offramp: Game 5, Wednesday 25 September 1974.
23.Kh2
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A very hard position to assess. Computers like 23...f5! Not very Karpovian, though. An interesting try might have been 26.Qc1
click for larger viewKarpov plays 28...Rb8:
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29.Nd2! giving up the exchange.
After 31.Rxd1 the position is very intense. It is Total War!
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Every piece is crucial.
The bishop on d6 is attacked but it cannot move, as the ♙d5 would march straight down the board. So Karpov protects the bishop with 31...Re8-d8:
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Kortschnoi was now in time-trouble and he took the bishop, 32.Nxd6. There followed 32...Rxd6 33.Nc4 Rf6:
click for larger viewBut what if Kortschnoi had played 32.Bg5 ?
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Now if 32...Rd7 then 33.Nxd6 Rxd6 34.Nc4
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...and the rook can't go to f6! But Black could play 34...Nxb2!=
click for larger view ...with a similar ending to the game. In any case, after 32.Bg5 Black <could> have played the very surprising 32...f6!!  . Later, Karpov played 38...a4-a3:
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Kortschnoi could have now played 39.Bxe6! Then 39...fxe6 40.Na3 Kf7 41.d7 Ke7 42.Nc4 leads to this position:
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Is that won for white? Naah. | 
Kibitzing
Botvinnik) Kf7 41.d7 Ke7 42.Nc4 Nxc4 43.Rxb8 Kxd7 44.Rb7+ Kd6 45.Rxh7, which I imagine is a technical win for White, although Black's c-pawn may still cause trouble.
