One of those attacks that make you feel all fuzzy inside: The Poker attack

*bump :)

I like 23. Bxh7+ a lot. It's a kind of move I wouldn't feel comfortable making, but a kind of move I always dream of making

Simply amazing. 

Hmmm. Just being a wet blanket here, but it looks to me like Black can hold against the attack at several points after Bxh7+. Intuitively it looks to me like there's no way Black can hold out against two pawns, a queen, a knight and two rooks bearing down against his exposed king; but looking through the moves that were actually played by White I think there were a few inaccuracies which Black could have exploited to escape...either that, or White's attack was illusory in the first place. Doesn't seem like it though, given the sheer number of pieces behind the attack.

To take a specific example, even as late as move 28, I think Black still has the saving resource 28. ...Qf6; which pretty much gives up the bishop but still leaves him with a piece for two pawns since White has sacrificed two pieces for the attack (most continuations after that point also allow a queen trade, which looks pretty much in Black's favour as the two rooks seem insufficient to carry on the attack without any more pawns or pieces supporting them...though White will probably go for the few lines which don't lead to a queen exchange). The endgame after that would be pretty interesting though, since White has an outside passed pawn but also a rather awkward doubled pawn (it looks like a good plan to me for Black to go for a supported knight on f6, which attacks the doubled pawn, blockades the passed pawn and provides a modicum of shelter against side attacks on his own backward pawn).

very nice catch - did you use a computer to find that move, by any chance?

I just ran my attack through rybka, and it found 23. Bxh7+ to be interesting, but not as strong as the simple 23. Nf5.

more Accurate was 24. Qc2+! Kg8 25. h6! when white's attack is overwhelming.

Sometimes attacks require some luck!

Nope, it's just that I tend to be a pessimistic sort of player and always try to see what defences my opponent can come up with against attacks. 24. Qc2+ does indeed look like a good way to continue the attack though...nice move!