Why is the Open Sicilian even played?

@kindaspongey said in #30:
> Has Black gained a tempo after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 ?
>
> But no progress would have been made for the c1-bishop.
>
> I have not seen a new edition of Modern Chess Openings since 2008.
>
> "... If White plays passively or his initiative runs out of steam, then typically it's Black, with the better pawn structure, who enjoys the long-term chances. ..." - GM John Emms (2009)

The Italian is a completely unrelated topic to Sicilian. (Pls elaborate i might be missing somthing)

Well, this might be wrong, but after Nc3 moving the pawn to d3 after the lsb develops. Gonna have to check.

???

I have seen this quote before.

@Fenamer said in #3:
> I still don't understand why you wouldn't go bishop b5+ followed by castling then d4, opening up the center AFTER you have castled

Well, you seem to be contradicting yourself a bit there (that would still be trading off a center pawn).

But actually, I remember Bent Larsen did raise that same point once (regarding the center pawn trade); mainly I think he was critiquing everyone's tendency to just copy opening variations without thinking about them.

The moral of the discussion seems to be that we do not really understand this stuff. But back when we started out in chess, we all played the Italian, and we DID understand that. So why did everybody switch to the weird openings?

Lead by example and people will follow the most common of your moves.
All minds are different, so nothing is processed the same way.
We look at what we want to see.
We listen to what we want to hear.
We move chess pieces where we want them to be.
If others follow then we're lucky.
It still does not mean it's the best move.

@Fenamer said in #9:
> ... To my understanding: White's knight went from g1 to d4. black's
> pawn went from c7 to ??? Each one cost 2 moves. but at the end of the
> sequence, it is black to move. I think black has gained a tempo here.
@kindaspongey said in #30:
> Has Black gained a tempo after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 ?
@Fenamer said in #31:
> ... The Italian is a completely unrelated topic to
> Sicilian. (Pls elaborate i might be missing somthing)
On that subject, no further comment from me seems necessary if you do not want to say whether or not Black has gained a tempo after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4.
@Fenamer said in #31:
> Well, this might be wrong, but after Nc3 moving the pawn
> to d3 after the lsb develops. Gonna have to check. ...
"... There is no doubt in my mind that if you really want to test the Sicilian then you have to play the main lines of the Open Sicilian. ..." - GM John Nunn (2005)

@OpenTest said in #33:
> The moral of the discussion seems to be that we do not really understand this
> stuff. But back when we started out in chess, we all played the Italian, and we
> DID understand that. So why did everybody switch to the weird openings?
"... Steinitz in his scheme of play endeavored, contrary to Morphy, to bring about a close game. ... the Morphy principle, based on the quick development of pieces, is the correct one only in open positions. After that had become grasped the next problem with which players were confronted ... was to discover principles upon which close positions could be dealt with. To have discovered such principles, deeper and more numerous as they were than those relating to development in open positions, is due to Steinitz. ..." - Richard Réti (~1923)

#1
You aren't a GM dude! Stop acting as one! After all, we all are (roughly) average players.

@Akbar2thegreat said in #37:
> #1
> You aren't a GM dude! Stop acting as one! After all, we all are (roughly) average players.

??? Everyone can see I'm not a gm either by my profile or by my (silly) doubts. And yes, I did get the answer to my question.

@Fenamer said in #38:
> ??? Everyone can see I'm not a gm either by my profile or by my (silly) doubts. And yes, I did get the answer to my question.
The way you asked the question in title looks as if some top level players who knows lot more than anyone is terming Open Sicilian as lost for Black.
Anyways, it doesn't matter to me who you are but the way you used the words and tone made it look like so!

@Akbar2thegreat said in #39:
> The way you asked the question in title looks as if some top level players who knows lot more than anyone is terming Open Sicilian as lost for Black.
> Anyways, it doesn't matter to me who you are but the way you used the words and tone made it look like so!

Sorry if I make it sound like that. Just needed answers