Short Term Plans

A discussion on this position has pointed out that Bb5 might not be a bad move in this case, though I disagree with this myself.

Regardless if Bb5 is good or not, the point is that it has nothing to do with the plan chosen.  This move can be viewed as bad for this reason alone.  Of course if you had another plan, one where Bb5 is relevant then this status would change.

Another point is that it doesn't matter if a Kasparov, Karpov, or Anand all agreed that Bb5 is the best move.  You are probably not going to have them giving you advice while playing your games.  If you decide that Bb5 is bad, then you should be somewhat decisive.  Keep in mind however, that the moment black makes a move, you might have to re-asses Bb5.

Finally this is an excellent example of why you should learn the ideas and not the specific position.  There is no way for you to be 100% sure in any chess game analysis.  Even when a grandmaster provides thought on a game, that is by no means the final word.  You should always think for yourself but not ignore the other guys thoughts.  It is balancing thinking and listening that is the trick.  If you get this perfectly balanced, don't hesitate to e-mail me with hints on how to accomplish this.