Mauricio Rico

Quick summary

Mauricio — nice stretch of results lately. Your recent games show good tactical vision, active piece play, and an ability to convert mating nets and queening threats. The main recurring weakness is time management (a loss on time) and a few moments where simplification or prophylaxis would have made winning easier. Keep building on the tactical strengths and plug the leak around the clock and endgame technique.

Highlights — what you do well

• Sharp tactics and pattern recognition: you created and finished a mating net in the 19-move win against mahaagungcyno — good eye for checks and forcing ideas. See a replay:
• Active piece play and initiative — you repeatedly put pressure on kings (both in middlegame attacks and by using active knights and bishops).
• Endgame resourcefulness — in the game where your opponent promoted multiple pawns you still used your king and pieces actively to create counterplay and win.
• Opening variety — your stats show strong results with several openings (French Defense and Elephant Gambit stand out), so you’re comfortable handling non-standard positions and imbalances.

Key areas to improve

• Time management: the loss to wowkaro ended on time. You reached very low time on basic moves. Practice keeping a reserve and learning when to simplify or play practical moves instead of long calculation when the clock is ticking.
• Transition decisions: sometimes you allow the opponent counterplay by not consolidating after gaining an advantage (exchange choices or pawn structure fixes). When ahead, prefer trades that reduce tactical risk and head into clear endgames you know how to win.
• Prophylaxis and waiting moves: there were moments when a small preventative move (covering a key square, avoiding opponent knight outposts) would have stopped their initiative. Ask “what does my opponent want next?” before making natural moves.
• Endgame technique drills: convert passed pawn positions and basic rook/pawn endgames more reliably. When promotions are in the air (yours or theirs), calculate the simplest route to stop or force queening and prioritize king activity.

Concrete drills and training plan (2–6 weeks)

• Tactics — 15–25 puzzles daily (focus: forks, pins, and mating patterns). Prioritize speed + accuracy to mimic rapid time pressure.
• Timed practice — play 10|5 games with an added goal: never drop below 30 seconds on the clock. Use the clock as a training tool, not an enemy.
• Endgames — 3× a week: 15–20 minutes studying basic king + pawn, rook endgames, and queen vs pawn promotions. Practice the “opposition” and simple king marches to queen a pawn.
• Game reviews — after each session, pick 2 losses and 2 wins. Ask: could I have simplified? Was my clock under control? Note one pattern to fix per game.
• Opening consolidation — keep the lines you score well with (French, Elephant Gambit). Add 1 new idea per week for the top two openings and test it in 5–10 unrated or slow games.

Next-game checklist (quick practical tips)

• Before the clock starts: decide your opening plan for the first 8–10 moves so you save time early.
• When ahead in material or position: favor simplification and exchanges that reduce tactics and time needed to think.
• When low on time: play safe, non-forcing moves (develop or centralize pieces) and avoid long calculation. If possible, flag-proof positions by trading down.
• Endgame awareness: activate your king early and look for passed pawns — king activity often wins 10|0 and 10|5 games.

Notes from specific recent games

• vs mahaagungcyno — excellent use of forcing moves and checks to chase the king into a mating net. Keep practicing pattern recognition for early mates like back-rank and discovered-check motifs.
• vs darielmurgado — you handled an endgame with promotion threats well and converted. Strong handling of passed pawns and queening races shows good practical sense.
• vs miuxin — exploited pins and tactical motifs early; consider applying the same pressure earlier in similar openings to avoid passive middlegames.
• vs wowkaro — the position became complicated and you ran out of time. Work on quicker evaluation of “easy” plans (keep the kingside safe, trade when appropriate) so routine positions don’t burn your clock.

Small habits that give big gains

• Two-move rule: when down to under 60 seconds, try to stick to 2-move thinking cycles (spot candidate move, check opponent replies, play). It reduces panic blunders and time loss.
• Pre-game routine: pick your opening for White and Black today and run through one short line in your head — saves early clock time.
• Keep one notebook: record recurring mistakes (time trouble, missed back-rank, weak squares). Review weekly and aim to remove one repeated mistake each week.

Motivation and next targets

Your recent trend is positive: +41 in one month and a healthy 3-month rise. Targets to set for the next month:

• Reduce losses by time — aim for zero time losses in the next 30 games.
• Turn one drawn or lost game per week into a win by improving conversion (simplify when ahead).
• Keep your Strength Adjusted Win Rate > 0.50 — that’s already your level; maintain it by cutting down tactical oversights and time slips.

If you want, I can...

• Review one of these games move-by-move with short explanations (pick which game: vs mahaagungcyno, darielmurgado, miuxin, or wowkaro).
• Create a 2-week practice plan personalized to the time you have each day.
• Give an opening mini-repertoire (3 lines) for the Italian/C50 or the King’s Pawn setups you play most.

Parting note

You have a strong tactical foundation and good recent momentum. Fixing time management and drilling basic endgames should convert more of your good positions into wins. Keep the steady training — the rating slope is on your side.