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A tetris is four lines cleared with one I tetromino.

This article will deal with the skill of creating and building around an open column, or a straight hole in a wall of blocks, in order to make many consecutive tetrises. It will be biased towards SRS/guideline games and will mostly apply towards slow gravity. It is a work in progress. Stacking for tetrises is a useful skill in games that reward Back-to-Back tetrises, or do not reward t-spins. There is an argument to be made that pure tetrising is more elegant than other methods that involves lesser clears or T-Spins. see [1] for in-depth discussion.

Advanced techniques must be learnt through experience, and cannot be feasibly taught.

Basics[]

  • Stack flat, but not too flat, to allow for S and Z tetrominoes. Having a flat field will allow a player to rotate less, which saves time. A player will also have more placement opportunities. The even field will allow a player to think less which results in faster reaction times. Also, stacking flat will also mean keeping middle columns lower to the ground, lessening the risk of a block-out.
  • In SRS, leave the column on the far right open to tetris in, as pieces are biased towards the left. You will save a few movements because they will move a smaller distance.
  • Try not to build empty columns greater than 2 cells deep, as this will require an I tetromino that can be better used to tetris. However, a tetris requires 10 pieces, so for roughly every 2nd tetris, you have an I block to spare if you are using the 7-bag randomizer.
  • If hold piece option is available, make sure to keep an I in reserve to compensate for inconsistent stacking. Sometimes, a player is forced to create 3 cell deep empty columns that can only be fixed by an I tetromino. However, don't fall into the trap of stubbornly saving the I piece if doing so prevents you from stacking optimally.
  • Don't waste an I if another tetromino fits better. Use an I when stacking only to avoid future complications or at the beginning of a game. Don't forget that an I can be placed anywhere on the field due to its vertical orientation.
  • In single-player, try not to tetris if an I tetromino is not in reserve. Hold the I, stack more, and wait for the next I to come. Doing so will give a player more room for inconsistent stacking. Try not to tetris often from switching an I out of the hold box because it wastes a frame.
  • Avoid situations that force a player to soft drop. At the beginning of a game, avoid situations that force a player to soft drop more than once.

Much must be learned from experience, and you will quickly see what pieces when placed in certain positions compromise your future stacking. When this happens, stop and examine the playfield, and determine the best position. Analyze your playing to better yourself.

Situational[]

  • Use a T to convert an S/Z field position into a Z/S.
TetTetGGTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTGGGGTetTetTetTet
TTGGGGGGGTet
GTGGGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
TetTetGGTetTetTetTetTetTet
TTetGGGGTetTetTetTet
TTGGGGGGGTet
TGGGGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
  • Eliminate step pyramid structures with a T. Avoid fixing such situations with S and Z, which often leads to castle structures.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetGTet-TetTet
GGGGGGG--Tet
GGGGGGGG-Tet
GGGGGGGGGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetGTetTetTTet
GGGGGGGTTTet
GGGGGGGGTTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
  • Eliminate castle structures with a T depending on your preview.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TTTTetTetGGGGTet
GTGTetGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTTTGGGGTet
GTetGTGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
  • Avoid placing a J upright towards the left wall if you don't expect another J to appear soon. The same idea applies to L tetrominoes, either at a wall or at the edge (unless when skimming).
Tet-TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
Tet-TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
--GTetTetGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTet-TetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTet-TetTet
TetTetGTetTetGG--Tet
GGGGGGGGGTet
GGGGGGGGGTet
  • When dealing with a two-deep hole, make room for both J and L instead of blocking one off.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
Tet--TetTetTetTetTetTetTet
Tetg--TetTetTetTetTetTet
ggGgTetGGGGTet
GGGGTetGGGGTet
TetZTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
ZZTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
ZgTetLLTetTetTetTetTet
ggGgLGGGGTet
GGGGLGGGGTet
  • When having two open columns, deal with it as soon as possible. Over stacking will make things worse by having to wait on even more Is.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetgTet-TetTetTetTet
ggggTet-TetTetgTet
ggggTet--ggTet
ggggTetggggTet
ggGgTetGGGGTet
GGGGTetGGGGTet
LTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
LTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
LLTetgTetTetTetTetTetTet
ggggTetTetTetTetgTet
ggggITetTetggTet
ggggIggggTet
ggGgIGGGGTet
GGGGIGGGGTet
  • Remember that Random Generator and to a lesser extent the TGM randomizer deal a uniform distribution of pieces over the short run. Stack so not to require a duplicate piece, since chances are you may need to wait longer on that same piece than another one, having just used it.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
-TetTetgTetTetTetgTetTet
-TetTetggTetggTetTet
--TetggggggTet
ggTetggGGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetLLTet
TetTetTetgTetTetTetgLTet
TetTetTetggTetggLTet
TetTetTetggggggTet
ggTetggGGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet
  • Keep in mind that T-indents can be used to accomodate both S and Z tetrominoes. Don't rush to fill up the indent with a T if you see a barrage of back to back S and Z tetrominoes coming along.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
gggTetTetTetTetgTetTet
gggTetTetTetTetgTetTet
ggg---gggTet
gggg-GGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
gggTetTetTetZgTetTet
gggSTetZZgTetTet
gggSSZgggTet
ggggSGGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet
  • Don't use S or Z tetrominoes to fix 3-celled pyramids unless you have an extra I handy. Opt for a T and L/J combination.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
Tet-TetgTetTetTetTetTetTet
--TetggggggTet
-gTetggggggTet
gggggGGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet
TetTetTetZZTetTetTetTetTet
TLLgZZTetTetTetTet
TTLggggggTet
TgLggggggTet
gggggGGGGTet
GGGGgGGGGTet

Shifting the Tetris Column and Platforming[]

  • For efficient attacking in multiplayer, try to put the pieces where they will be happy and get along with each other. They don't care which column you tetris in, and neither should you.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetGTet
GGGGGGGTetGTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetOO
GGGGGGGTetOO
GGGGGGGTetLL
GGGGGGGTetGL
GGGGGGGTetGL
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetGTet
GGGGGGGTetGG
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTTTTet
GGGGGGGTZTet
GGGGGGGZZTet
GGGGGGGZGTet
GGGGGGGTetGG
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetG
TetTetTetTetTetTetJTetTetTet
GGGGGGJJJTet
GGGGGGGLLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGGTetG
  • One example of an SZ start with no soft drops. If you stack too high and don't open the hole in column 6, no sweat. Fill the hole on the right, build up, and tetris on the left again (or wherever).
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetOOJ
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetOOJ
TetTetTetLTTetTetZJJ
TetLLLTTZZSS
IIIITTetZSSTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
TetGGGGGGOOJ
TetGGGGGGOOJ
TetGGLTGGZJJ
TetLLLTTZZSS
IIIITTetZSSTet
  • Cleaning up after a T-spin triple. No soft drops and keeping your BtB going.
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGJJJTet
GGGGGGGGJTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGTetLL
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGOOTet
GGGGGGGOOTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGTetLL
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGTTTZTet
GGGGGGTZZTet
GGGGGGGZLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGTetLL
TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGTetTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGTetTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGTetTetTetTet
GGGGGGGGTetTet
GGGGGGGTetTetTet
TetTetTetTetTetTetJTetTetTet
GGGGZZJJJTet
GGGGGZZSSTet
GGGGGGSSLTet
GGGGGGGGLTet
GGGGGGGTetLL
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