Hello everyone, I was wondering if the panov attack in the chigorin ruy lopez is considered playable. The variation is:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
5. 0-0 Be7
6. Re1 b5
7. Bb3 d6
8. c3 0-0
9. h3 Na5
10. Bc2 c5
11. d4 Qc7
12. Nbd2 cd
13. cd Bb7

Most theoretical sources say it is dubious but in the only game with it on chesspublishing, Nigel Davies is semi-enthunsiastic about it.  Does anyone have any opinons, comments, recommendations, warnings ,advice, theory etc. on this line?

Here is the sample game that Flear gives (w/o his annotations)

[Event "Belgrade Investbank"]
[Site "Belgrade"]
[Date "1995.??.??"]
[Round "8"]
[White "Shirov, Alexei"]
[Black "Timman, Jan H"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C99"]
[WhiteElo "2695"]
[BlackElo "2595"]
[PlyCount "75"]
[EventDate "1995.11.??"]
[EventType "tourn"]
[EventRounds "11"]
[EventCountry "YUG"]
[EventCategory "17"]
[Source "ChessBase"]
[SourceDate "2004.01.01"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7 14. d5 Rac8 15.
Bb1 Nh5 16. Nf1 Nf4 17. Bxf4 exf4 18. Bd3 Bf6 19. Qe2 Qc5 20. Rac1 Qb4 21. b3
Rfe8 22. Rxc8 Bxc8 23. Qc2 Qc3 24. Rc1 Qxc2 25. Rxc2 b4 26. Rc7 Bb7 27. N1d2
Kf8 28. Kf1 Re7 29. Rxe7 Kxe7 30. Ke2 Bc3 31. Nb1 Ba1 32. Ne1 f5 33. Nc2 fxe4
34. Bxe4 Bf6 35. Nxb4 h6 36. Bd3 Bd4 37. Nc2 Ba7 38. Nc3 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7 14. d5 Rac8 15. Bd3 Nc4

In this position Khalifman gives 16.Nf1 but engines want to play 16.a4 or 16.Nxc4 and Dominguez against much lower rated opponent played 16.Bxc4 (according to Khalifman it is bad way to seek opening advantage for white in this line). So what's the verdict?

Roger Williamson wrote on 06/24/10 at 19:42:39:


Khalifman does not recommend 15. Nf1 here. After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Qc7 12. Nbd2 cxd4 13. cxd4 Bb7 14. d5 Bc8 he suggests 15. Re3:

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

"Only energetic actions can punish the loss of time from Black's part." And he continues with: 15. ... Nb7 16. Rc3 Qb8 17. b4 a5 18. Ba3

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

"White found a potential target - the b5-pawn which is far from being the best shield for the black queen on b8, Panno - Eliskases, Mar del Plata 1958". The game he cites concluded as follows: 18. ... Bd7 19. bxa5 Bd8 20. Nb3 Nxa5 21. Nxa5 Bxa5 22. Rb3 Rc8 23. Bd3 b4 24. Qe2 Ba4 25. Rbb1 bxa3 26. Rxb8 Raxb8 27. Rb1 g6 28. Nd2 Rxb1+ 29. Nxb1 Rc1+ 30. Kh2 Re1 31. Qf3 Kg7 32. g4 Bd1 33. Qg3 Bb4 34. Kg2 g5 35. Nxa3 Bxa3 36. f4 Bb4 37. fxe5 Nxe4 38. Bxe4 Rxe4 39. exd6 Re2+ 40. Kf1 Re1+ 41.Kg2 Re2+ [½-½]