This helps White to create a strong passed pawn on the a-file. The prophylactic 1...Rec8 was better.
Simple but strong. Now that 3...Rec8 fails tactically, White wins the battle for the c-file.
Giving up the knight in exchange for two powerful connected passed pawns.
2...bxc3 3.Nxc6 Nf6 4.Qxc3 Bf8 5.Rxa8! Rxa8 6.Ra1! Ne4 7.Qb2 Re8 8.Ne5
With the strong threat of 9 b6, which obliges Black to take radical measures.
8...Nxc5 9.b6 Qb7 10.Qb5! Ra8 11.Rxa8 Qxa8 12.dxc5 Qa1+ 13.Kh2 Qxe5+ 14.g3