Veresov-London Hybrid

AM playing in the open section of the five-round 54th Dorset congress, which began this evening at the Elstead Hotel, Bournemouth. The time control is all moves in 90 minutes, with a 30-second increment.
Michael Duggan (186) - Spanton (168)
'Barry Attack'
1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bf4
White is playing a cross between the Veresov (Nc3 and Bg5) and the London (Nf3 and Bf4). I find it convenient to call it the Barry Attack, although this is usually reserved for when the system is deployed against a kingside fianchetto.
3...e6 4.Nb5!? Bb4+!?
Normal is 4...Na6, but then White argues Black has misplaced the knight.
5.c3 Ba5 6.a4 a6 7.Bb4
MD revealed in the postmortem that this has been recommended as good for White by GM Simon Williams.
7...axb5 8.axb5

Black to make his eighth move

*****
*****
*****
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8...Bd7!?
This may be a novelty - it is not in ChessBase's 2019 Mega database. 8...b6!? was played in Baadur Jobava (2669) - Boris Gelfand (2734), Eurasian Blitz Cup 2016. That game continued 9.bxa5 bxa5 10.e3 Nbd7 11.Nf3, when White's bishop-pair and pressure against a5 gave him the advantage (1-0, 48 moves).
9.bxa5?!
In the postmortem we decided a better try for White is 9.Rxa5 Rxa5 10.bxa5 Bxb5 11.Qb3, although Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give Black a small edge in what seems a rather unclear position.
A critical alternative is 9.e3!? Bxb4!? 10.Rxa8 Bxc3 11.Ke2 Bxb5+ 12.Kf3 Bxf1 13.Qxf1 0-0. During the game I believe we both thought this was probably better for Black, but the engines prefer White.
9...Bxb5 10.Qb3 c6 11.Nf3 0-0
Now Black threatens to capture the a pawn.
12.Bxb8 Qxb8 13.e3 Bxf1 14.Rxf1
Perhaps 14.Kxf1 is better, planning g3 and Kg2, but White will still lose a pawn without compensation.
14...Qc7 15.Qa2 Ra6 16.Ke2 Rfa8
16...b6, intending 17.Qc2 bxa5, gives Black a passed pawn, but it is weak, which is why the engines prefer the text.
17.Ne5 Rxa5 18.Qb2 R8a6 19.Rxa5 Rxa5 20.Ra1 Rxa1 21.Qxa1 g6 22.Qa8+ Kg7 23.f4?
Weakening the e4 square. The engines prefer 23.f3, with a long way to go before Black can convert his extra pawn.
23...h5 24.h3?!
Preventing a forced exchange of knights, but now Black invades. The engines give 24.Kf3, which also keeps the knights on, but Black still has a winning advantage.
24...Ne4 25.Qa3 Qb6 26.c4 Qb1 0-1