What did the QID players do?

Hey!

If you used to play the QID back in 2008, what did you do once those top GM's found that you could play Qc2, and a couple moves later sacrifice on d5? Here is a diagram:

So, did you:

A: Keep playing the QID. How did you deal with the d5 sacrifice?

B: Switch to a different opening. Which one?

I'm not a Qid player rather a grundfeld but I think i can still help you. this is a very topical variation in theory and is nowadays seen as the only try for an advantage. every opening has a variation that is critical and if you like the opening you should not back away from them. these are the variations I know 9.Bxd5 is problably just bad and afther 10.Nc3-lc6(this is more active than Lb7 cuz you have to play d6 vacading d7 for the night anyway) 11. e4-d6(forced cuz 12.e5 would be terrible) 12.Bf4 followed by 0-0-0 and white is better from a cumputer-practical and theoratical point of view

this leaves 9.Nxd5 as critical play usually continues 10.0-0-Be7 11.Td1 and now black has a choise between Qc8 and Nc6 and I believe you should investigate Nc6 cuz Qc8 is passive and afther a3 white's score from this position is immense. afther 11.Nc6 the play usually continues 12.Qf5-Nf6 13.e4-g6(forced) 14 Qf4 now black usually plays 0-0 but I don't know if its the best but you this seems the be the critical continueation. 

ps: you should also check 12.Qa4 but this shoud be less treathening

White has an edge after 6.d5, but it may not be the end of the World for Black. After Qc2, Black can play an immediate c5 and defer or even refrain from playing Ba6-b7 entirely. But here's a game from 2009 that shows White's edge in the diagram you show isn't necessarily fatal.

if instead of 5.Bb7 5.c5?! then 6.d5! gives white an even better version of this move.

Did you look at the game I posted?  5...c5 is usually just a mere transposition of moves. Black has additional options, but can always play the same position. as in the diagram.

Ivanchuk, Leko and other fish don't seem to agree with you.

do you think the QID is playable by someone of my level? the strategic themes look simple enough to get your head around. i've never been able to settle on what i want to play vs d4.

and what i mean when i say playable by someone of my level is, do you need to know reems of theory just to survive?

The QID is one of the classical openings in chess. If you play correspondence chess, you can play the QID as well as a grandmaster... at least as long as you're in theory. 

The positions arising from the QID are sensible. The main problem with the QID for beginners is that it has a slightly hyper-modern approach to the center that isn't immediately easily appreciated. However, I would have no problem recommending it to class "B" students. 

Smyslovfan I forgot to mention that its dubious if black doesn't transpose to 5.Lb7

well, i'm a class c player but i might have a play around with it anyway. i play the reti as white so i'm fairly used to the hypermodern approach.

for Moyuba:

the positions in the QID are positional in nature and thus senseble play is enough altough you need to know what to play in critical lines as the one discussed here and the petrosian/kasparov variation

Thanks guys! This is ReALLY helpful :)

I wasn't familiar with the ICCF game. I've seen other correspondence games where White just ground down Black in this line. Here's one OTB game that I was thinking of: