Maritza Valdes Hernandez WFM

Hi Maritza!

You have an energetic, initiative-oriented style that often drives opponents off-balance early. Let’s build on those strengths while fixing a few recurring issues that cost you points and—more importantly—rating gains such as 2341 (2019-02-02).

What you’re doing well

• Opening versatility. Your Closed Sicilian with 3.g3 and the Elephant-style counter-gambit (1…d5!?) both create dynamic, imbalanced positions that suit your tactical eye.
• Direct kingside pressure. In your win against noobiethe13 you uncorked 19.f5!  20.f6!  21.g5!, a model pawn storm that forced …Kh8 and left Black’s pieces gasping.
• Confidence in complications. Positions such as 17…Nxc2?! in your victory over clickhynn show you are not afraid to calculate sharp lines.

Recurring problems & fixes

1. Time-pressure collapses.
   Half of the listed losses ended with the clock hitting zero while you were still fighting or even better.
   Fix:
   • Add a simple “10-second rule.” If your clock dips below 0:20, make a safe move that maintains tension rather than searching for the absolute best.
   • Play a few 5-minute games with an extra 5-second increment; this trains the “play, then think during your opponent’s turn” habit.
2. Over-extending the h- and g-pawns.
   In the loss to lion_da the early …h5/…g5 plan left dark-square holes that White exploited with Ne3–d5 and Bf5. When you push flank pawns, be sure the center is closed or that you can occupy it afterward.
   Drill: set up the position after 15…Nge7 (game vs Lion_da) and practice defending it against the engine until you can hold comfortably.
3. Premature material grabs.
   17…Nxd3 in the same loss snatched a pawn but allowed Qxe1 and coordination issues. Ask the “What is my opponent’s next move?” question before capturing.
   Exercise: Solve 10 tactics per day that focus on zwischenzugs and over-loaded pieces.
4. End-game conversion.
   Several wins became frantic scrambles (e.g., the BoxCup 60-sec game where you were winning but needed 20 extra moves).
   Plan:
   • Study basic rook end-games—especially the “Lucena” and “Vancura” motifs.
   • Play two 15|10 games weekly where you intentionally trade into an endgame, even if you’re better middlegame.

Opening snapshots

Illustrative moments

Power play: 24.Rf4–31.Rxe8+ in your win over noobiethe13.

Missed resource: In the Lion_da loss you could have tried 20…Rhg8! keeping the g-file tension instead of 20…Nxe1.

Stats & rhythm

Use these charts to spot when you are freshest and schedule your rated sessions accordingly:

Next-week training menu

• 5 rapid (10|5 or 15|10) games with full post-mortem review.
• 70 puzzles (10 per day) focused on defensive tactics.
• Revisit the five end-games you lost on time and annotate only the final 15 moves to find faster technical wins.
• Watch one video or read one article on prophylaxis (thinking in your opponent’s shoes).

Keep the fighting spirit, balance it with a touch of restraint, and I’m confident your rating curve will point up soon!

Good luck, and see you on the board!