I prefer the plan with a5 for Black when White plays Nb3 to protect d4 pawn.

For example: 7.Be2 Qb6 8.Nb3 cxd4 9.cxd4 a5! 10.a4 Bb4+ 11. Kf1 (11.Bd2? Bxd2 and Black wins a pawn) and now Black plays plan with f6: 11...oo 12.g3 f6 Chiburdanize-Vladimirov,URSS 1979 (Watson) or 10.Rb1 a4 12.Na1 Bb4+ 13.Kf1 f6 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.Nc2 Bd6 16.g3 e5! Kirpitchnikov-Vitolinsh,Tbilissi 1976 (Zlotnik)

One player of my previous chess club proposed the insteresting 7.Nb3 waiting to develop light square bishop 7...Qb6 8.a4 a5 9.Bb5 cxd4 10.Nbxd4 or 7...a5 8.a4 cxd4 9.cxd4 Qb6 10.Bb5 Bb4 and Black has already a good game.

In fact 7.Bd3 is the "main line" and White and Black must be prepared in all variations: 7...g6!? (look at Brynell's games ; Olsson-Brynell,Goteborg 2005, Svidler-Brynell,1997 ; Degraeve-Brynell,2001 ) ; 7...Qb6 (leading to Korchnoi's gambit) ; 7...Be7 or 7...g5 ; 7...f6 or 7...f5!? (Watson idea given in Minev's book) ; 7...a5 8.oo and now 8...g5!? Christiansen-Kraii,Seattle 2002 (Psakhis Nd2) - 8...Be7 Monroy-Apicella,Avoine 2002 or Rublevsky-Lputian,Montecatini 2000 eor Gormally-Quillan,Caleta 2005 - 8..g6 9.h4 Smirin-Luther,Moscou 2001 - 8...a4 Fedorchuk-Ivanchuk,Barcelone 2005 (Chesspublishing)

Just played a league game with Black against the Tarrasch which has the following sequence of moves, my question is have I missed a golden chance here - not sure whether 5. Ngf3 looks right here and/or 7. Be2 looks very innocuous and unassuming. The Watson French books doesn't mention an awful lot on the 5. Ngf3 move, what do you lot think?

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Ngf3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Be2 Qb6 8. Nb3 cxd4 9. cxd4 f6 10. exf6 Nxf6 11. Be3 Bd6 12. O-O ... etc.