The Classic Tetris Monthly Tournament: What Is It and How Do You Compete?

Do you fancy testing your gaming chops by playing competitive Tetris? Then you should check out the Classic Tetris Monthly tournament...

The Classic Tetris community has been steadily growing for years, and the talent has grown alongside it. Thankfully, those who want to test their Tetris skills needn't wait for the annual Classic Tetris World Championship (CTWC) any more. Instead, they can compete in the Classic Tetris Monthly (CTM) tournament. Here's what you need to know.

What Is the Classic Tetris Monthly Tournament?

Classic Tetris Monthly started in 2017, and caters to those who want to put their Classic Tetris skills to the test.

The tournament is held online and streamed via Twitch. And questions, qualifying scores, tournament updates, and other conversations happen on the CTM Discord server.

The skill levels on show have grown significantly, with world records broken in almost every tournament. However, the tournaent organizers are very good about making sure that anyone who wants to compete can, regardless of skill level.

What Do You Need to Play Classic Tetris Monthly Tournament?

To ensure as many people can compete as possible, the Classic Tetris Monthly guidelines are more relaxed than the official Classic Tetris World Championship guidelines.

To compete, you don't need an official NES console. CTM allows use of NES clones, as well as an emulator and ROM from their approved list, found at the CTM.gg rules page.

CTM allows its competitors to use whatever first-party or third-party controller they want to, as long as it has one button per input and no turbo functions.. So, if you have bought an NES clone that came with its own wired controller, you should be able to use that to compete. If you are planning on buying a third-party controller, make sure to check the included features.

CTM highly encourages the use of both a face cam and a camera pointing toward your hands. This is to prevent cheating but also lets others in the Classic Tetris community seeing your preferred method of playing. Whether that's DAS, Hyper-tapping, or Rolling.

Related: What Are NES Clones and Should You Buy One Over a Real NES?

How Does Classic Tetris Monthly Tournament Work?

Competing in your first Classic Tetris Monthly tournament can be intimidating, so here's how to get started...

Qualifying

First, players must submit a qualifying score to CTM coordinators. This gives those organizing the tournament a better idea of which bracket to place you in.

There are four main brackets:

• Masters Event: Here, the top 15 qualifiers compete. The Masters Event is streamed live on the first Saturday of the month.
• Challengers Circuit: Here, the next top 16 players compete. The Challengers Circuit is streamed live on the second Saturday of the month.
• Futures Circuit: The next top 32 qualifiers compete here.
• Community Tournaments: There are multiple tiers within community tournaments. Qualifying scores for these change each month and are organized in the CTM Discord server.

To post a qualifying score, CTM has a few preliminary steps you must take.

1. To qualify for next month's tournament, submit a qualifier one month prior. For example, to submit a qualifier for the January 2022 tournament, submit your score in December 2021. Also, check the CTM website to see if the following month's tournament has been posted.
2. Link your Twitch account to your CTM profile on their website.
3. Make sure Video On Demand (VOD) storage is enabled in Twitch. See this Twitch article for help enabling VOD.
4. Download the CTM Stencil to make sure your stream is set up correctly.
5. Place a timer on your stream using an application, such as LiveSplit. See the correct timer placement in the CTM Stencil.

With the above steps complete, you can post a qualifying score for Classic Tetris Monthly. To do this:

1. Go on the CTM website and click the green Qualify button on the current month's tournament.
2. There will then be a green Start Qualifier button on the bottom of the page. Only press the button when you're ready to qualify. This makes it easier for the coordinators to organize only the completed qualifiers.
3. Once there, a form will pop up to fill out with your VOD link and other details.
4. Now you can begin recording your qualifier.

Related: How to Start Streaming on Twitch Using Streamlabs

The Competition

What to expect in competition depends on your qualification bracket. The community has a large impact on how future competitions run, so what to expect during a live tournament can change monthly. However, there are a few things that rarely change:

• The competition is streamed live on the Twitch Channels: MonthlyTetris or MonthlyTetris2.
• There will usually be commentators talking about the match. If this makes you nervous, you're welcome to mute your speakers or headphones as the match is going on. Turn them back on once the match is over, as they sometimes have post-game interviews with competitors.
• Depending on your bracket, matches are the best of two or three, meaning the first person to win two or three rounds wins the next spot.
• There is usually a losers bracket, so those who lost their first match can bounce back up to the main bracket.

You're Now Ready to Test Your Classic Tetris Skills!

Stepping into the world of competitive Classic Tetris can be nerve-wracking; however, the Classic Tetris community is extremely welcoming and supportive.

Those who compete in the CTM are at various skill levels, use different equipment, and employ different strategies. The CTM is many people's first step into competitive esports, so above all else, remember to have fun!

About The Author