Main line symmetrical. The idea in this variation is to achieve the pawn break on d4 for white. Black on the other hand might calmly accept the pawn exchange and develop comfortably, with the ideal of pinning and destroying the white knight on c3.
| Game | Result | Year |
| Carlsen, Magnus (2872) vs Kramnik, Vladimir (2810) | 1/2-1/2 | 2013 |
| Carlsen, Magnus (2868) vs Topalov, Veselin (2793) | 1/2-1/2 | 2013 |
| Kramnik, Vladimir (2795) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2848) | 1/2-1/2 | 2012 |
| Vachier Lagrave, M. (2780) vs Carlsen, M. (2861) | 1-0 | 2019 |
| Carlsen, M. (2881) vs Giri, A. (2752) | 1/2-1/2 | 2014 |
| Carlsen, M. (2843) vs Vachier Lagrave, M. (2789) | 1/2-1/2 | 2018 |
| Carlsen, M. (2837) vs Vachier Lagrave, M. (2789) | 1/2-1/2 | 2017 |
| Radjabov, Teimour (2788) vs Carlsen, Magnus (2837) | 0-1 | 2012 |
| Aronian, Levon (2808) vs Anand, Viswanathan (2817) | 1-0 | 2011 |
| Kasparov, Garry (2849) vs Kramnik, Vladimir (2770) | 1/2-1/2 | 2000 |