Marcela Viora — "Ratatango"
Marcela Viora, who often appears online as Ratatango, is a fierce and curious chess player known for long, theatrical endgames and a taste for unorthodox setups. Preferring Rapid games (yes, she likes thinking a little longer than blitz but not so much that dinner gets cold), Marcela mixes practical tactics with stubborn endgame maneuvering.
Notable peaks in her career include a sky-high blitz peak and a seriously memorable bullet run: 2543 (2026-02-20) • 2370 (2025-08-30).
Playing style
Marcela's style can be summed up as "patient theatricality." She grinds positions into long endgames — her games often top 80 moves — and relishes pawn-structure fights and rook endgames. Opponents report that she will calmly simplify into an apparently dry position and then, sometime after tea, produce a knockout technique.
- Endgame specialist: high endgame frequency and very long average decisive games.
- Tactical resilience: excellent comeback rate and solid win-rate after material losses.
- Late-game drama: many wins come deep into the game, so don’t leave the table early.
Opening repertoire
Marcela favors flexible and less trodden lines that lead to rich middlegames and practical play. Her personal favorites (and weapons that have caused many opponents to consult their opening notes) include:
- Colle System — Rhamphorhynchus Variation: a recurring theme in both blitz and bullet (Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation).
- Nimzo-Larsen Attack — Classical approaches and offbeat sidesteps (Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical Variation).
- Surprising successes with Bird and French sidelines — she turns “weird” into “winning” more often than not (Bird Opening • French Defense: Advance Variation).
She often brings the same philosophy as in the middlegame: play flexible, avoid rote theory, and steer the game toward long-term imbalances where practical skill matters most.
Career highlights & trends
Highlights worth bookmarking in Marcela’s timeline:
- Remarkable blitz run culminating in a peak that many admire: 2543 (2026-02-20).
- Consistent strength across all time controls, with a rapid preference that suits her long-game approach.
- Longest winning streak: 18 games (yes, you read that right — 18 in a row).
Want a quick visual? Here's a compact trend snapshot:
.Notable games & sample
Marcela has produced many mini-dramas on the board. A tasty example of her practical fighting spirit is a recent encounter (a comeback-ish finish worth studying):
- Sample match: Blitz comeback vs franzavqq
- Small illustrative PGN (try it in a viewer):
Fun facts & practical notes
- Nickname clue: "Ratatango" suggests a love of rhythm — her clock habits show it (she often hits her best form late in long games).
- Best time of day to face Marcela: early morning to catch her before the endgame engines wake up — but beware: her peak tactical hours are unpredictable.
- If you want to frustrate her, take the initiative early — if you don’t, she’ll usually out-grind you in the trenches.
Curious about how she handles specific openings? Explore these: Nimzo-Larsen Attack • Colle System: Rhamphorhynchus Variation • Bird Opening.
Want more?
Marcela’s games reward deep study: long endings, patient strategical play and the occasional tactical flourish. Follow her progress, dig into the PGNs, and don’t be surprised if a seemingly dry endgame turns into a 20-move instructional mini-opera.