A game that got little press because it was a short draw is interesting from the white perspective - in the final position white had a small edge. This system has parallels to a line Marin assesses as += versus the standard Bd6 line.

Meier-Ponomariov, Sestao 2010.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Bg2 c6 7. 0-0 Nbd7 8. b3 0-0 9. Nc3 Re8 (9...b6 10. e4 Nxe4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Ng5 Nf6 13. Nxe4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 +=, white will be able to achieve c4-c5 hampering black's position and black will be in for a long, arduous defense, 9...h6 10. Qc2 looks perfectly fine for white) 10. Qc2 (this set-up for white is more common with the Bc1, but the way the game unfolds shows the Bd2 isn't a drawback) dxc4 11. bxc4 e5 (standard in these sorts of positions) 12. e3 (white is quite willing to take on hanging pawns as black's piece set-up is not well suited to handle them, in comparison to the standard hanging pawn structures the c-file is closed, and this feature also favors white) Nf8!? 13. dxe5 Bxe5 14. Nxe5 Rxe5 15. Ne2 Re8 16. Bb4 +=. The game score continues Bd7, but that was probably just included in the notation at the draw offer.

Food for thought.

really? Equal sounds a bit dramatic.

It is allowable you know, essential even.

btw the point of including the check is to avoid the simple harmonious development for White of Qc2,Nbd2 etc. following up with either e4 or b3 - surprised Avrukh did not recommend that instead of this sharper attempt.

I'd say the reverse - if the Black pawn was on h7 or h6, White would have a small but persistent edge because of the better minor piece. The whole point of this position is the Black pawn on g4 - this changes the assessment to "at least equal for Black" - assessment borrowed from John Watson  Play the French.

Yes. Well in that particular position I'd like to take on c4 myself. I've just downloaded the Avrukh update from the website and the first thing that struck me is this line, without going through the whole thing yet this looks like something I'd be happy with:

Its a bit confusing because the check move-order adds a move, but I'll use this move-order:

1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Bd6 6. Bg2 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. Qc2 Nbd7
9. Nc3 dxc4 10. Bg5 h6 11. Ne4 hxg5!? "N" - Avrukh
12. Nxd6 Nb6 13. Nxc8 Rxc8 14. Rfd1 g4 15. Ne5

(Here Avrukh stops saying something like- "White regains his pawn and has superiority of the Bishop v the Knight")

I think Black can make use of the h-file here and in general should be comfortable. The White bishop for the moment is not biting on anything with the Black pawn on c6. Lets continue a bit:

15...Qe7 16. Nxc4 Nxc4 17. Qxc4 and now it seems like there are 2 decent plans:

a) 17...Rfd8 followed by doubling on the d-file and an eventual ...e5

b) 17...g6!? intending to put the king on the nice g7 square and open the possibility of ...Rh8 using the h-file.

Over-all this line seems reliable enough to me from Blacks point of view, I'd certainly be happy playing it over the board. I believe White has better options than going in for this type of thing.