I can see that it has been over a year since my last post. Obviously, my mind has not been on chess for a while. I have actually stopped playing actively online and at the club. Well, that's how my chess goes, in spurts, and probably the reason why I haven't reached master level in over four decades of playing the game. Now that I am in my mid-50s, it is even harder to retain theory and it would be dream-like to consider attaining a rating over 2200.

Here is my most recent comeback game on ICC. My opponent just played 21...h6. He should have known that somehow it forces to me sacrifice my bishop for two pawns, but the question is, when? If I played 22. Bh4, then 22...g5 23. Bg5 hg 24. Qg5+. I could also go straight away with 22. Bh6. And this is how I actually continued, hoping that Black's ruined pawn structure would provide some attacking chances. So, play continued with 22... gh6 23. Qh6 and the White rook's entry into the game via the e3 square will be quite a problem for Black. Black took with 23...Bd4, guarding the e3 square and double-attacking the Knight on d5.


So, here is the little finesse move, noticing that the Black Queen is unsupported, 24. Bh7+. Black is forced to capture with the Knight, 24...Nh7. Obviously, I took 25. Qd6, Bd5 and then I continued to reduce the material by 26. Rd5.