Responding to Sicilian

I've often read and heard the advice that someone at my skill level should not be playing the Sicilian. I'm told I should be learning to play 1.e4 e5 games. But who will tell that to my opponents? 

So instead of learning Sicilian how should I respond to my opponents once they have played c5?

At your level, no one plays openings correctly.  Just memorizing moves will lead to disaster, since both of you will be out of book by move 3-4.

Totally understand that. I'm more looking for general advice about how to improve. Since playing e4e5 games is supposed to be more instructive but all us noobs keep responding with c4

Tactics tactics tactics? 

Opening Principles:

1. Control the center squares – d4-e4-d5-e5
2. Develop your minor pieces toward the center – piece activity is the key
3. Castle
4. Connect your rooks

Tactics...tactics...tactics...

The objective of development is about improving the value of your pieces by increasing the importance of their roles. Well-developed pieces have more fire-power than undeveloped pieces and they do more in helping you gain control.

Now we will look at 5 practical things you can do to help you achieve your development objective.

They are:

1. Give priority to your least active pieces.

• Which piece needs to be developed (which piece is the least active)
• Where should it go (where can its role be maximized)

2. Exchange your least active pieces for your opponent’s active pieces.
3. Restrict the development of your opponent’s pieces.
4. Neutralize your opponent’s best piece.
5. Secure strong squares for your pieces.

Don’t help your opponent develop.

There are 2 common mistakes whereby you will simply be helping your opponent to develop:

1. Making a weak threat that can easily be blocked
2. Making an exchange that helps your opponent to develop a piece

Pre Move Checklist:

1. Make sure all your pieces are safe.
2. Look for forcing moves: Checks, captures, threats. You want to look at ALL forcing moves (even the bad ones) as this will force you look at, and see the entire board.
3. If there are no forcing moves, you then want to remove any of your opponent’s pieces from your side of the board.
4. If your opponent doesn’t have any of his pieces on your side of the board, then you want to improve the position of your least active piece.
5. After each move by your opponent, ask yourself: "What is my opponent trying to do?"

Helpful. Thanks!

If you lose it will not be because your opponent played c5. You just should not play d4, at least not right away.

Develop your pieces and play chess. After your 6th or 7th move the board will look similar to other games.

I like the Grand Prix Attack, where you play Nc3, f4, Bc4, 0-0, etc. It has won me a few games against c5. You could try that @khaweramirkhan 

Hope this helps

Drunken King for the win.

Grand Prix Attack +1.

General advice?

Here you go:

https://www.chess.com/blog/nklristic/the-beginners-tale-first-steps-to-chess-improvement

The point of 1. ... c5 is to prevent you playing 2. d4. The easiest options are to develop either of the knights so you get control over central squares. If you play 2. Nf3 it is possible to play d4 and recapture with the knight (normally 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6/e6/Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 is played), while playing 2. Nc3 means that you won't play d4 immediately and perhaps try to advance on the kingside (which is often an idea in the Sicilian for White).

As beginner-level 1. e4 c5 games often do not resemble Sicilian theory, it is hard to give any other advice than to develop your minor pieces and castle.

Great question! I used to ask it myself when i was a begginer. I learned the hard way, that responding with open sicilian when understanding next to nothing can lead to disaster. As well as trying to play odd moves such as 2. c4 or 2.Bc4

The traditional answer to Your question ( repeated in many books and by many teachers) is: play closed sicilian, then ( once You will be a begginer no longer) change gradually to open sicilian. In sicilian it is possible to be quickly overhelmed as white, so choosing closed sicilian - the slowest, but safest and most solid variation - is a good idea for a beginner.

For  my answer: Use Grand Prix attack. It is simple and It  offers a straightforward attacking plan,  than can be used in other openings, and You are not very likely to get quickly crushed. I am currently learning open sicilian, but don't regret my time with Grand Prix attack - it has opened my eyes to many a chess ideas, that can be used in other kinds of openings.

The choice between closed sicilian and Grand Prix attack is a metter of personal taste - how sharp game you like most. There are few lines in Grand Prix, where white is best to transpose to closed sicilian.