user3774:  [FEN ""] 
 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7

When I was actively playing, 250000 cigarettes ago, the Polugayevsky's fantastic idea of 7. ... b5 effectively took 7. f4 out of practice. What is the current state of the art (at 2000 level preferably)? Did White develop any countermeasure?

user4093: With this particular continuation 

xf6 ...Qe5+
Be2 ...Qxg5
0-0

should provide white with good play, I've compared some databases which generally favor white in this position. Instead of B5 many players including grandmasters favor an immediate 7...Qb6. 
I suggest looking into some databases(chessgames.com has a fair amount of games as does chess.com however chess.com requires membership for proper database analysis) to see possible continuations since I do not play this particular variation. I can only assume computer analysis has somewhat dealt with the b5 variation since it does not provide black with much development and leaves space open for white's knights.

3774: <pre><code> [FEN ""] 
 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 b5 8.e5 dxe5 9. fxe5 Qc7
</code></pre>

<p>When I was actively playing, <a href="http://www.thinking-approach.org/index.php?id=2135">250000 cigarettes ago</a>, the Polugayevsky's fantastic idea of 7. ... b5 effectively took 7. f4 out of practice. What is the current state of the art (at 2000 level preferably)? Did White develop any countermeasure?</p>
 4093: <p>With this particular continuation </p>

<ol start="10">
<li>xf6 ...Qe5+</li>
<li>Be2 ...Qxg5</li>
<li>0-0</li>
</ol>

<p>should provide white with good play, I've compared some databases which generally favor white in this position. Instead of B5 many players including grandmasters favor an immediate 7...Qb6. </p>

<p>I suggest looking into some databases(chessgames.com has a fair amount of games as does chess.com however chess.com requires membership for proper database analysis) to see possible continuations since I do not play this particular variation. I can only assume computer analysis has somewhat dealt with the b5 variation since it does not provide black with much development and leaves space open for white's knights.</p>
