Any thoughs on this variantion of a polish opening?

@B1ZMARK - 2. a3 is not inferior because it gives black the center, it is inferior because it doesn't create space on the queenside, with is the point of 1. b4.  The Orangutan commits white to a plan, and it is to limit what support black can provide to the big pawn center with his queenside pieces.  If the fianchetto were the main point, then white would play Larsen's (1. b3) instead.  The a-pawn is going to a4 in this opening system anyway, and so 2. a3 merely wastes a tempo on the way to getting it there.

Black can't effectively play symmetrically, so the push to b5 is an important point.  In fact, I've seen 1. b4 e5 2. b5 played very often, and usually to good effect.  The c6 square is the best development square that the b8 knight has, and with it under threat, both that knight and the c8 bishop must now develop through d7, which is slower and presents no targets of attack since white hasn't advanced any central pawns.

this is surely a hasty generalization. They are some lines of of the bxb4 lines that unless white is willing to be outright worse, lead to forced draw with best play. While i usually play 2.bb2 more than 2. a3, the latter keeps the position far more flexible. 

b5 this early is just not a good idea.  in some of the polish lines,  b5 right away is  the more thematic option, but it drastically narrows down the game. whereas a3 keeps a lot of options in the board and can be played like a queen's pawn game with more space on the queenside. 1.b4 e5 2.b5?! however just makes b5 an easy target, since white has not fianchettoed yet, his rook is not defended after a6, and axb5.

If 1. b4 e5 2. b5 a6, then 3. c4 maintains the pressure (I've seen this a number of times, and it can be a nuisance), though I agree it's best to play Bb2 before pushing the b-pawn a second time.

Tartakower's games with the opening all involve an early b5.  The b-pawn is going to move again, which was the more important point.  White's a-pawn is going to a4, so 2. a3 is slow, and therefore sub-optimal.  Hypermodern openings (1. b4 is a flank attack, so it falls firmly into that category) usually live and die by tempo, so it makes no sense at all to waste one on a rook pawn.

If 1. b4 e5 2. b5 a6, then 3. c4 maintains the pressure (I've seen this a number of times, and it can be a nuisance), though I agree it's best to play Bb2 before pushing the b-pawn a second time.

Tartakower's games with the opening all involve an early b5.  The b-pawn is going to move again, which was the more important point.  White's a-pawn is going to a4, so 2. a3 is slow, and therefore sub-optimal.  Hypermodern openings (1. b4 is a flank attack, so it falls firmly into that category) usually live and die by tempo, so it makes no sense at all to waste one on a rook pawn.