with g3

The Neo-Grünfeld Defense with g3, also called the Kemeri Variation, arises after 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 d5. Black stakes out d5 before committing the bishop to g7. White's third move has already announced the kingside fianchetto, so the central question is when White resolves the tension on d5. The usual reply is 4. Bg2, which adds pressure along the long diagonal. The immediate 4. cxd5 accounts for about a quarter of games, and 4. Nf3 is uncommon. The engine assessment gives White a slight edge, and White scores well in practice.

After 4. Bg2 Bg7, White can exchange at once with 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4. This gains a tempo on the knight and builds a pawn center, although the e-pawn shortens the g2-bishop's diagonal. More often play continues 5. Nf3 O-O and enters the main fianchetto systems. One option is 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. O-O, when Black chooses between 7...c5 and 7...Nb6. The other is 6. O-O, where 6...c6 prepares to answer 7. cxd5 by recapturing with the pawn. That recapture keeps a pawn on d5 and leads to a more symmetrical, lower-risk game.