Opening with low tactics??

My chess.com rating ranges in the 1700-1900's, yet my tactics trainer score ranges in the 1200-1500's. I've been playing the Sicilian as black for about three years. Based on that data above, I'm curious if I am playing the wrong opening. Sicilian is a beasty of a tactical battle...since my tactics are far weaker than my overall ability, I'm thinking maybe I should switch to something less volatile. Anyone know of a good opening for black against 1. e4 that is generally low on the tactics scale?

Well Caro Kann is a good one but first 1. how do you do with the Sicilian ? If you do well with it already no real need to switch. Do you send the same amount of time on a tactic trainer problem as with OTb or online move. But the Caro Kann is pretty good though not all players like it.  

How about Petroff or Scandinavian, they seem to become quite popular recently.

Agreed with the above: if you're tactics are weak, then that's something you'll have to work on.

The problem is that, while there are some openings that tend more towards positional lines, if you're opponent really really wants to pull the game towards tactical lines at all costs, I don't think there are any real choices against E4 to prevent it.  The French Defence can be met by the poisoned pawn variation of the Winawer, the Alekhine-Chartard Gambit, etc.  The Caro Kann can be met by the Fantasy Variation or the so called "Caveman" continuation.  Etc.  It entails more risk, but there's always the chance you'll be pulled into a tactical battle, and I can't think of any mainstream openings that avoid these potentialities.

I've also considered the possibility that I'm not good at tactics when I have 30-60 seconds to think as it currently stands in the tactics trainer. My live chess rating seems to fall within the same range as my tactics trainer ratings. Maybe it's just a quick thought process problem, rather than a tactics problem. 

I win 46% on the black side of sicilian.

I play Najdorf

I like the French, but I wouldn't change my opening if I had a 46% win percentage as black.  

Yeah, maybe I'm just mentally slower, thus the lower tactics trainer ratings. I miss really easy stuff on tactics trainer..if that blasted clock wasn't speeding by I do much better...anyway...I'm not necessarily looking to abandon the Sicilian...its a love/hate relationship...just in the spirit of understanding my own weakness (if it's even a weakness) maybe I should try a different opening. But yeah, the tactics will ultimately arise in every game. Just in the Sicilian it's immediately. 

Those are most definitely tactical openings lol. 

When doing tactics trainer i would suggest that you don't constantly look at the clock 1. That wastes time 2. Will make you a lot more neverous.

Also 46 percent win in the Sicilian is very impressive especially if you are not counting draws. If you do that well with it i would keep at it unless you are looking to expand your repertoire for other reasons.

 The Scandinavian is very tactical...at least if you want to win with Black, you need to be tactical and aggressive; this is what I have found to be true for the Scandinavian in my playing it, others may have a different take on it. I have posted a lot of my Scandinavian games so you can look if you want.

What you may be looking for is an opening that is less theoretical. Openings like the Najdorf are very solid but there is a ton of theory on those openings. The Najdorf tends to be more double-edged than the Scheveningen.

Hi Adam,

I agree that tactis are the basics. You can master an opening and have a slight edge as black right out of it, but if you don't consolidate that edge in the middlegame, it's pointless trying to find a new opening, since you'll face the same problem once and again.

As someone said, 46% is quite acceptable taking into consideration that you have a lot of room to improve tactics, which means that that figure's gonna rise.

I recommend you to work with the tactics trainer without looking at the clock. It's better that you find the move out of time, than hurrying up and make the wrong move. You're not gonna learn that way.

You can also take a look at good chess books/DVD of tactis. If you're interested just drop me a mail, and I will recommend you a couple of titles.

Take care, and good luck.