identify all recent matches for player given optional, additional criteria

def recentMatches(self, **criteria):
        """identify all recent matches for player given optional, additional criteria"""
        if not self.matches: return [] # no match history
        try: # maxMatches is a specially handled parameter (not true criteria)
            maxMatches = criteria["maxMatches"]
            del criteria["maxMatches"]
        except AttributeError:
            maxMatches = c.RECENT_MATCHES
        alLMatches = self.matchSubset(**criteria)
        matchTimes = [(m.endTime, m) for m in matches]
        selMatches = sorted(matchTimes)[:maxMatches] # slice off X most recet matches
        retMatches = [m for endTime,m in selMatches] # extract matches only
        return retMatches