Probably I wasnt clear enough. Quoting myself: "Despite the many mistakes Black made in the opening, if you avoid playing a move like ...Nc6, which basically means /resign, you can hold".

Meaning: White is MUCH BETTER, just not YET winning, if you JUST DONT PLAY ...Nc6, or equivalent /resign buttons :D.

I would always play White if I could choose, your argument is totally valid, I like your article...just dont make Black play ...Nc6, cause it's just horrendous (as a few other simplifications, like the queen exchange...exchanging like that with such development problems is really suicidal, most of all if you give White the file in the process...).

As of the diagram! I like your rejecting the pawn to play to win. However, I would refrain from playing ba3 myself, because after 17..N:c3 White doesnt look so hot anymore (B:h7+ tactics fail, as Black counter-sacks with Bd7 and then takes the Bf8 with the Rb8, basically drawing because of backrank mating threat gaining a vital tempo to attack the e pawn).

Cheers

To look more concretely at the position:

Isn`t this a clear lead in development for White? May be he will coninue with Bd6, Rac1 and c4

@Mauerblume: you are counting on Black being passive. 15 ..Rb8 16 a4, then I say 16 ... Nd5. You'll need a GM to win this vs any decent player, because of the opposite colored bishops and your weak pawns. After B:N e:B, R:d5 I bet I can hold real easy. In any other case, I complete development and you have no advantage anymore. If you push the c pawn to dislodge the knight, I will install it on the b file, since your a4 push made b4 a permanent hole.

Despite the many mistakes Black made in the opening, if you avoid playing a move like ...Nc6, which basically means /resign, you can hold.

I have been playing the French and I willingly go into the line: 1 e4 e6 2 Nf3 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 d4 c5 and now White can choose to go against a Black IQP position or allow Black to play c4.  This is just amateur talk but I do not think it is an unknown line.  I seem to get a lot more piece activity which is jump started with 5 dxc5 Bxc5.  

"I would definitely not play 15...Nc6. I would continue with 15..Rb8"

But after 15. ... Rb8 may be 16. a4! intending Ba3 ( pin + Bd6) would be strong

In the last diagram (Smyslov-Ribli in London, variation posted three days ago), personally, after 15 R:d1 (I dont recommend 14...Q:d1, nor this variation in general, but I believe it should hold nonetheless), I would definitely not play 15...Nc6. I would continue with 15..Rb8, planning on ...b6, ...Bb7 or a6 at the right time, and sending instead the knight to attack the centre with ...Ng6. If white defends e5 with f4, then ...h5 intending the maneuver...Nh4-f5 should give more or less equality, and if B:N the opposite color Bishops make a draw very likely.

Just my two cents. Nice article.

Great stuff. Thanks

In the following example Black exchanged the knight outpost successfully. He could complete his development:

That`s right! Exchanging the Ne5 would would tranform the Isolated pawn into a strong center pawn. Concretely Black would have become problems in development as the following variation shows:

@coleam: if 12. ...Bxe5, 13. dxe5 gives White a strong e5 pawn and the bishop pair, with a bonus opportunity to isolate Black's pawn with, say, Nxd5. White may also be able to play Bxh7 although I don't see an immediate win in that position.

Cool, Isolated pawns are only worth it if it is stongly positioned and guarded. Also it takes material to guard

I like this post!  I've always thought that a isolated pawn is always bad, but now maybe it isn't one of the worst things.  Also, in the game you show us, on move 12, shouldn't black take the outposted knight if it's so strong?