`
John Tran, a 25-year-old Tetris master from Menifee California Talked to the guys over at Kotaku and gave them some advice he has learned from his years of playing Tetris. I’ve always said that packing a truck is exactly like tetris, I even posted this video a while back to show you guys what I mean by that. Now a real-live Tetris Pro is agreeing with me. Here’s what the master had to say…
Packing Tips From A Tetris Master
• “Take a glimpse at your next pieces (moving boxes in this case) to determine the best placement positions.”
Think ahead. Putting a box in a spot that fits nicely might seem like a fine accomplishment, but when it makes it difficult to place subsequent boxes it does more harm than good.
• “If you have a box that doesn’t fit neatly, hold onto it and un-hold it when it won’t mess everything up.”
The urge to simply cram everything into the back of the truck as quickly as possible is strong. Don’t force it. If a container doesn’t fit, simply set it aside until it does.
• “Stack as flat as possible. The even field will save you reaction time and give you more stacking options.”
Not only will stacking flat allow for more stacking options, it’ll also increase stability, reducing shifting while you make your move.
• “Avoid creating unnecessary gaps to maximize space usage.”
This tip goes along with saving pieces until there is a good spot for them. Don’t leave gaps. If you need to, dig through what you’re packing to find something that will fit the space. A tight pack is a stable pack.
• “Leave an empty column open for your long boxes, and if you don’t have any long boxes buy some.”
Long boxes aren’t just for comic books anymore. The long, slender containers are perfect for filling gaps where wide boxes won’t fit, adding precious stability to your stack while maximizing space usage.
• “Don’t waste your long boxes!”
That having been said, don’t simply toss the long boxes in where they aren’t needed. Save them for when you need to make a packing Tetris. A nice long box can stabilize several rows of boxes all at once.
• “Multiplayer will help you reach a faster time, so have some friends and family help you out.”
Extra hands are always helpful when packing, but make sure you and your friends and family are on the same wavelength. Without coordinated strategy, even the strongest stack can topple.
Read the whole story here.