For reference, here are the moves of the game and my analysis:

1.e4 e6
2.d4 d5
3.exd5 exd5
4.c4 played commonly by Normunds Miezis 4...Bb4+
[4...Nf6 following Miezis-Eliet 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 Bg4 9.Be3 Nc6 10.0-0 Qd7 11.h3]

5.Nc3 Ne7
[5...Nf6 Miezis-Ostrowski 6.Bd3 0-0 7.Nf3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.0-0]

6.Bd3
[6.Nf3 Miezis-Jaeger, 2004 6...Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.Bd3 Nbc6 9.Be3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 0-0 11.0-0]

6...dxc4
7.Bxc4 0-0
8.Nge2 c6
9.0-0 Nd7 critical position for white.
10.Re1
[10.Nf4 Nb6 11.Bb3 Bf5 white's d4 pawn looks a bit weak.; 10.a3 Ba5 (10...Bxc3 11.bxc3 c5 12.Bg5 cxd4 13.Qxd4 white's active pieces and bishop pair more than compensate for the weak queenside pawns 13...Nb6 14.Qxd8 Rxd8 15.Bxe7) 11.b4 Bc7 12.Bf4 Bxf4 13.Nxf4 Nb6 14.Bb3]

10...Nb6
11.Bb3 Nbd5
12.Bg5 f6
13.Bf4
[13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bd2 Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Be6 16.Nc3 about equal; 13.Bd2 Kh8 (13...Bxc3 14.Nxc3 Re8) 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 15.Bxb4 Nxb4 16.Nf4 looks good for white.]

13...Be6
14.Bg3 Qd7 another critical position, we need to find something active, or we'll be stuck with this weak d4 pawn
15.Qd2
[15.Nf4 Bf7 (15...Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Bf7 17.Bxf7+ Rxf7 18.Qa4 Bxc3 19.bxc3) 16.Nfxd5 Nxd5 17.Qf3 Rfe8; 15.a3 my suggestion 15...Ba5 (15...Bxc3 16.bxc3) 16.Ba2 Rfe8 17.b4 A) 17...Nxc3 18.Bxe6+ Qxe6 19.Nxc3 Qc4 20.Ne4 Bb6 21.Nd6; B) 17...Bc7 18.Bxc7 (18.Na4) 18...Nxc7 (18...Qxc7) 19.Bxe6+ Nxe6 (19...Qxe6) 20.Qb3 Kh8 21.Rad1 Rad8 22.b5 Nd5 (22...cxb5 23.Qxb5 Qxb5 24.Nxb5) 23.Nxd5 Qxd5 24.Qxd5 Rxd5 (24...cxd5) 25.bxc6 bxc6 26.Nf4 Rd6 27.d5 cxd5 28.Rxd5; C) 17...Bb6 18.Na4 Rad8 19.Nc5 Bxc5 20.dxc5]

15...Rad8
16.a3 Ba5
17.Ba2 Bf7
18.b4 Nxc3
19.Bxf7+ Kxf7
20.Qxc3
[20.Nxc3 Bb6 21.Qa2+ Nd5 22.Qc4 Rfe8 23.Na4]
20...Bb6
21.Qc4+ Qd5
22.Qxd5+ Nxd5
23.Red1 [23.Rad1] 23...Rd7
24.Rd3 Rfd8
25.Rad1 a5
26.bxa5 Bxa5
27.f3 h5
28.h4 Re8
29.Nf4 Nxf4
30.Bxf4 Rd5
31.Rb1 Re7
32.Kf1 c5
33.Rb5 b6
34.g3 Red7
35.Be3 g6
notation stops here.

In these IQP positions I think you have to really think about playing very activly as white. I have played one game exchange french like this and another against the caro-cann with panov-botvinnik attack.

I think that white in a lot of similar positions can allow himself to play the more active Nf3 and get pinned by Bg4 especially if black doesn't play activly himself. In a 30 min game against a much higher rated opponent where I had a little time handicap I was able to get an easy draw by gambiting the d-pawn. In turn I got the bishop pair (Bxf3,Qxf3) and control of the d-file with tempo against his queen. The game followed to same lines as your game with Bb4+,Ne7. Black can't ofcourse take the d-pawn right away but after he defends b7 which my opponent did with Rb8 it's possible, but Rb8 in itself is very passive which sort of allows the gambit. If black gets to trade queens which he did in my game it's probably equal.

I'm not ultimatly sure how good this pawn sac is in these kinds of positions but it proves the point that white has to play every move very activly.

I think I agree with the point about playing very actively. Also gambiting the IQP is an idea in these types of positions. As long as you can convert that pawn into some kind of long term play, be it a prolonged attack on the enemy king or a structural weakness, it's justified.

Josh

I have some further analysis I'd like you to comment on about my game against Wagner. You said instead of 10 Re1 I should play 10 a3. What about this: 10 a3 Ba5 11 b4 Bc7 12 Bg5?! Nb6 13 Bb3 and what can Black do?

If 13...Nbd5 14 Nxd5 cxd5 =
If 13...Re8 14 Re1 Bf5 15 Ng3 Bg6 (Bxg3 16 Qf3!!) 16 d5 cxd5 17 Nxd5 Nbxd5 18 Bxd5 Bxg3 19 hxg3 Qxd5!? 20 Bxe7 Qxd1 21 Raxd1. I like White if he is able to get in 22 Rd7. I would appreciate any comments made about this position or especially any mistakes I've made in my analysis.

Randas,

Nice analysis. I like your idea with Bg5, this is exactly the kind of thing you want to do in these positions (tie black up and use your superior mobility to generate pressure). I agree that 13...Nbd5 doesn't lead to anything for black although it might be his best option (I'd prefer white there though).

Also as an aside, in the 13...Re8 line, I don't think your subvariation with 16.Qf3 works since black can play 16...Bxf2+, but that being said, 16.hxg3 is fine for you...you get the bishop pair which works well with your d4 pawn.

As far as the position after 18.Bxd5, I think black can play 18...Qxd5 and have a fine position. If black takes on g3 thought, with 18..Bxg3, then white can probably get a nice game.

But in light of 18...Qxd5 we should look for alternatives. We might be able to play 16.Bxe7 (instead of d5) and after 16...Rxe7 17. Rxe7 Qxe7 18.d5 we'll go into a pretty drawish endgame. However there may be improvements there.