Vs. the Sicilian (for newbies)

I need to learn a response to the Sicilian that's not too difficult to learn, but still is effective.  I hardly played against it in middle school chess club, but in high school I'm guessing I'll face it a lot.

Thanks

i have an idea. play 1.d4! then u dont have to play against the sicilian OR the french! how about that!

I actually have been trying to learn d4 to avoid openings like this, but still, help for a response to the sicilian is appreciated.

I have another idea.  Play 1.g4 then you do not have to play against the sicilian, french, the slav, or any indian defenses!  How about that!

Or maybe I should learn the English 1. c4, and not have to face the sicilian, french, or indian defenses!  How about that!

 I am a part of the Unorthodox Chess group, so I may learn that later, but now I want to learn a response to the Sicilian!  How about that!

Hyper accelerated dragon

This forum is a cesspool.

The Open Sicilian main lines are really the best for White, but it sounds like you're interested in playing something less complicated and theory-heavy.  In that case, you have a few common options:

1. The Alapin (1.e4 c5 2.c3) or Delayed Alapin (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 ... 3.c3).  These are arguably the most popular, straightforward, and effective of the anti-Sicilians these days.  You'll get a lot of isolated d-pawn positions, but that's not entirely a bad thing.
2. The Closed Sicilian (1.e4 c5 2.Nc3).  A respectable reply.  I've never done very well with it, but Spassky and plenty of other GMs have!
3. The Grand Prix Attack (1.e4 c5 2.f4 or 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3... 3.f4).  This was all the rage 10-15 years ago, and it's probably still a fine weapon at your level.  Black has some effective ways to equalize, though that probably goes for all these lines.
4. The Morra Gambit (1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3).  I'm sure someone will show up eventually in this thread to advocate it.  You can get a strong attack against an unprepared opponent, but it's not particularly good, and most Sicilian players relish playing against it.
5. The King's Indian Attack (1.e4 c5 2.d3 followed by Nd2, Ngf3, g3, Bg2, O-O, etc.).  A King's Indian Defense in reverse, this is a pretty complicated system, and not recommended for beginners.  On the plus side, it can be used against many e4 defenses.  Another one that doesn't seem to be as popular as it once was; it was a favorite of Fischer's in his early days.
6. EDIT: I hadn't originally posted this, but orinoco_w's post below reminded me of another popular system: The Rossolimo (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) & Moscow (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+) variations.  They slipped my mind, but these are probably as popular and effective as the Alapin.  You'll need to have something else prepared for the 2...e6 Sicilians, though.

There are some other odd lines as well, but you should be able to find plenty of resources on any of these.  They'll get you a playable game, yet allow you to avoid having to learn tons and tons of theory.

c3-sicilian will serve you well at all levels.  Especially lower levels though.

I agree with the recomendation of the 2. c3 Sicilian. I've been playing it successfully for close to 30 years, and have even beaten grandmasters with it.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/chess/grandmaster-games/viewmastergame.php?pgnid=36755&subject=Mike_Splane_vs_Walter_Browne

Play the open sicillian - this is where all whites edge is. After the exchange on d4 play g3 and fianchetto your kinside bishop. I did a thread on it:

http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/sicillian-defence-with-g3

Look and see what I wrote and try it out. Trust me I have been struggling to find a really good system against sicillian for years without much success. But now I play white like this I love it!!!! I actually look forward to 1... c5

If you want to do some work play the open, if you don't want to do some work play the morra gambit.

1.e4 c5 2.nf3 d6 2.bc4! a good fairly calm line that can lead to a good fight a recent example of this line was used at the 2010 world open between Gm Luke McShane (2693) and Gm Alexander SHabalov (2632) 

i strongly to encourage you to play this out on a board and go over all of the variations it was a vary good game.

The Morra Gambit requires more work than the open sicilian.  WIth sharp lines you have to know your stuff or you'll just end up a pawn down for nothing.  Plus you also have to know the c3-sicilian if they decline the pawn.

If I learn the c3 Sicilian, what transpositions should I be aware of?

This is an example of the chaotic games that occur in the sicilian. This is from like 6 years ago, when i played at a really big week long tournament in the under 1500 section. I finished 7.5/12. I play in under 2000 sections now :P we were both rated like 1400 and we both made plenty of mistakes, but the sicilian is an excellent choice in attacking.  My main reason from switching from e4 to d4 was to avoid the sicilian and the french.

Erm, FMA, you have given 36. ... Ba3 2 exclamation marks.

It loses in one to 37.Qf7#

And you have written draw after 67.Kc8.

68.Kd7 Qh7+ followed by the queen sacrifice Qxc7 wins for black.

On topic:-

Learn the open sicilian lines, the majority of sicilian lines against players at equal level to oneself lead to complicated play for black and pretty simplistic play for white.

Or if you don't want to learn the open sicilian lines play 2.c3

Or play 1.d4

I ve been avoiding the Sicillian for a long time, but guess I have to put up with it sooner or later!

Nc3 - closed sicilian. One of my absolute favorites.

-Ted