Spanish Defense d3 variations

in light of the second game Karjakin-Carlsen, posting key variations from the d3 spanish

spanish d3 variation

pgn file here. pgn file for d3 variations , click here

Key position after
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6

Here White has three options

A) 8 a4

This forces Black to choose between ..b4 and ..Rb8?!. Carlsen won against Topalov a key game in the latter in 2010. For the former, White can play Nd2-c4, or Nd2 followed by Bc4.

For the beautiful win from Carlsen against Topalov ( Nanjing, 2010) in the Rb8 variation click here.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1599150

Please note that Karjakin has experience with White 8a4 and has faced 8..Bd7!? after 8a4; see pgn file for details.


B) 8 a3

Chosen by Karjakin in game 2. I think he may go with A) or C).  This move  saves the white bishop which can retreat on a2. But Black can develop ..Na5,..c5 and this is a bit slow. see
Vachier Lagrave,M (2798)-Svidler,P (2759) Biel 2016 

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1826305

C) 8c3

This allows white to play Re1, Nd2-f1 and later d3-d4. Very flexible set-up.

see  (40) Carlsen,M (2876)-Aronian,L (2780) Stavanger 2015

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1795016