When should one start playing the Sicilian?

At what level do you think one should add the Sicilian Defense to his repertoire? There are so many variations, and although it's known for its fighting spirit for black, if you don't exactly know what you're doing, white is gonna crush you. Of course, you can learn the Najdorf, Dragon, Schevenigen, but your opponent can avoid all of them by playing non-book moves. It's not like in the Pirc Defense for example, where white can play natural moves, without knowing theory, and still be fine in the opening. I am a fairly decent player, not a novice anymore, but I still don't feel comfortable using the Sicilian as black.

GO DRAGON!!! 

i love the scisilian and im pretty low rated. I do however play in OTB tournaments so I have good knoladge of theory

I don't think there's a hard rule. You can play a Sicilian whenever you feel like it.

Of course, having good nerves and reasonable calculations would help.

Also some sicilians require less work than others...

Sicilian for Black is nice, but how do u start playing it as white???

I'd say switch if you find Sicilian positions more natural and easier to play than what you play now while at the same time, you notice that you  spend less time studying the Sicilian but getting about the same results.

anytime

use the c3 variation

c3 is for wimps...

You're right, just take your queen out early, that will sure teach him!

I took the switch when i was tired of studing all the different ways to defend against all the e4 openings. I took the switch when i found playing the Sicilian eliminates many things white can do with 1. e4.

I keep seeing this ad here.

How i am not the only one.

When ever you feel like it. Sicilian isn't my style, I like wide open games and sicilians always leave it cramped. Other people like cramped positions and play much better in them. Whatever you think is best for you, just do what you think is best for you. My favorite opening is to play white against the open sicilian and I usually win against opponents stonger than I am if its the najdorf or dragon. Fischer said anyone can play like a gm against a gragon because its just sac sac mate, I find this is also the case with the najdorf, pretty easy to beat.

Playing the Black-side of a Sicilian is a nightmare , but nothing compared to playing the White-side . I soon gave up on it. I tried the Morra as White for some time , found it too demanding on my nerves and became a 1.d4 player. I choose the Pirc when Black.

Most people mangle the Sicilian from both sides.

In my modest view, only one Sicilian line , as black, is playable in 1600-1800 if you have time to study and has reasonable tactical vision.As white it is VERY difficult and because of it I've chosen to be a d4 player

Isn't this the man who lost his head over a horse .. eh .. Knight move ? .

If you feel like you get an edge from it, play it.

@murray :

Gee man , skindo death sounds terrible . All because of those Sicilians ? Didn't even know they were in Iraq too .

@murray :

This guy with the box-a-bees , is he a Sicilian and his wife from Iraq ? Who's looking after the bees now ?

I've been playing chess on this site for almost 2 years now, and I've never played the Sicilian, except in 1 or 2 games early on when I first heard about the Sicilian, and I think I lost those 1 or 2 games in a couple of moves.