Fianchetto Variation, Delayed Fianchetto

In this move order White has already committed the queen's knight to c3 before choosing a setup. After 4...d6 the usual continuation is 5. e4, building the broad center of the main-line King's Indian. 5. g3 instead puts the bishop on g2 and steers the game toward the Fianchetto Variation. Here the fianchetto comes one move later than in the 3. Nf3 and 4. g3 order, and Nc3 is already fixed. Black's ...f5 kingside attack again carries little force against the sheltered king. The fight takes place in the center and on the queenside.

Black castles in the large majority of games with 5...O-O. After Bg2 and O-O, that move normally reaches the familiar Classical, Panno or Yugoslav systems. 5...Nbd7 is a much rarer route to similar ...e5 setups. 5...Bg4, and the engine's preferred 5...Bf5, develop the light-squared bishop while White's own bishop is still on f1. 5...Bg4 pins the f3-knight and is seen occasionally, though White scores somewhat better against it. The engine rates the position as roughly balanced, and White holds a small edge in online results.