How to Tetris

28: Neo T-Spin

Tutorial Videos

The first few seconds may render in low quality. Please give them a few seconds to render.

The Basics

Neo T-spin doubles, another kind of Polymer T-spin, are slightly less clean than Fin T-spin doubles because of their cavity. Creating the T-spin double is the same as making a Fin T-spin double. The roof is different — insert an upside-down T piece and rotate to kick it into the cavity:

Diagram Set 28-1
12
A Neo T-spin double is ready.The player soft drops the T down, rotating twice to make it upside down.
34
He moves it right until it fits into the setup’s “ceiling.”He rotates clockwise and kicks the T into the cavity, making a T-spin double mini.

In many guideline Tetris games such as Tetris 99, Neo T-spin doubles are not truly T-spin doubles. Instead, they are T-spin double minis. This means they clear 2 lines, send 2 lines of garbage (if with back-to-backs on), and sustain back-to-back bonuses. This results in a total of 2 lines of garbage being sent for the entire line clear, assuming no combo bonus is applied.

They are highly inefficient, and I strongly do not recommend using them. However, they provide some means to sustain back-to-backs in certain rare situations the reader may use. I recommend upstacking to Tetrises rather than using them.

Neo T-spin doubles are more forgiving in high-gravity situations. In step 3, the ceiling’s shape prevents high gravity from pulling it down prematurely, unlike a Fin T-spin double.

Like Fin T-spin doubles, avoid making a Neo T-spin if it is unclean — i.e., they leave a residue upstack over the garbage hole (minus the roof). See below (avoid this):

Diagram Set 28-2
12
34
This Neo T-spin double is unclean because the aftermath pattern in step 4 (the J overhang and purple block) obstructs the next garbage hole in column 7.

Common Mid-Game Chances

Neo T-spin doubles share very similar mid-game chances as Fin T-spin doubles.

1. The Easiest Mid-Game Chance

    This is the easiest mid-game opportunity to spot to create a Neo T-spin double:

    Diagram Set 28-3
    12
    This is the easiest mid-game chance.Make an overhang with the J. Done! However, it is weak as better follow-ups exist.

    2. Constructing the Ceiling

    The “ceiling” can be constructed using the following piece combinations to make a Neo T-spin double:

    Diagram Set 28-4
    AB
    CD
    EF

    Continuations and Follow-Ups

    There are 4 major ways to follow up a Neo T-spin double:

    1. Tuck a Piece Under the Cavity

      The most consistent way to follow up this method is to tuck an L or J piece into the cavity. The player can then upstack to a clean Tetris to sustain back-to-back bonuses:

      Diagram Set 28-5
      12
      The player soft drops an L into the Neo T-spin double’s aftermath cavity neatly.

      2. Upgrade to a Tetris

      Filling up the cavity with an L or J piece, then upstacking to a Tetris to sustain back-to-back is one of the most practical and most straightforward follow-ups to Neo T-spin double:

      Diagram Set 28-6
      12
      The Neo T-spin double finishes.Upstacking to a clean Tetris is the most consistent follow-up.

      3. Skim Off the Overhang

      Skimming off the overhang cleanly is also a common, straightforward follow-up:

      Diagram Set 28-7
      12
      A Neo T-spin double’s aftermath.The player uses an L to skim off the ceiling.

      4. T-Spin Follow-Ups

      There is one reasonably common, memorizable T-spin follow-up:

      Diagram Set 28-8
      12
      A Neo T-spin double’s aftermath, same as the last diagram set’s step 1.The player makes a freestyle partial T-spin triple.

      This incomplete, pseudo-T-spin triple gives only a T-spin double.

      Other freestyle T-spin follow-ups exist for Neo T-spin doubles. However, they can only be freestyled. There are no other easily applicable and memorizable T-spin follow-ups. I urge the reader to experiment.

      In a Nutshell

      Neo T-spins are sometimes useful; however, they are considered by most official Tetris games as weak T-spin minis. I honestly find that they are terribly weak and one should almost always go for a Fin T-spin double instead, given their shared mid-game situations.

      Pros and Cons
      ProsProvides some T-spin pressure in cases where cleaner T-spin setups are not possible.

      Is more resistant towards high gravity failures than Fin T-spin doubles.
      ConsChallenging to follow up properly: it leaves a terrible overhang that needs experience to manage cleanly.

      Worse than Fin T-spin doubles in terms of pressure as it is a T-spin mini in most games.

      Often, there are far better and cleaner T-spin alternatives.