Positional Sicilian?

I like openings that create positional imbalances, and the sicilian does that, but most of the variations seem too sharp for me. Right now I play the french for this stuff, but I want to know if there are good sicilian lines for this type of game. What are the quieter lines that aren't overwhelmingly sharp? Right now the sveshnikov looks interesting to me. There's alot going on, but there aren't too many tactics.

I agree that the Sveshnikov gives a good unbalanced opening, which both players can take hold of and I havent found it to be too sharp either. In my honest opinion, although I havent played it yet, I think the caro-kann may be an opening for you. It gives positions similar to the french but with the c pawn protecting the d pawn rather than the e pawn. I hope this is of use to you!

Thanks. The caro kann is positional but I like counterplay just not the insane complications of the najdorf for example. So I may look at the caro kann and the sveshnikov, but I've also heard that the 2...e6 sicilian, the taimanov, kan, and accelerated dragon can be more positional too but I never studied those. What are those like?

err. the only ones i have come across, and that i play normally, are the Alapin sicilian (because white plays 2. c3) and the Sveshnikov. otherwise i just play moves which look good in the position, normally something like Nf6, getting the dark squared bishop out and castling

I used to play Caro-Kann and Pirc but switched to Sicilian about a year ago. Since then played open sicilians Najdorf, Kan, Taimanov, Sveshnikov, etc. and other variations chosen by White, that is Smith-Morra Gambit, Alapin, Grand Prix, etc.

Some variations of Sicilian are positional. I would recommend Kan or Taimanov. Especially Kan where you are a bit behind in developement but have no clear weaknesses.

But before you get to those you need to have something for Smith-Morra Gambit and Grand Prix since those sometimes get rather sharp. Smith-Morra Gambit (SMG) is especially dangerous in rapid blitz play. SMG players usually know a few trappy sharp lines and go for them all the time. Good thing is that SMG players usually have nothing but tricks up they sleeves... if you do not fall into the traps you can outplay them positionally. Unfortunately SMG works well in blitz where position gets complicated enough to loose on time - you are two pieces up and winning position but have no time to win.

Accelerated Dragon (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6).

Most Sicilians give white a lot of space, but not quite enough to break through, and then try to counterattack when white trips. The Accelerated on the other hand has a lot of tricks against the more attacking variations by white, so white is more or less forced to play more positionally.

That said, in the 5.c4 variations, if played well by white, it can be very hard for black to create winning chances.

Accelerated Dragon is not bad. I have experimented with it as well.
Two major problems:

1. White can trick you with move order a bit. Then castle long and start typical attack via h file with pawn to h4-h5, try to exchange your bishop on g7 via White Bh6, then try open h file so rook on h1 would get into play. It gets very unpleasant quick, and worst of all this attack does not require a lot of imagination and gets executed rather well with players above 1300 ELO. Sometimes you have to walk on your toes to survive.

2. Marocy Bind with White playing c4. White just builds up without any rush. Hard to play but if you know the plan then not too bad.

Which move order do you have in mind? Most tries by white to castle long when black tries to prevent it will end in tears.

I hate that crude h4 attack! It happens to me in the king's indian sometimes. I hate how it takes such little thought. Those bad memories make me want to avoid the accelerated dragon. I'm liking the idea of sveshnikov and taimanov so far.

Not helping rainbow.

I will have to look at some of my year old games to get the lines of Accelerated Dragon where I got into h4-h5 attack. Sorry if I won't find them.

My other point was Marocy Bind with White playing c4 where Black can not make a break in the center and can get slowly squeezed to death.

I would recommend the Sicilian Kan. There's minimal (almost zero) theory to know, I just picked it up recently and have been doing alright with it. You get a solid position and there isn't as much of a tactical focus as in Sicilians where 2. d6 is played. You probably can't go wrong with most of the 2. e6 Sicilians if you want position.

I've also recently started playing the Sveshnikov (in razorblade12's fun tournament - thanks!) and I would likewise recommend it. Although, there may be more tactics than other variations. Positional play here revolves around control of d5, and I would say d6 as well. The d5 hole isn't always as severe as it seems, by the way, if Black handles it well.

Hey, and this is from memory, I thought Black was supposed to break with b7-b5 and d6-d5? If Black can prepare one of these (which should be possible) then he can break the hold on d5. b7-b5 seems like the much easier advance to prepare.

My experience has been that club players don't know the theory very well.  e4 players have too much theory to learn otherwise to trouble themselves with it.   Generally their knowledge doesn't extend far beyond: play the bind when the accelerated shows up.

On top of that, white will often seek to exchange the dark squared bishops, when that actually tends to benefit black in the Maroczy.

In Marocy Bind it is hard to get b7-b5 in because c4 pawn, Nc3 and White light square Bishop directly or indirectly control b5 square. White also usually places one of the rooks on c file. So even if you get b7-b5 in, after the pawn exchange White usually gets control of c file .
I am not saying it is not playable. But you need to have concrete plan if you Black.

Sicilian Kan on the other hand seems much less restricting. In most cases you can get d7-d5 in, and if you got it in at the right time, Blacks position is OK. Important point that if White castles long you also have real chances for counter play. White will start pawn storm on King side, but pawns have a long way to go, meantime Black has semi-open c file and pawn at b5.

Sicilian with an early ...e6 are slightly quieter. So maybe you can try one of those (Kan or Taïmanov)

Many people are recomending the kan, so what are the typical plans for black, compared to the 2...d6 lines?

e6, a6, b5, Bb7, that type of thing. I think :p

Ok, because at first things looked the same as the ...d6 lines simply without d6! I notice that black mostly develops his queenside first and can also place the dark squared bishop in a better spot and is flexible about both knight placements. The type of opening that attackers have trouble with is just what I like which also happens in the french.

According to a bit of information I looked up, Black can enter a "hedgehog" position against the Maroczy Bind from the Kan and Taimanov. This is pawns on a6/b6/d6/e6, Bishops on e7/b7, Knights on d7/f6, Queen c7, Rooks c8/e8. I'd heard of this before, but I didn't consider that you could enter it from the Sicilian.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedgehog_%28chess%29

It's an interesting possibility. I couldn't say for certain whether it's really positional, but it's worth a look.

EDIT - hey, you say you like a hard-to-attack position? Then it turns out that this setup would probably be ideal for you. Definitely have a look.

Maybe you can have a look there , and follow the games of the stronger participants