Open Sicilian with good attacking chances for black

(I'm afraid similar question's have been asked here many times. Please feel free to just give me a link to a thread I missed.)

I think that every good club-level chess player should learn Sicilian defence. I'd like to learn a variation which offers good attacking chances for black. Suppose you're in one of these positions (other suggestions are also welcome):

• 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3
• 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4
• 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4

What continuation do you propose for black in one of those positions, if you want for it:

• to be sound (at club level);
• to give black good attacking chances against white king; and
• to minimize possibilities for white to turn it into slow, maneuvering game.

I don't mind learning long lines and I don't mind white trying to checkmate me while I'm trying to checkmate white. And I don't mind losing some of my games before I master the opening.

I am sorry but what you describe is not possible, unless you want to play both colours at the same time.

First of all the open Sicilian for Black is by nature sound, you don't need something more specific, just choose one system you understand the ideas and be comfortable to play in it lines.

The open Sicilian for Black is a counterattacking weapon with a lot of dynamic positions getting involved but if White wants to play an easy game you cant do something to prevent that unless you want to play from an inferior position.

The phrase minimizes possibilities doesn't exist. Even against the aggressive, sharp Dragon, accelerated or not White can play a dull game if wish so.

The open Sicilian is one the most difficult openings for Black to dictate tempo, mainly because being behind in development from move three most of the time.

P.S : Change your post coordinates ( 1.e4 e5? is not Sicilian)

(e5 was a typo). My experience from other openings is that depending on the variation you (and possibly also your opponent) choose, the game has different feeling - it feels more aggressive or more solid, more attacking or more positional etc. You're not saying that Najdorf, Dragon, Scheveningen and other variations all have the same feeling and they lead to the same positions, are you? And I'm pretty sure you could find a variation of open Sicilian that is not considered wholly sound.

Listen...it doesn't matter what Open Sicilian it is, when it comes to evaluating tempo. After 3...cxd4 Black is behind in development thanks to that he moved his c pawn twice. It is in Whites favour to choose the nature of the setup independence if you play 4...d6,4...e6,4...Nc6,4...a6 e.t.c

Of course, all variations are some more or less sound but i consider obvious that you want to follow the mainlines and that is a fact for every opening choice.

Statistically, the classical Dragon setups give more sharp positions with imbalanced straightforward play than anything else because of the popularity has the Yugoslav attack in preferences, but until you reach there you have to deal with 1765 pages of theory and also with those don't fancy Modern heavy stuff and obtain a 3...Bb5+ or  5.f3 going for a Maroczy.

I ll become a prophet and tell you that: The stronger you will become handling the Open Sicilian the simplest, slow, boring, dry, game you will look for.  

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No, he shouldn't.

One can become a very strong player without ever bothering to learn anything about the Sicilian.

It's just a matter of taste, and personal choices.

Speaking to number 3 in particular, White can turn the game into something slow as early as move 2.  White is not obliged to play the Open Sicilian, as he can instead play c3 and enter much quieter waters, or he can play the positional Rossolimo or Bb5 lines, or he can try the open Sicilian but recapture with Qxd4, or he can do the Open Sicilian and play f3 instead of Nc6, aiming for a Maroczy Bind with c4 coming, or, even if White plays the 'normal' Open Sicilian and Black gets to enter his Najdorf or Dragon or whatever, White always has the Karpov approach of Be2, 0-0 and quieter play like this.

I gave up the Sicilian when I was younger (I think around the 1600 mark as well, iirc) because, even though I was fascinated by the mainline Dragon, I would play 10 boring games with one of the above variations before getting a mainline.  There is no way for Black to guarantee what he wants.  The best you can hope for is to play good moves and get a good game.

That said, practically speaking, the e6 Sicilian avoid most of the anti-Sicilians and lines with an early Bb4 tend to be mishandled by most lower-rated players, so using that as a basis you may get some good games.