Cozio Defense 4.d4

In this case, in order to find a model game, you need to identify the experts of the Cozio defense 3...Nge7. Sergey Arkhipov is for sure the main supporter of this move, as it is his main defense against the Spanish opening, but frequent players include Antoaneta Stefanova and Levon Aronian.
I couldn't find a game where 4.d4 was played against Stefanova or Aronian, but I found two against Arkhipov. One is a nine-move draw but there remains one that can serve as a model game.



Arkhipov didn't exchange everything on d4, giving White a lead in development. Instead, he fianchettoed his king bishop. It might be a matter of taste, but this variation looks slightly safer to me than 5...Nxd4.

Levon Aronian plays this from time to time. Here a game where he beats Sergei Karjakin with it.

And here is an example of how to play if white (Andrei Sokolov, former World Championship candidate) plays 4 d4

Although I play mostly d4 or 0-0 against offbeat Ruy hopeless lines here I prefer the sneaky 4.Nc3 which will caught out not few amateurs.

Here is how Nakamura plays against 4 Nc3 against a former FIDE World Champion.

@Sarg0n Earlier I looked at some lines in the Nc3 variant and I think I found with some sharp and accurate moves black can become fine. I was just wondering about this early d4 because I didn't find any other resources on it.

For example the line 4.Nc3 g6 5.d4 exd 6.Nd5 Bg7 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bf6 Bxf6 9.Nxf6+ Kf8 10.0-0 Kg7 11.Nd5 d6 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qxd4+ f6 Do you see any major problems for black?