Ricardo De Guzman IM

What you’re doing well

You’ve shown solid performance in several openings, especially in the East Indian Defense and the London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation group. These lines indicate you’re comfortable with solid development, good piece activity, and selective, sharp ideas when the moment is right. Your opening choices already reflect a balance between quiet development and occasional tactical chances, which is a strong foundation for bullet play.

• East Indian Defense and Nimzo-Larsen Attack-style setups are delivering strong results for you (high win rates across those lines).
• Overall rating progression over multiple horizons suggests a steady, positive trend in your play.
• You mix solid development with active piece play, which helps in fast time-control formats where quick plans matter most.

Key areas to improve

• Strength-adjusted win rate is around 0.45, which hints at room for improvement against higher-quality resistance. Focus on reducing unforced errors in the middlegame and improving pattern recognition in common tactical motifs that arise in bullet.
• Endgame conversion: a number of games end in complex middlegames or exchanges that swing the result. Build a short, reliable endgame plan (for example, know how to convert a rook endgame with a passive king into a win, or force a favorable minor-piece ending when you’re ahead).
• Bullet time management: with very little time on the clock, prioritizing simple, solid plans over risky, flashy ideas will help maintain consistency. Develop a quick, repeatable opening sequence and a few “go-to” endgame ideas you can rely on when seconds run down.

Opening focus plan

Your data shows notable strength in these lines. Consider anchoring your repertoire around two to three openings to deepen understanding and reduce in-the-moment complexity during bullet games. Suggested anchors based on your performance:

• East Indian Defense (as Black) — strong win rate and solid structures. East Indian Defense
• Nimzo-Larsen Attack (as White) or the Colle System with Rhamphorhynchus-type ideas — both show solid results in your dataset. Nimzo-Larsen Attack
• London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation (as White) — reliable, with a clear plan and good practical chances. London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation
• Alternative solid options to study a bit more: Czech Defense and Scandinavian Defense also show potential but may require careful handling in sharp replies. Czech Defense Scandinavian Defense

Plan: spend 2–3 focused sessions on each anchor opening, review typical middlegame plans, and note common tactical motifs that arise in these lines. Then run 20 short practice games (10–15 minutes each) using only these openings and review the results.

Tactics, calculation, and endgames

• Dedicate regular practice to tactical pattern recognition (forks, discovered attacks, pins) with short 5–10 minute drills daily. This helps you spot winning ideas quickly in bullet time controls.
• Emphasize calculation discipline: in any position, identify 2–3 candidate moves and evaluate the consequences for 2–3 ply beyond what first comes to mind. This helps avoid blunders in tight time pressure.
• Endgame basics: study common rook and minor-piece endings, and practice simple two- to three-piece endings so you can convert advantage efficiently when the game drifts into the endgame.

Time management and bullet habits

• Develop a quick opening routine you commit to in the first 8–10 seconds (develop a piece, connect rooks, and ensure king safety). This frees mental energy for the middlegame in bullet games.
• Reserve a few seconds for a quick last-second check on critical trades or tactical shots. If you’re short on time, prioritize solid development and safe exchanges over flashy combinations.
• Use a consistent post-move review habit after each game (even a quick glance) to note where you spent too long, where a blunder occurred, or where you could have pressed harder.

Next steps and a simple 4-week practice plan

• Week 1: choose two anchor openings (e.g., East Indian Defense and London System: Poisoned Pawn Variation). Practice 3 focused games per day featuring those lines and annotate one key middlegame plan per game.
• Week 2: start 15–20 minute tactic sessions daily; add 3 quick endgame drills (rook endings, king activity with pawns).
• Week 3: continue with openings but begin integrating a straightforward endgame plan into your pre-game preparation; review 5 losses to look for recurring mistakes or overextensions.
• Week 4: run a small “repertoire test” by playing 4-6 longer quick games (10–15 minutes) using only your anchor openings and your endgame plan; assess what worked and what didn’t, then adjust.