E38 Nimzo-Indian: Classical, 4...c5 (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.e3 O-O)

The score in the blitz match I played in 2016 after this 36th game was 24.5 - 11.5 in my favor. According to the result percentages, the game went on in slight favor of White up to the move 4...c5 and starting from 5.e3, the percentages are in favor of Black. When I look at the result statistics for the more often played moves, 5.dxc5 is the only move that has a positive result for White, which LiveBook states to be 55% in 4122 games.

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.07.22"] [Round "?"] [White "Kojjootti"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E38"] [WhiteElo "1691"] [BlackElo "1829"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (30s)"] [PlyCount "76"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. e3 O-O {E38 Nimzo-Indian: Classical, 4...c5} 6. a3 Bxc3+ {LiveBook: 6 Games} 7. bxc3 Qc7 $146 (7... b6 8. Nf3 Ba6 9. Bd3 Nc6 10. e4 h6 11. e5 Ne8 12. Be3 cxd4 13. cxd4 Na5 14. Qe2 d5 15. exd6 Nxd6 16. c5 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 bxc5 18. dxc5 Nf5 19. Qc3 Rb8 20. Nd2 Nc6 21. O-O Qd5 22. Rab1 {Mamedjarova,T (2267)-Safarli, E (2680) Sharjah 2017 0-1 (34)}) (7... Nc6 8. Nf3 d6 9. Bd3 e5 10. O-O (10. dxe5 dxe5 11. Ng5 h6 12. Ne4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Be6 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. O-O Bxc4 16. Rd1 Qh4 17. e4 Rab8 {1/2-1/2 (17) Horak,V (1961) -Agusto,O (2144) Marianske Lazne 2016}) 10... Qe7 11. Ng5 h6 12. Ne4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 exd4 14. cxd4 cxd4 15. Bb2 dxe3 16. Rae1 exf2+ 17. Qxf2 Be6 18. Bb1 Rae8 19. Qc2 f5 20. Rf3 Qd7 21. Rfe3 Bf7 22. Qc3 {Rudakovsky,I-Zhukhovitsky,S Kiev 1940 1-0 (32)}) 8. a4 {The position is equal.} b6 9. Nf3 Ba6 10. Qb3 {-1.22/24} (10. e4 $11 {-0.14/28 remains equal.}) 10... Nc6 $17 11. Nd2 Na5 $36 {White is under strong pressure.} 12. Qa2 d5 {-0.64/27} (12... cxd4 $17 {-1.25/26} 13. cxd4 Rfc8) 13. cxd5 $1 $15 Bxf1 14. Rxf1 {-1.75/25} (14. Nxf1 $17 {-0.80/26} exd5 15. Nd2) 14... Nxd5 15. Nf3 {-3.00/24} (15. c4 $142 {-2.04/25} Nb4 16. Qb1 ) 15... Nxc3 16. Qc2 Nd5 $1 17. Ba3 Rfd8 18. Rc1 c4 19. g3 {-4.01/23} (19. e4 { -2.61/27 might work better.} Nf6 20. Bb4) 19... f6 20. e4 Ne7 21. Ke2 Rac8 22. Rfd1 Kf7 {-1.64/27} (22... Nb3 $142 {-3.41/23} 23. Rb1 Nc6) 23. Kf1 a6 { -0.66/27} (23... Nb3 $19 {-1.64/22} 24. Rb1 Ng6) 24. e5 {[#] aiming for exf6.} b5 $2 {3.22/22} (24... Ng6 $1 $17 {-0.71/28 Hoping for ...Qc6.