My main concerns against the KI/Grunfeld move order with 3...g6 were d5 followed by e4 (before black has time to play ...e6 and ...exd5).
After looking at GM Emm's suggestion, it seems like black might be OK with the Grunfeld approach also. My major concern with the plan suggested (after white plays Nc3 {intending d5 followed by e4}, black plays ...cxd4, immediately followed by ...d5) was that if white plays Nc3, black will not have completed kingside development (castling in particular) once committed to ...d5.
Looking more closely, I noticed
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3. e3 g6 4. Nc3 cxd4 5. exd4 d5
is by transposition to a line of the Panov-Botvinnik. (Precisely, 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6) Not too bad for a move like 3.e3! To be honest, I know practically nothing about this line, but isn't this a risky gambit line for black? It seems like white has good chances.
I know that 3.e3 is not a theoretically threatening move (the opportunity to transpose to Symmetrical Tarrasch by black rules this out), but it seems like every other line gives white decent chances, often by transposition to a main line opening.
Also, the innocuous appearance of 3.e3 has some practical advantages. I would think many Benoni players would view the Symmetrical Tarrasch as a concession to white, as 3.e3 indicates that white feels more comfortable in a symmetrical QP opening. As black tries to imbalance the position to avoid symmetry, white switches gears, taking a more aggressive stance, transposing into a main line opening that may be unfamiliar to black. I think many Benoni players would find this unsettling.
I agree that 1.d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nc3 is slightly annoying, since I think 4...exd5 is the only equalizing option. My feelings about 4.Nc3 are simiilar to how I feel about 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+. Not really that exciting, but if black knows the right moves, he has no trouble. In most openings as black, it's hard to play for a win if your opening has no ambitions. In a way, 4.Nc3 and 3.e3 are similar in that they lack ambition, yet can become dangerous if black plays too ambitiously (or unattentively!).
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