Lets play a game of Chess

[letsplayagame]

I will just up and vote Be3 because even if I could find a better move it's unlikely the community will be swayed away from that choice

Looks like Be3 is the move to make. 

It has been a few days without enough votes to change consensus

Your move bitcointalk. You have the white pieces

The current position is updated below:

1. Nf3     d5
2. c4      e6
3. g3      Nf6
4. Bg2    dxc4
5. Qa4+  Nbd7
6. Qxc4   c5
7. 0-0     a6
8. d3      b5
9. Qc2    Bb7
10.Nc3    Be7
11.Bf4     0-0
12.Rfd1   Qb6
13.a4      Rfd8
14.a5      Qa7
15.e4      Rac8
16.h3      Nb8
17.Be3     Nc6

[dre1982]

I would go here for 18. Nd2.

This will be a extra defense for our queenside and it also activates our bishop on g2.

[languagehasmeaning]

I would go here for 18. Nd2.

This will be a extra defense for our queenside and it also activates our bishop on g2.

If we play Nd2 black can play Nb4 and capture our d3 pawn on the next move.

18. Nd2 removes the d1 rook from the defense of the d3 pawn

[dre1982]

I would go here for 18. Nd2.

This will be a extra defense for our queenside and it also activates our bishop on g2.

If we play Nd2 black can play Nb4 and capture our d3 pawn on the next move.

18. Nd2 removes the d1 rook from the defense of the d3 pawn

Indeed, I didnt check that one. Let try to find a better one. We need to fix our position. We need definitively more room.

[Foxpup]

We don't have many good options. 18. Qb3 is as good as any, I guess. Our stupidly advanced a-pawn is proving to be a crippling weakness (which is why I was against advancing it in the first place) and we'll probably have to let it go at some point. I just don't see how we can maintain it in the long run.

[gotmilk_]

18. Rd1

We move rook up, he then plays Nd4 and attack the queen, queen to d1.
If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

[actmyname]

We don't have many good options. 18. Qb3 is as good as any, I guess. Our stupidly advanced a-pawn is proving to be a crippling weakness (which is why I was against advancing it in the first place) and we'll probably have to let it go at some point. I just don't see how we can maintain it in the long run.

On Qb3, black can play Nd4. His position is essentially won at that point. The knight is untouchable, your queen will be forced to retreat to a2 and be misplaced, and black can plan Qb8 then e5

[Foxpup]

If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

The knight is untouchable,

I don't understand. 19. Bxd4 cxd4 20. Ne2 and we've opened the c-file with slight pressure on Black's d-pawn. Isn't that an improvement on our current position? What am I missing?

[jjacob]

I will go for Qb3 as well.

If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

The knight is untouchable,

I don't understand. 19. Bxd4 cxd4 20. Ne2 and we've opened the c-file with slight pressure on Black's d-pawn. Isn't that an improvement on our current position? What am I missing?

This will be my line of play if he plays Nd4. However, I would like to retain the bishop for a little bit longer. 

[actmyname]

If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

The knight is untouchable,

I don't understand. 19. Bxd4 cxd4 20. Ne2 and we've opened the c-file with slight pressure on Black's d-pawn. Isn't that an improvement on our current position? What am I missing?

The knight is pinned to the queen as of now.

After Bxd4 cxd4 Ne2 he can play e5 and lock up both of our bishops rendering them useless

[jjacob]

If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

The knight is untouchable,

I don't understand. 19. Bxd4 cxd4 20. Ne2 and we've opened the c-file with slight pressure on Black's d-pawn. Isn't that an improvement on our current position? What am I missing?

The knight is pinned to the queen as of now.

After Bxd4 cxd4 Ne2 he can play e5 and lock up both of our bishops rendering them useless

After Bxd4 cxd4, we have just one bishop.

[Foxpup]

The knight is pinned to the queen as of now.

What are you talking about? The queen is on b3.

After Bxd4 cxd4 Ne2 he can play e5 and lock up both of our bishops rendering them useless

Both of what? We have one bishop, after trading the other for Black's knight.

[actmyname]

The knight is pinned to the queen as of now.

What are you talking about? The queen is on b3.

After Bxd4 cxd4 Ne2 he can play e5 and lock up both of our bishops rendering them useless

Both of what? We have one bishop, after trading the other for Black's knight.

If you move the queen to b3 and trade off the pieces, then your light-squared bishop is hemmed in.

They have far better pieces and if you give up the bishop pair then their queenside potential is enormous.

[languagehasmeaning]

The knight is pinned to the queen as of now.

What are you talking about? The queen is on b3.

After Bxd4 cxd4 Ne2 he can play e5 and lock up both of our bishops rendering them useless

Both of what? We have one bishop, after trading the other for Black's knight.

I will also vote 18. Qb3

18. Qb3  Nd4
19. Bxd4 exd4
20. Ne2

Things are not perfect, but I don't see many attractive options. Black cannot play 20..... e5 yet because of our knight on f3. Once he prepares e5 we can move our f3 knight and plan f4 to try to get things going on the kingside. We can also move a rook to the open c file. Our queen seems to be better placed on b3. Material remains even and we would be on move 20. Things could be worse.

18. Rd2 Nd4
19. Qd1  lets us keep both bishops but we have no space and seem completely defensive.

[Timelord2067]

Queen to b3 followed next move by pawn to h4 please.

[gotmilk_]

If he plays Nd4 we sure can't take his Knight...

The knight is untouchable,

I don't understand. 19. Bxd4 cxd4 20. Ne2 and we've opened the c-file with slight pressure on Black's d-pawn. Isn't that an improvement on our current position? What am I missing?

If we play Qb3 this will happen:

18. Qb3   Nd4 (attacks the queen).

If we trade:
19. Nd4/Bd4 (takes Knight)   d4 (takes Knight or Bishop).
20. Nd4/Bd4  (takes Pawn)   Rd4 (takes Knight or Bishop).

We lose Knight and Bishop, while he only lose Pawn and Knight.

If we don't trade:
19. Qa2   ?? (plenty of options, but I doubt he will trade Nf3... he can go later after our queen which is stuck in the corner).

[Foxpup]

20. Nd4/Bd4  (takes Pawn)   Rd4 (takes Knight or Bishop)

Huh? This ain't checkers. You know in chess you always have the option of not capturing if doing so would be bad, right?

[gotmilk_]

20. Nd4/Bd4  (takes Pawn)   Rd4 (takes Knight or Bishop)

Huh? This ain't checkers. You know in chess you always have the option of not capturing if doing so would be bad, right?

This is why I wrote if we trade. I also wrote possible moves if we move Qb3 and we don't trade.

If we move Rd2 we simply have more options for Queen later.

[ObscureBean]

Somehow I like Ne1 in this position.   I think it's about time white gets a bit more aggressive 

[Foxpup]

This is why I wrote if we trade. I also wrote possible moves if we move Qb3 and we don't trade.

There are several possible capturing sequences if we trade. I have already posted the correct one. I do not understand why you then posted an obviously incorrect sequence as though it were an argument against trading. It doesn't make sense.