Why does everyone play the Bowdler Attack?

I play a lot of the sicilian defense, and lots of players respond with the bowdler attack for white, just because apparently the opening explorer says it is better. Why? It's not that good of an opening. It's not too hard to refute.

I'm not saying that it's unfair, in fact I'm quite happy when a player goes with the bowdler attack because it's not one of white's best moves.

my guess is 1.they dont know any theory or 2.they want to avoid theory...i recently lost an otb game against a player playing this...we are both 1400s...i was up the exchange in the early middlegame but by exchanging pieces i gave him a protected passed pawn...obviously i was angry with myself after outplaying him in the opening ☺

it is simple : your opponents are near beginner's level : they play everything like a giuoco piano so Nf3-Bc4 etc...

I don't know, but I've noticed the same thing.  When I was young, the Sicilian usually proceeded 2. Nf3, 2...Nc6, 3. d4, 3...cxd4, etc., but today's young people have strange music and strange chess moves.      

Bowlder attack is quite good and 3...d5 is not a problem for white.

Hi! My favorite answer to the Sicilian defense is Alapin's variation or Delayed Alapin. It seems to me that this is a flexible system.

And on the subject of your question - you do not ask why every second with a rating below 1000 is trying to put "stupid mate" or "children's mate"?)

They are begginers and are trying Bc4 Qf3 Qf7++ or Bc4 Nf3 Ng5 Bxf7+

This just seems very crude. White has one threat-possible captures on f7, that black can easily counter with e6, Nc6, then Nf6. The bishop is also vulnerable to an eventual d5(a thematic pawn break for Black in many Sicilian variations) or b5(another common pawn break for Black in many Sicilians) after preparation with a6 or Rb8. White will move the bishop out of harm's way, but now White has used up a tempo with that bishop and given away the early advantage of the first move, which minimizes any real advantage out of the opening. It is appealing to beginners because they are dreaming of a scholar's mate setup. This pawn structure does not fit this kind of tactic because black still has e6 available to block any captures on f7. You rarely see this above the 1600 level in major tournaments because it just too simplistic to get an advantage with proper Black play,

it is very very useful

it is very very useful

as I say

The Bowdler attack just doesn't make sense.

I'm currently playing in a set position Sicilian 1250-1450 daily chess tournament and it is astonishing how many Bowdlers are being played - perhaps 30% of the total games! Even at that level you'd think if you'd gone to the trouble of joining a Sicilian specific tournament you'd play a sharper variation, especially as you can use opening explorer in daily chess. What's even more astonishing is the number of occasions black is NOT replying 2...e6. The only question after this (for me) automatic move is how to punish the bad bishop - I personally prefer ...a6 ...b5 to ...d5, but either will do.

They don't! Once you get a little higher up the rating ladder, you very rarely see 2.Bc4. Also, it's not a very ambitious move, but it's not that bad

can somebody explain what is Bc4 so problematic for Sicilian ? i tried  to google it but theres very little stuff about bowdler attack (maybe it has another name?)

The most obvious problem with 2,Bc4 is that Black can play e6, which blunts the bishop's diagonal, and follow it up with an early d5, which hit's the bishop and helps dissolve White's center. All this is supposed to give Black fairly easy equality. Of course equality doesn't mean a draw! There's plenty of material left and plenty of scope for each side to outplay the other, If Carlsen were to play a simul against 20 of us, and he played the Bowdler Attack in every game, he would still score between 95 and 100%

I've never seen the Bowdler attack played. I don't play the Sicilian, but I've seen my friend's games when he uses the Sicilian and no one has played it against him.