I'm afraid I 'stepped away' from chess and this site for a few months and am only gradually finding time to return to it, so my apologies castlerock for not responding to your question/offer to try to help with looking at this line.  My assistance probably wouldn't yield much anyway - I fear I'm unlikely to be able to produce anything that would help Black much..... in fact, since picking up the pieces again (online only) I've been using the Dutch and QGA so forgive me if I have little to offer on the Tartakower for a while! This thread went pretty quiet anyway, by the looks of things....

I have not a board in front of me Castlerock and my talent for blindfold chess has diminished over the years, so I´ll look at this line you give whenever I get a chance and get back to you.

At last I managed to look at the critical position after 14.Ne5 for about an hour. I was trying to have conceptual understanding of the position so that I can guide my friend Fridz much better! Hope to do it today. Perhaps Keano and Slates would be interested in helping me? Following are my impressions.

All the games I have given above were decides in white’s favour because of inadequately covered d5 and b6 squares, unsupported b7 Bishop and c-file. Too many problems to handle in one go!

But I think black can be just about fine with 14…Qd6. For example 15.Ng4 Be7 16.Bf3 and the solution needs to include Ra7 to cover b7, Rc8 to cover c file, Nd7 to reinforce b6 and perhaps a4 to avoid Na4 and black should be fine. I’ plan to  analyze concrete lines in this frame work. I would appreciate if someone can give a helping hand. Terribly short of time for chess these days.

Its just my personal opinion but if you want to play a move like ...dxc4 (there are cases where it can be good) then why not play the QGA. Now to get back on track and in true rant mode - when will we ever get some Tartakower coverage on the site, and has the computer age destroyed our appreciation for the finer points of this great opening?

I prefer 8...dxc4 to 8...Bb7, which leads to a pawn structure that I dislike as black. What do you think about this alternative ? Do you have comparative statistics about black's score in both lines ?

well castlerock...did you give up yet 

good luck! I think I only seriously looked at the line involving ...Bxe5, pushing the d-pawn, with ...Qg5 coming, Vaganian drew that way but I was far from convinced! I assumed if the Knight was left alone (with 14...Qd6 or 14...Re8 as you suggest) then f4 would come from White, which is committal but in that particular position it looked awkward for Black to deal with.