} 25. d5 exd5) 25. axb5 $2 {0.64/28} (25. exf6 $1 $18 {3.22/22} Kxf6 26. Qe4) 25... axb5 $2 { 4.25/24} ({Better is} 25... Ng6 $14 {0.64/28}) 26. exf6 $18 Kxf6 27. Qxh7 Rh8 28. Qe4 ({Not} 28. Bxe7+ Qxe7 29. Qb1 (29. Qe4 Kf7 $18) 29... Qe8 $18) 28... Nb3 29. Rc2 Nd5 30. Nh4 $2 {0.00/28 [#]} ({White should try} 30. Ne5 $18 { 12.12/25} Ne7 31. Qf4+ Nf5 32. h4) 30... Kf7 $2 {7.55/28} (30... Rxh4 $11 { 0.00/28} 31. Qxh4+ Kf7) 31. Qg6+ Kg8 32. Qxe6+ Kh7 33. Qxd5 Rce8 34. Qf5+ { 12.25/29} (34. Qh5+ $142 {#10/29} Kg8 35. Qxe8+ Kh7 36. Qg6+ Kg8 37. Re1 Qf7 38. Re8+ Qxe8 39. Qxe8+ Kh7 40. Qg6+ Kg8 41. Nf5 Nd2+ 42. Rxd2 Rxh2 43. Qxg7#) 34... Kg8 35. Ng6 Rxh2 36. Re1 $4 {-#14/27} (36. Qxb5 $18 {9.15/31} Rb8 37. Qd5+ Kh7 38. Nh4) 36... Rh1+ $2 {-2.81/26} (36... Rxe1+ {-#14/27 mates} 37. Kxe1 Rh1+ 38. Ke2 Nxd4+ 39. Kd2 Nxf5 40. Rc1 Qd8+ 41. Kc3 Qa5+ 42. Bb4 Rxc1+ 43. Kd2 Qa2+ 44. Kxc1 Nd4 45. Ne7+ Kf7 46. Kd1 Qe2+ 47. Kc1 Qc2#) 37. Kg2 $19 Rhxe1 $2 {-0.54/27} (37... Rexe1 $19 {-2.81/26} 38. Ne7+ Qxe7 $1 39. Qc8+ Qe8 40. Qxe8+ Rxe8 41. Kxh1 Ra8) 38. Qh5 $2 {-8.10/24} (38. Qxb5 $15 {-0.54/27} Nxd4 39. Qxc4+ Qf7 40. Qxd4 Qxg6 41. Qd5+ Qe6 42. Qxe6+ R1xe6 43. Rc7) 38... Qc6+ $2 {0.00/30 Precision: White = 23%, Black = 20%. . Loss on Time!?} (38... Nxd4 $19 {-8.10/24} 39. Qd5+ Qf7 40. Qxf7+ Kxf7) 0-1

Here are all the four reference games that I was able to find from my database where both players were rated over 2500.

[Event "Biel"] [Site "Biel"] [Date "1979.08.05"] [Round "9"] [White "Kortschnoj, Viktor"] [Black "Unzicker, Wolfgang"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E38"] [WhiteElo "2695"] [BlackElo "2530"] [PlyCount "97"] [EventDate "1979.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "SUI"] [EventCategory "8"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2002"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2001.11.25"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. e3 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 b6 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. b4 d5 10. Bb2 cxb4 11. axb4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Bb7 13. Nf3 Qe7 14. O-O Rc8 15. Rfc1 Nbd7 16. Qe1 a6 17. Nd4 Nb6 18. Bf1 Rxc1 19. Bxc1 Nbd5 20. Ba3 Qd8 21. Nb3 Bc6 22. e4 Nc7 23. Nc5 Bb5 24. Bb2 Nfe8 25. Bxb5 axb5 26. Rd1 Qc8 27. Nd7 Qb7 28. h4 h6 29. Rd3 Qc6 30. Qd2 Ra2 31. Nc5 Na6 32. Rd8 Nxc5 33. bxc5 Kh7 34. Qc2 Nf6 35. e5+ Qe4 36. Qxe4+ Nxe4 37. c6 Rxb2 38. c7 Rb1+ 39. Kh2 Rc1 40. c8=Q Rxc8 41. Rxc8 Nxf2 42. Rc5 b4 43. Rb5 Nd3 44. Kg3 Kg6 45. Kf3 Ne1+ 46. Kf2 Nc2 47. Rb7 h5 48. Kf3 Ne1+ 49. Ke2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Konex"] [Site "Buenos Aires"] [Date "1979.07.28"] [Round "12"] [White "Kortschnoj, Viktor"] [Black "Browne, Walter S"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E38"] [WhiteElo "2695"] [BlackElo "2540"] [PlyCount "157"] [EventDate "1979.07.12"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "13"] [EventCountry "ARG"] [EventCategory "10"] [SourceTitle "MCL"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1999.07.01"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. e3 O-O 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 b6 8. dxc5 bxc5 9. b4 d5 10. Bb2 cxb4 