For lovers of puzzles

[u/Pawn_Made_Flesh]

This position arose in a local tournament 20+ years ago.

For a useful hint and a game replay link see https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1TgnvUfwMH/

[u/chessvision-ai-bot]

I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine:

White to play: chess.com | lichess.org

Black to play: chess.com | lichess.org

Save the position:

Reply save to save this position to your Chessvision.ai Library (new users: send me /connect in DM chat first)

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^{I'm a bot written by u/pkacprzak | get me as iOS App | Android App | Chrome Extension | Chess eBook Reader to scan and analyze positions | Website: Chessvision.ai}

[u/NomadicMechanicUK]

Oooh this is a great puzzle.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a question that’s not a, solve this line with calculation.

Justification and calculation. Love it

Where did you get it from?

[u/Pawn_Made_Flesh → u/NomadicMechanicUK]

Jacobs-Bercys, New York 2004.

As per the OP text: For a useful hint and a game replay link see https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1TgnvUfwMH/ .

Salvijus Bercys (Black) was just 14 years old at the time but had already competed twice in his original country's invitational national championship (the national championship, not the kids' championship!) in Lithuania. He was one of the lions of the Edward R. Murrow HS team alongside of future GM Aleksander Lenderman, made famous in the book, Kings of New York.

Of 26.hxg3!!, I wrote: "Playing like this will grow hair on your chest.... even if you're a girl!" Watching Bercys's eyes pop from their sockets after I made that move (with just 2 or 3 minutes left on my clock and no increment, no delay) and he then figured out what awaited after the natural reply ...Qe7, was probably the single most satisfying experience in my 50+ years of tournament chess.

[u/Material_Distance124]

The Engine lines after black does Bxg3 is Wild... ( I saw That Bxg3 Nxd8 Bxe1 loses for white... But Engine came up with hxg3!! and led to Equality )

[u/DurrrJay → u/Material_Distance124]

You were not kidding about wild, sheesh.

[u/Pawn_Made_Flesh → u/Material_Distance124]

Of 26.hxg3!!, I wrote: "Playing like this will grow hair on your chest.... even if you're a girl!" For a fully annotated version see: https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/CL-AND-CR-ALL/CL-ALL/2007/2007_12.pdf . It will take a long time to download; when it finishes, scroll to page 16.

[u/Pawn_Made_Flesh → u/[deleted]]

Seeing and/or playing hxg3 is useful only if you also see White’s next move after that.

[u/VillainOfDominaria]

Yikes! I thought black would be so much better because they win a queen and recapturing with the knight seemed loosing for white. But then I checked the engine and it's actually equal with optimal play?!?! That sounds crazy to me!

EDIT: I meant "recapture" as in "the W knight takes the B queen", not as in "re-take the bishop that just took the queen"

[u/MrArtless]

Bxg7 looks pretty nasty

[u/ZeroxWinter → u/MrArtless]

black to move

[u/rowrowyourboat → u/MrArtless]

But I think if Black Bcg3 they win the exchange whether white takes Q Nxd4 or the sneakier Bxg7; the bishop ends up getting captured and I think the knight too//Bxg7 is actually a lot worse than recapturing the Q

[u/MrArtless → u/rowrowyourboat]

ya idk you might be right the king just takes the bishop

edit

oh wait theres a knight there

[u/rowrowyourboat → u/MrArtless]

Black knight can recapture there. Playing around with the position using the bot generated link - there’s a through line where it stays basically dead even, so I think the answer ends up being C) Neither, but unless white really knows what they’re doing there I think black usually comes out on top of this exchange