Tetris
Human beings have been stacking blocks since the dawn of civilization. From ancient wonders like Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China to modern marvels such as the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid, it is clear that humanity has a deep-seated desire to align bricks.
This prompts the question: what drives us to create these structures? Are we building towers to the sky? Or do we secretly pray that all of our bricks will disappear if we stack them just right?
Let the Game Begin
It wasn’t until the invention of a Russian videogame in 1984 that humankind would gain a glimpse into what compels us to pile anything brick-like. Tensions were running high in the Cold War between the East and West when a Soviet software engineer developed a game that would break down barriers and provide insight into our primal urge to stack.
Dubbed Tetris (or Тетрис if you were a communist), this piece of software perfectly imitated the longstanding practice of stacking blocks. When a full row of bricks was completed, it would magically vanish and provide the player with points. The game was an instant success, bringing together people from all walks of life and teaching the world that it is possible to tear down the walls that divide us. In fact, some historians attribute the invention of Tetris as the inspiration behind making the Berlin Wall disappear.
Olympic Tetris Rules
Tetris in the 21st century has come a long way from its humble roots. There have been several rule changes, such as the introduction of T-spins and the ability to hold pieces for later, but the best tetrathletes have always been able to adapt.
Modern Tetris competitions involve 3 rounds, in which players compete to get the highest score and prevent their tower of bricks from reaching the top of the screen. At the end of rounds 1 and 2, the bottom 3 players will be eliminated. In the final round, the top 3 scores will determine the gold, silver, and bronze winners.