11. axb4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 Qb6 13. Nf3 Ba6 14. O-O Bxc4 15. Qxc4 Nbd7 16. Bd4 Qb7 17. b5 Rfc8 18. Qe2 Ne4 19. Ra5 Nd6 20. Qa2 e5 21. Bxa7 Nc4 22. Ra6 Qxb5 23. Rb1 Qd5 24. h3 h6 25. Qa4 Rc7 26. Qa1 Rac8 27. Rd1 Qe4 28. Ra4 Qf5 29. Qa2 Qe6 30. Ra6 Rc6 31. Rxc6 Rxc6 32. Qb3 Rc7 33. Bb8 Rc8 34. Ba7 Qc6 35. e4 Nf6 36. Rc1 Qxe4 37. Nd2 Qa8 38. Rxc4 Rxc4 39. Nxc4 Qxa7 40. Qb2 e4 41. Ne3 Qc7 42. Qd4 h5 43. Nc4 Qc8 44. Kf1 Qe6 45. Nd2 g5 46. f3 e3 47. Ne4 Nxe4 48. fxe4 Qa6+ 49. Kg1 Qe2 50. Qd8+ Kh7 51. Qxg5 Qd1+ 52. Kh2 e2 53. Qxh5+ Kg8 54. Qg5+ Kf8 55. Qc5+ Ke8 56. Qb5+ Kd8 57. Qb8+ Kd7 58. Qb5+ Ke6 59. Qe8+ Kd6 60. Qb8+ Kc5 61. Qc7+ Kd4 62. Qd8+ Ke3 63. Qg5+ Kd3 64. Qd5+ Kc3 65. Qc5+ Kb3 66. Qb5+ Ka3 67. Qc5+ Ka4 68. Qc4+ Ka5 69. Qc5+ Ka6 70. Qc6+ Ka5 71. Qc5+ Ka4 72. Qc4+ Ka3 73. Qc3+ Ka2 74. Qc4+ Kb2 75. Qb4+ Qb3 76. Qd2+ Qc2 77. Qb4+ Ka2 78. Kg3 Qd1 79. Qc4+ 1/2-1/2 [Event "RUS-chT"] [Site "Sochi"] [Date "2007.05.08"] [Round "7"] [White "Volkov, Sergey"] [Black "Landa, Konstantin"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E38"] [WhiteElo "2640"] [BlackElo "2608"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2007.05.02"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 118"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2007.05.31"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Qc2 c5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 b6 8. b3 Bb7 9. Bb2 d6 10. Nf3 Nbd7 11. d5 Qe7 12. Rd1 Rae8 13. Bd3 Kh8 14. O-O exd5 15. cxd5 Bxd5 16. Bb5 Bxf3 17. gxf3 Ne5 18. e4 Qe6 19. Rfe1 Nh5 20. Kh1 Qh3 21. Re3 Nf4 22. Rg1 Re7 23. Qd2 Rd8 24. Rg3 Qh4 25. Re1 Re6 26. Bf1 Rh6 27. h3 Rg6 28. Re3 Re8 29. Kh2 Ree6 30. Qe1 Rg5 31. Bc1 Rf6 32. Rc3 Rgg6 33. Bd2 h6 34. a4 a6 35. Qc1 b5 36. axb5 axb5 37. Bxf4 Rxf4 38. Bxb5 Qf6 39. Be2 h5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wch Rapid"] [Site "Doha"] [Date "2016.12.26"] [Round "5"] [White "Maghsoodloo, Parham"] [Black "Ganguly, Surya Shekhar"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E32"] [WhiteElo "2584"] [BlackElo "2668"] [PlyCount "96"] [EventDate "2016.12.26"] [EventType "swiss (rapid)"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "QAT"] [SourceTitle "Mega2016 Update 65"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2016.12.29"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e3 c5 6. dxc5 Na6 7. Nge2 Bxc5 8. a3 b6 9. b4 Be7 10. Bb2 Bb7 11. Rd1 Rc8 12. Nf4 Qc7 13. Qa4 Qb8 14. Be2 Nc7 15. O-O Qa8 16. f3 Bc6 17. Qb3 d5 18. cxd5 Ncxd5 19. Ncxd5 Nxd5 20. Nh5 g6 21. Ng3 a5 22. e4 Nf4 23. Qe3 Nxe2+ 24. Nxe2 axb4 25. axb4 Bb5 26. Rf2 Qa4 27. Ra1 Qxb4 28. Ba3 Bc5 29. Qxc5 bxc5 30. Bxb4 cxb4 31. Nd4 Bd3 32. Rd2 Rc3 33. Rad1 Bc4 34. Rb1 b3 35. Kf2 Ra8 36. Ne2 Bxe2 37. Rxe2 Ra2 38. Rxa2 bxa2 39. Rb8+ Kg7 40. Ra8 Rc2+ 41. Kg3 g5 42. Kh3 h5 43. Kg3 Kg6 44. Ra5 Rb2 45. Kh3 Rc2 46. Kg3 Kf6 47. h4 gxh4+ 48. Kh3 Rc1 0-1