D4 :-)
I like sicilian but am rusty. Hope it clears.
Sicilian as White
Sort:
For white, theoretically the best responce is 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3! d6 (2.. Nc6 3. d4) (2.. e6 3. d4) 3. d4
Smith Morris??
Morra??
@vik. Yup. I notice all the pros use that one
Most openings, including the Sicilian, are played so incorrectly at the <1400 level that there's not much point you going over the first 7/8 moves anyway. Find a suitable response you like, i.e. an open Sicilian (played most) with Nf3, d4, Nxd4 etc... or adopt a closed Sicilian approach with 2. Nc3, looking to get in f4, Bb5/Bg2 depending on what black does with his e-pawn. by move 10, you'll more than likely be out of the book anyway and you can just enjoy playing chess.
2. c3 takes black out of his normal game. Evgeny Sveshnikov claims to have "fed his family" with that move and had a 70% win rate with it. For us mere mortals it's not quite that simple but it does eliminate a lot of theory.
I have been trying to learn C3. Seems everyone has an answer.
Any Grand Prix lovers??
baddogno wrote:
2. c3 takes black out of his normal game. Evgeny Sveshnikov claims to have "fed his family" with that move and had a 70% win rate with it. For us mere mortals it's not quite that simple but it does eliminate a lot of theory.
The c3 Sicilian is a very good choice, and Sveshnikov is a great exponent of it. His book, the complete c3 Sicilian is very good (all be it big enough to choke a whale).
HOWEVER, I would suggest that if you don't understand pawn structures, particuarly IQP positions, then you avoid it and learn a system with solid, easy to understand resulting pawn structures first such as the open or grand prix.
If you're now googling 'IQP positions chess', then avoid the c3 Sicilian for now 
P.S. If you do go for the Grand Prix (my choice), then this is an excellent starting place for it - http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Out-Sicilian-Grand-Attack/dp/1857445473
i have been playing the bb5 sicilian recently and i'm definitely enjoying it. there are a few ways of playing it depending on what black does, but each has fairly clear plans. either queenside castling and pushing the kingside pawns, a maroczy bind type set up, or simply castle king side and develop quickly - generally aiming to weaken the enemy pawn structure.
here is a recent game of mine where i get an absolutely CRUSHING position out of the opening and blunder it all away by being a pansy.
Just play the open sicilian against any move, and the yugoslav attack against the dragon. If you understand what you are doing you don't have to avoid the sicilian defence. The anti sicilian lines are easy to play against as black.
i also like these type of positions.
I really don't see where the "crushing" is. If your opponent played e.g. 15...Rh8 instead of committing suicide with 15...g5. Actually it should have been played one move earlier because after 14...b4 you should have just taken on g6, without bothering to move the knight.
Anyway, your opponent simply didn't know one of the defence methods of the fianchetto.
Then I don't get why you resigned, you could have probably drawn. Being an exchange down is not resign time. Take on d3, then put your knight on e5, your king on e3 and it's not gonna be easy for your opponent to win.
if i had of played hxg6 on move 15 that would have been crushing, also Nxf7 on move 20 pretty much wins on the spot. i resigned more because i was annoyed at throwing away such a position than because i was losing. which is obviously a stupid thing to do, i know!
-edit- engine's give this a +5 after 14 moves, i'd say that's pretty crushing when material is even. i just played like a pansy and didn't go in for hxg6.
C3 or Alapin Variation is a fun response to the Sicilian ....
Best variations??