how should you play against 2.c4 in the Sicilian?

The problem with 2. c4 is that white gives up control of d4. Personally, I'd follow with a quick Nc6, g6, and Bg7 to control d4. Black can follow with d6 (to control e5) and/or e6 (to kick white out of d5). 

Disclaimer: I don't normally play the Sicilian, so this may not be the best advice.

White is playing either a pre-mature Maroczy Bind (if he plays d4) or a Botvinnik Structure (if he plays d3).

The Botvinnik Structure is best played against 1...e5 English lines, not lines where the diagonal for the Bishop on g7 remains open.

The Maroczy Bind should never be played when Black can still place his Bishop on b4.  For example, it is often played in the Accelerated Dragon because of Black's commitment to ...g6.  It can be played in the Prins Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.f3 intending 6.c4), which only works if Black plays 2...d6, blocking the diagonal, and in the case of the Taimanov, White can play a Maroczy Bind, but only after a specific maneuver first.  After 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 and now 5.c4 is terrible.  After 5...Nf6 6.Nc3, the move 6...Bb4 is very strong and already Black is better.  Therefore, White has to play 5.Nb5 if he doesn't want to play the main line with 5.Nc3.  Only now, after 5...d6 (Black's only real option that doesn't lead to a worse position for him), and now 6.c4 can be played because the diagonal is blocked and ...Bb4 is not possible.

So you need to take advantage of both.  That means no e5 and no d6.  You should answer 2.c4 with either 2...Nc6 or 2...e6.  If you normally play a line where you fianchetto your Bishop in the case of the Open Sicilian, such as the Dragon or Accelerated Dragon, then 2...Nc6 is probably your best move.  If you normally play the Kan and a Hedgehog setup against the c4 lines, then 2...e6 is your answer.  If you are a Najdorf player, you are pretty much out of luck.  If you are a Taimanov player, you can play either 2...e6 or 2...Nc6.  You could also try 2...g6 is you like playing against the Maroczy Bind lines in the Accelerated Dragon as it also puts your Bishop in the ideal spot if White plays d3.

Therefore, your best moves, depending on what you play in the normal open sicilian, are probably 2...Nc6 or 2...g6 with 2...e6 a very close third.  Do not put your pawns though on e5 or d6 until White declares what he is doing with that d-pawn.

I'm a Dragon player and would want to avoid the Maroczy. 1.e4 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nf3 followed by d4 and Black cannot seem to avoid going into the Maroczy after 3...g6 4.d4. Hope there is an antidote for this.

@4

1 e4 c5 2 c4 Nc6 3 Nf3 e5 is fine for black.

3. ... e5 and Black has the superior Botvinnik structure.

In the Botvinnik, the g1 (or g8) Knight belongs on e2 (e7) not on f3 (f6).

Thanks tygxc and blueemu. I play the English Botvinnik myself. This is very helpful

Here's a sample Botvinnik formation (by Black), with the Knight properly placed on e7.

In the Botvinnik, the side that uses the Pawn-wedge (Black in the above game) can break with either the b-Pawn or the f-Pawn.

That's one of the reasons why that Knight belongs on e7, not on f6.

Swronmt

WOW! That's a game.

Try this one:

A Heroic Defense in the Sicilian Najdorf - Kids, don't try this at home! - Chess Forums - Chess.com

Something like this seems fine to me:

Black's main ideas:

- b7-b5 pawn thrust

- The long (but logical) knight maneuver: ne8-nc7-ne6-nd4! (We see similar maneuvers from white, in certain lines of the English).

- If white somehow stops these ideas, then black can adopt Hedgehog structure (e6+d6+b6+a6), put his knights on e7+c7, his bishop on b7 (all pieces pointing at d5), then break in the center with d5.

(Unless, of course, some tactics arise that change the plans.)

I know it. I no longer recall whether i have left a comment there, but You deffinettaly created a masterpiece there. You really played like Michail Tal.

Yes Tal. He could play ultra-sharp defence too, and actually have defended against very similar Fisher-Sozin attack played by Fisher himself. The games shares two common features - same opening, same madness.

Fisher-Tal. Bled 1959

LOL.

I played Tal in 1988 in Saint John. Another Sicilian Najdorf. A draw.