How should I approach the Grunfeld as a 1.Nf3 (english) player?

Hello, I play 5 min games often and I've only met the Grunfeld once, but as far as I'm concerned 1.Nf3 can't avoid the Grunfeld (whereas 1.c4 can with the proper move order), so I want to ask the community what is the best option in my case. I would prefer to avoid plenty of theory and look for positions where the player with the better understanding of the position wins, so in that case what variation against the Grunfeld would suit me the best?
Alternatively, I don't have a good black opening against 1.d4, so I wonder if I might as well just start playing the Grunfeld if being more theoretical is the best approach (as black I play the Sicilian Kan against 1.e4 and obviously 1... c5 against c4/nf3). Thanks in advance.

I don't see how you don't avoid the Grunfeld.  Kramnik was a 1.Nf3 player and he often avoided it!

 

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.e4 avoids it!

1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.e3 avoids it.  3...e6 is a Colle, 3...Bf5 or 3...Bg4 allows 4.c4 leading to a Slow Slav or anti-Colle setup

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 avoids it (4.d4 would be the main line of the KID and would allow 4...d5)  After 4.e4, Black can still play a KID if he chooses, but not a Grunfeld!

 

It's a lot harder to avoid the King's Indian without simply playing passively and giving up all advantage.  For example, 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.g3 g6 5.Bg2 Bg7 6.O-O O-O, and now 7.d3 gives White nothing and Black has easy equality while 7.d4 transposes directly to the Fianchetto King's Indian!

 

The Nimzo-Indian and Grunfeld can be avoided more easily than the King's Indian.

S**t, you are right! I also saw a while ago how Ulf Andersson approached it (with dxc3), never mind this topic then! I guess I might invest in playing the KID as black in this case (so that I play it both as white and black). Thanks ThrillerFan!

 

Sure, no problem!  And if you have any specific questions on the King's Indian Defense (other than "Explain to me all moves of the King's Indian" - Sorry, not writing a 500 page novel), let me know.  If there are two openings I can claim to be strongest at, it's the French Defense and the King's Indian Defense.

Thrillerfan has already hit the nail on the head.

 

Take a look at the games of Viktor Korchnoi for examples of how to avoid the Grunfeld. Alexander Khalifman has an excellent five volume series, Opening for White According to Kramnik, which deals with a complete repertoire based on 1.Nf3 that leads to Queen's Gambit and King's Indian lines while avoiding the Grunfeld.

Hi Thriller Fan. 

Hope you're doing great. 

I've been playing Grunfeld from some time and have a question about D4 Nf6 Nf3 move order, where white can go for London or for normal C4 business. 

My issue is how do you approach this move order if you want to transpose to either normal grunfeld lines if white proceed with C4 stuff. And if white wants to play london. 

I've tried in blitz D4 Nf6 Nf3 G6 C4 D5 Cxd5 Nxd5 E4 stuff which I'm not entirely sure would be playable in slower formats. London I usually prefer D5 C5 systems. D4 Nf6 Nf3 D5 Bf4 C5 lines, where E6 is on agenda later on. 

I'm not asking for some fool proof line. 

I'm asking your general views on this move order and how you prefer to tackle D4 Nf6 Nf3 move order if you want Grunfeld proper or London with C5 lines , and is there any tricks white hold in these move orders