Marcelo Araujo

Overview — quick summary for Marcelo Araujo

Nice recent results: you convert tactical chances and you win sharp games. The data shows you do well in several sharp openings and you keep a steady rating trend. The biggest recurring leak is time management and a handful of tactical oversights around the king (queen infiltration / back-rank patterns). Below are targeted observations and a short, practical plan.

Highlight from your most recent win

Opponent: skpatel31 — the game came from a King's-style fianchetto setup. You kept up pressure, sacrificed to open lines and finished with a decisive queen invasion on the back rank. Good instincts converting initiative into a mating net.

• What you did well: you used piece activity to pry open the opponent's king position and punished loose coordination. You finished accurately once the attack opened.
• What to keep training: turning small advantages into concrete tactics — you already do this well, so make it consistent under time pressure.

Replay the finishing sequence (quick viewer):

Key lessons from your most recent loss

Opponent: vrvibrant — loss came from a Scandinavian-type game where the endgame and clock both hurt you. The final phase shows you had activity but ran out of time and missed defensive resources.

• Main mistakes: allowing persistent checks and piece activity against your king; late-game imprecision (you gave the opponent active passed pawns and a target on the back rank).
• Time factor: the game ended on your flag in a complex endgame — the board was still dynamic, so managing the clock better would have preserved practical chances.

Replay the critical phase:

Recurring patterns I see (strengths and weaknesses)

• Strength — Tactical vision: your win rate and many games show you spot combination chances and mating nets. Keep that as a core strength.
• Strength — Opening variety: you can play many systems confidently (King's Gambit / KGD / Sicilian lines), which keeps opponents uncomfortable.
• Weakness — Time trouble: several losses are "won on time" or you flag in won/level positions. This reduces your practical score significantly.
• Weakness — King safety & back-rank tactics: you sometimes allow queen infiltration and back-rank motifs. Make routine checks for back-rank and mating threats before every move.
• Pattern to exploit: you score well when you exchange off defenders and open files against the enemy king. Aim to reproduce that structure more deliberately.

Concrete drills and habits (daily / weekly)

• Daily (15–25 minutes): 10 tactical puzzles focused on forks, pins and back-rank mates. Time yourself to simulate pressure.
• 3× per week (30 minutes): one rapid game (10+5 or 15+10) where you force yourself to keep 10–15 seconds reserve on the clock at move 20. Practice moves at a consistent pace.
• Weekly (45 minutes): analyze one loss and one win without engine first; then check with engine and make a short list of recurring mistakes.
• Endgame practice (2× per week, 20 minutes): basic rook + king vs rook, king and pawn endings, and conversion of passed pawns. These save points in long games.
• Before each move checklist (habit): check opponent threats, hanging pieces, back-rank mate ideas, and safe king squares — sound tiny but prevents many losses.

Opening & repertoire advice

Your stats show clear strengths in some sharp lines and a few poorer win rates in specific defenses. Use this to prune and focus.

• Keep and expand what works: your KGD/Fischer and some Sicilian lines yield >52% win rates — study typical middlegame plans there, not only moves.
• Avoid or study deeper: lines like the Australian Defense (win rate ~42%) need either deeper prep or swap to a line you know better. If you must play them, prepare one reliable plan (structure + typical pawn breaks).
• Study typical tactical themes in your chosen openings — e.g. for the King's fianchetto style, review common queen-side knight forks and back-rank tactics. (See: Kings Fianchetto Opening and Scandinavian Defense.)

Clock and tournament tips

• Use a little increment: if you can choose, play games with +3 or +5 seconds. That small buffer reduces flagging mistakes dramatically.
• When ahead in material or position, trade into simpler positions if you notice the clock slipping — simpler positions are easier to play quickly.
• Set time goals per phase: e.g. no more than 10 minutes used before move 20 in a 10-minute game. Use increments to build a reserve for the endgame.

30‑day improvement plan (practical)

• Week 1: Daily puzzle routine + two 10+5 games. Analyze both games. Focus: avoid flagging once per game.
• Week 2: Add one 30-minute endgame session (rook endgames). Continue puzzles and two 10+5 games.
• Week 3: Pick one opening you score worst in (from your list) and learn 2 typical plans for both sides. Play 4 rapid games testing those plans.
• Week 4: Review all annotated games this month, identify three recurring errors and write a checklist to address them during games (post to your notes).

Small checklist to use at the board (copy & paste)

• Opponent threat? (checks, captures, forks)
• Any hanging or en prise piece?
• Back-rank weaknesses / queen infiltration possible?
• Does my move create new targets? If yes — re-check tactics for opponent replies.
• Clock status — do I need to simplify or speed up?

Extra resources & next steps

Replay your win and loss (above) and try to find the critical move for the opponent before using an engine. If you want, I can:

• Annotate 1–2 games move-by-move with short explanations.
• Generate a tactical pack tailored to the errors I highlighted (back-rank mates, forks, mating nets).
• Make a 4-week training calendar you can follow each day.

Which of those would you like me to prepare next?