Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation

After 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5, the move 3. g3 prepares Bg2 before White commits the king's knight. Because Nf3 is postponed, White can still choose between the Botvinnik scheme with e4 and Nge2 and a setup with e3, where the knight on e2 supports d4. The bishop on g2 also bears on d5 and makes Black's central break harder to arrange. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, and White scores somewhat better in practice.

3...Nc6 is the most common reply and usually transposes into Normal Variation positions in which both sides develop before breaking the symmetry. 3...g6 is the second most popular choice. With ...Bg7 to follow, it heads for the mirrored double-fianchetto structures. 3...e6 aims for ...d5 and has given Black the best practical results of the three main moves, with the two sides scoring almost evenly. The engine's first preference is 3...d5, which challenges the center at once, before White's bishop reaches g2.