Can You Solve This Endgame Study?

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Wotawa, Deutsche Schachzeitung 1967. White to play and draw!

Now we have a long space so that you aren't accidentally 'spoiled' by the solution below! 

(Note: I deliberately didn't make this an interactive puzzle, so that you are forced to actually sit and think about the puzzle, rather than guess and hope you are right!)


























































SOLUTION

White only draws with: 1.Bxf6! (else the bishop on d8 is trapped and lost) 1...Bb2 (1...Bxc5 2.Kxc5 Ne4 3.Kc6 Nxf6 4.b6 exchanges the last Black pawn for a draw) 2.Kd5 Bxf6 3.b6! cxb6 and now for the final trick:

4.Nd7!! (4.Kxd6 loses to 4...Be7! 5.Kxe7 bxc5 and Black's pawn queens) and because all 3 of Black's pieces (except the king) are under attack, Black has nothing better than 4...Kxd7 with stalemate and a draw!

I hope you really enjoyed this endgame study. It came from my free Facebook group 'Chess Endgame Studies and Compositions'. 

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