Tetris Report: Tetris Tournament March 2007

Was there enough excitement for you Wednesday night in the back room of Forest Room Five? Let me count the ways. An all-female Final Three. An epic battle between two rivals in the closing matches. A perpetual also-ran fighting her way within smelling distance of the championship round. To any stray-on-looker, this could have been the tournament of the century. But to the fourteen competitors (and shoulder-to-shoulder spectators lining the walls), this was just another night of Tetris...

Winning three matches in a row can get you to the finals. Closing Vicky Hoehn out with a tetris in the closing seconds will win you the championship. Leslie took out Vinnie in the opening round, then easily handled Paul G and Jesse Johnson on her way to battling Vicky in the final match. A dominant performance, and a message to the critics.

After sitting out last month, Vicky came back with an impressive performance, reminding people why she was a perpetual Final Three player on 2006. After a crushing second round loss to Paul G, she came back with wins over Joe M., Johnson and the suddenly deadly Melissa Tapp. Tune in next month for a maquee rematch between Hoehn and Volkar.

Who saw this one coming? After early exits in the first months of 2007, Tapp came out of nowhere to upset Justin Bunker and February's champion Vinnie, all leading up to an estrogen-fueled battle with Hoehn in the semi-finals. The big question is if she can follow up in April. After a house-cleaning like that, it'll be hard to sneak up on opponents.

Grandfathered in by February's ROM, Joe M, Dave responded to a first round loss with big wins over veterans like Luke and Krissy. He couldn't handle Vinnie in the fourth round, but held his own in tough competion and scored an impressive 31 lines on Krissy in round three. Mark him as a player to watch in April.

Although the audience was skeptical, calling her first batch of victories a fluke, Tapp made a statement by dropping 31 on Vinnie to edge her way in to the Final Three, and held her own in a dramatic loss to Vicky. Dubbed the "Silent Assasin" by the Denver Post, Tapp was also the catalist that lead to Bunker's meltdown (see below). Suddenly a front-page player.

It happened so fast, if you blinked you missed it - Bunker had Tapp on the ropes in the final second of a fifth round elemination game, when suddenly he loses control, drops a couple of L's and Z's on their sides, and maxes out. After missing the last two months, Bunker came in with a strut and a lot of hype. He'll have to earn it back in April.

Why does he get the top spot? Take one scout's word for it: "If you've got money to bet, put it on Vinnie." He's still the only two-time champion (including February), and despite a soft showing in March, he can still impose his will on any other player.

She won it all in March, and made it to the finals in January. Suddenly hitting her stride and playing with a new-found consistancy, she's legitamitly a dominate player that can beat anyone else in the league.

March gave us a return-to-form Vicky Hoehn - not only did she make it back to her usual spot in the Final Three, she went head-to-head with Leslie in the Finals and didn't look too shabby doing it. Also don't forget the 6th round, 45-43 barnburner with Johnson.

No other player inspires fear in an opponent like Paul G. He won it all in January, and possible the only reason he didn't win it all in February is because he didn't play. Don't let the soft March performance fool you - this guy is dangerous.

What else can be said? She's beat Vinnie, she's been to the Final Three, and she's played in the league since its inception. But April is a new month. She knows how to win - does she know how to keep winning?

He's won it all before, and his confidence alone is enough to make you think twice about playing him. Despite shotty attendence, Hicks is still a force to be reckoned with, and offers the best competition to Vinnie and Paul G.

February's Rookie of the Month is one scout's pick for a shocking Final Three apperance in April: "He has more upside than any player. He's coachable, he has the right attitude, and he has the raw talent." But can he put it all together?

Despite the March Meltdown, Bunker can put up 50 lines in any game, and can beat any player on any night. He's known for lapses in conditioning and focus, but he's also known for beating the best players.... when he wants to.

He has the highest Tetris IQ of any player, but has trouble proving on the screen. His trip to the Finals in February was decieving due to his soft placement in the bracket, and his high line average can't be trusted due to his fast pace and reckless style. Still a tough player, but has a lot to prove. Very handsome.

2006 was her year - she was a perennial Final Three player. But where' she been in 2007? It's time for a come back.

March Rookie of the Month. Let's see if he can put it together in April...

He missed March, but Dan can put up lines and put up competition.

As one scout puts it, "Krissy is the type of player who can win 20 matches in a row at practice. But she has yet to translate that into success on the last Wednesday of the month." Look out for Krissy!

Suffered a first-round loss to power-house Vicky Hoehn, and never recovered. Luke has a lot of potential, but without an early win, he can't get in a rhythm.

An intriguing player, and due for a big match. A veteran who's time has come.

Possibly the next Melissa Tapp, and could blow up at any minute. A dark horse pick.

A canidate for March Rookie of the month, he scored a victory against Nick before being shut out by Vinnie.

Sarah came into the league with a lot of hype, and scouts and executives say she's ready for an explosion. "She dangerous because people are over-looking her." Hopefully Sarah isn't over-looking the last Wednesday in April.

She's been MIA since January, but Baker is still regarded as one of the most lethal non-rated players in the league. "Look for her in the top 10 next month," says one scout. "She's the fiercest competitor the league has."