin.

what about 2 ...e6 and assume Black is fine with transposition to the french? What are the independent Alapin lines that don't just become French Advanced or french tarrasch?

I like the Taimanov and Paulsen Sicilians with early e6. If somebody tries 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 c3, then i play 3..d5. I also push d5-d4 if they don't immediately play d2-d4.

Five, i dont understand your point. You are more precise usually. Why exactly is 5.Nf3 better than 5.cxd4 and not just a move transposition?

Addon: And why - after 5.cxd4 - is 6.Bc4 better than 6.Nf3? I can see no variation where Qh5 makes sense in my ..e6 line.

@Morph Morra is =+ and Alapin is =

Addon: 2.d4 is probably the second worst white move, 2.Ba6 being the worst.

I agree.

The current state of knowledge in this thread is:

If you like the e6 ,and d6 line it might be worth looking into what Aagard says about it in his anti-sicilian book. Personally think the nb6 line is easier.

The October 2014 issue of Chess Life ran an article about 1 e4 c5 2 c3 . An introduction to the line can also be found in a section of Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html . Informant #119 had the first installment of a series of articles on 1 e4 c5 2 c3. Perhaps it will all be in a single book someday. Two recent books are Starting Out: The c3 Sicilian by John Emms (2008) https://web.archive.org/web/20140627022143/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen116.pdf

and The Complete c3 Sicilian by Evgeny Sveshnikov (2010).

https://web.archive.org/web/20140626234618/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen141.pdf

I believe that the DVD, Killer c3 Sicilian by Sam Collins https://web.archive.org/web/20140626220045/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen152.pdf

appeared in 2011. Advice for Black can be found in Experts on the Anti-Sicilian edited by Jacob Aagaard and John Shaw (2011) https://web.archive.org/web/20140626195254/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen147.pdf

and Sveshnikov vs. the Anti-Sicilians by Evgeny Sveshnikov (2014). http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2014/12/30/a-review-of-sveshnikov-vs-the-anti-sicilians.html

There is also Power play 21: A Repertoire for Black Against the Anti-Sicilians by Daniel King.

I play the Alapin against the Sicilian and it amazes me how often it turns into a very unfavorable and cramped version of the French Defense for Black because they are missing the classic c7-c5 pawn break that they usually get in the French. These positions can hardly be what a Sicilian player wants out of that opening. Classic example: 1.e4 c5 2.c3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 cxd4 5.cxd4 and it looks like a horrible version of French Advance Variation. This type of French-like setup can happen with different moves that may include Black playing an earlier Nf6. 

I think Black’s best reply to the Alapin is 2...d5. He should shy away from White locking the center with an e5 pawn push unless he likes playing a French-like position. But, if he did, you’d think he’d play 1...e6 instead of 1...c5. 

Because his opponents have no clue what they're doing!?

I don't like playing the Sicilian, but this move often leads to open positions and a game somewhat similar to games after 1.e4 e5, Alekhine Defense, and Queen's Gambit and maybe Nimzo-Indian. It has become popular, and easily the 2nd most common move 2 against the Sicilian.