Answers.Body: <p>No, it is not popular. 2.g3 is already only the tenth-most common move. It is apparently technically called the Steinitz Variation in ECO though it's not common enough for that to be a well-known name. It seems to often transpose to the Closed Sicilian, which starts with 2.Nc3 and usually results in White also fianchettoing (putting on g2) his light-squared bishop, though the knight usually ends up on e2, not f3.</p>
  
  <p>In any case, ...b6 as a response is not seen at all in my database. ...b6 is not very common in Sicilians since Black usually tries to get in the more ambitious ...a6 and ...b5.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-04-29T11:55:39.670Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-04-29T11:55:39.670Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: dfan
Body: <p>I've grown fond of playing this opening with black against e4. I know it starts with the Sicilian but if it has a name or some background that would be nice to know.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1.e4 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 b6 4.b3 Bb7 5.d3 Qc7 6.Bb2 f6 7.Nf3 e5 8.O-O O-O-O
  </code></pre>
  
Tags: <opening><sicilian-defense>
Title: Is this a popular variation/continuation of the Sicilian Defence?
ThreadText: # Is this a popular variation/continuation of the Sicilian Defence?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-04-29)
  
  I've grown fond of playing this opening with black against e4. I know it starts with the Sicilian but if it has a name or some background that would be nice to know.
  
  ```
  [FEN ""]
  1.e4 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 b6 4.b3 Bb7 5.d3 Qc7 6.Bb2 f6 7.Nf3 e5 8.O-O O-O-O
  
  ```
  
  **Tags:** opening, sicilian-defense
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2013-04-29. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  No, it is not popular. 2.g3 is already only the tenth-most common move. It is apparently technically called the Steinitz Variation in ECO though it's not common enough for that to be a well-known name. It seems to often transpose to the Closed Sicilian, which starts with 2.Nc3 and usually results in White also fianchettoing (putting on g2) his light-squared bishop, though the knight usually ends up on e2, not f3.
  
  In any case, ...b6 as a response is not seen at all in my database. ...b6 is not very common in Sicilians since Black usually tries to get in the more ambitious ...a6 and ...b5.
  
  
  ---
  
  