Seems to me that Be3 has given Black the opportunity for an early strike at the centre. Is this current theory, or has the game already descended in to dark and murky byways?

It's hardly an unexplored line! White does well - at least in this game.

I was surprised after the game to find that black did well in the opening databases with this variation.

Is 5...d5 playable? There would be a loss of tempo involved after 6.cxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3, and the isolated d-pawn might not be much of a liability sebsequently. Nah, I probably wouldn't play it. Not yet, anyhow.

5...d5, 6. e5 seems to block forever the black dsb's action.

This is starting to look like a funny-looking Sicilian Dragon, with a White pawn on d4 instead of c2.

It seems a "manual game", with logical and straight-forward moves from both sides.

I agree with damalfi as thus far it seems very logically played out

Premature, but I've learned this lesson a few times myself over the years. This is the classic castling into the attack. Black should have played something like a6.. starting Q-side action.

...Qb6 is also there. The everlasting question: to castle or not to castle. You need hard long-term calculations to see if black has time or not. Chess is a delicate equilibrium between attack and defence. Black "must" press white on the Qside or white will have free attack on the kingside. As this game perfectly illustrates...  

0-0 is by far the most popular move at this point. ...Qb6 seems to be met well with Qd2 protecting Be3 and b2. The problem with a6 is that black can never force the opening of another file on the queen side, so it is quite safe for white to play 0-0-0 followed by Kb1. Even if black doesn't play 0-0, Bh6 can still cause problems. White always has an alternative way of playing this position too - which involves trying to take over the c file and invading on c7.

I like the Saemisch as well - very aggressive line.

It turn out to be good, but it blocks lsb for a move at least. Black seems not able to exploit this.

I was thinking if Bc4 it can be hit with a6 and b5 with tempo, while on d3 it can be hit with Nc6-b4 - so why not leave the bishop at f1 for a while?

The position seems even and quiet, but...

I think Black might be in a bad way already.

I think this thrust is best left until white has moved his Ne2 again, so that d5 can be met with Nd4.

Any chance that a sacrifice on g4 (with either N or B, maybe with B, to open "c" file for R) would lead to an effective attack on the WK exposed situation? Anyone that knows this type of position have any comments on that possibility?

Maybe AFTER this move, when the BQ can go to h4+, not before! (IMHO)