Preventing 4...Bd7 and enabling ideas like Rc1-c7 and Nd4-e6.

Intending ...Be5 and ...f5-f4 – Piskov.

With a sound extra pawn, whereas Black hasn't achieved ...f5-f4.

Inviting an exchange on d6, after which the doubled d-pawns would prove useful in taking the c5 and e5 squares away from the enemy pieces.
1...Nf4?! 2.Bxf8 Rxf8 3.Nc5 with some advantage for White thanks to his excellent knight.

Now that c5 is no longer available, the destiny of this knight has become less evident.

Limiting the rook on e3.

Securing the queenside pawns with a roughly equal game.

Preparing c4-c5 and c3-c4 in order to clear the long diagonal, even at the cost of a pawn.

2...Qxc3 3.cxd6 cxd6 4.Bd2 Qf6 5.Nd4 , followed by Qb3 and Bc3, White enjoys excellent compensation.