Jonas Neubauer

Neubauer began playing Tetris at age 6 or 7 on his uncle's Compact Macintosh computer. As the first video game he played, he recounts seeing it as "the most awesome thing", and he dedicated "this entire side of [his] brain" to it. At age 9, he bought the NES version with his allowance{{cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/114575/7-time-world-champion-jonas-neubauer-talks-the-continuing-rise-of-classic-tetris|title=7-time world champion Jonas Neubauer talks the continuing rise of Classic Tetris|publisher=Shacknews|date=October 21, 2019|access-date=January 9, 2021|last=Mejia|first=Ozzie}} and was able to score 176,000 points.

File:Tetris Lovers high scores 2002.png scoreboard lists Neubauer as world record holder.]]

By his senior year of high school, Neubauer could score 500,000 to 700,000 points, impressing his peers. To improve further, he analyzed recordings of his play using probability matrices. In the early 2000s, he posted some of these recordings to the internet, including a photo of a 980,000 score.{{cite web |url=https://tetrislovers.tripod.com/main.htm |title=7/29/2000 |last=Santos |first=Joshua |date=July 29, 2000 |website=Tetris Lovers |publisher= |access-date=January 30, 2024 |quote=...Jonas Neubauer from Redondo Beach, CA, has achieved one heck of a score on Tetris for the good 'ol NES.}} During this time, he competed with Nintendo World Championships runner-up Rich Ambler for high scores.{{cite interview |last=Ambler |first=Rich |subject-link= |interviewer= |title=Highlight: JWTetris Interview |work=ClassicTetris |date=September 16, 2021 |publisher= |location=Columbus, Ohio |url=https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1119709975 |access-date=January 30, 2024}}

Neubauer first claimed to have attained a max-out score of 999,999 points on March 23, 2001.{{cite mailing list |url=http://pluto.beseen.com/boardroom/y/47696/View?n=01423 |title=Done |date=March 23, 2001 |access-date=February 1, 2024 |mailing-list=Tetris Lovers Bulletin |last=Neubauer |first=Jonas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010726223833/http://pluto.beseen.com/boardroom/y/47696/View?n=01423 |archive-date=July 26, 2001 |ref=}} In around 2002, Neubauer recorded a max-out game and posted it online, but it was initially received with skepticism, as it did not include audio. The score could not be certified at the time, and no other max-out game would be until Harry Hong's in 2009.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-revolution-in-classic-tetris |title=The Revolution in Classic Tetris |last=Sweet |first=Jacob |date=March 26, 2021 |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=January 18, 2024}}

File:Harry vs Jonas 2010.jpg

Neubauer was contacted in 2010 by filmmaker Adam Cornelius, who had seen the recorded max-out scoring game that Neubauer shared online years earlier. Cornelius invited Neubauer to participate in his documentary film Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters, which was set to include a tournament in Neubauer's hometown of Los Angeles.

Due to his achievement, Neubauer was one of five people given reserved spots in the tournament, to be called the Classic Tetris World Championship.{{Cite video |people=Cornelius, Adam|date=October 21, 2011 |title=Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1836974/ |medium=Documentary |publisher=Reclusion Films }} Among his opponents, he was particularly concerned about Harry Hong and Trey Harrison, who had both posted recordings of very high-scoring games. Despite this, Neubauer was confident he would win.

File:Jonas Neubauer crop.jpg

Neubauer advanced to the final, where he defeated Hong 2–0 to become the first world Tetris champion.

File:2015-alex-kerr-vs-jonas-neubauer-by-chris-higgins-DSC 7296 134192-sm 04.jpg

In 2011, Neubauer successfully defended his title after defeating Alex Kerr 2–0 in the finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYOe0ftP4lY|title=Tetris World Championships 2011 - NES Final Round|publisher=YouTube|date=October 24, 2011|access-date=April 4, 2021}} In 2012, Neubauer successfully defended his title for the second time after defeating Mike Winzineck 3–0 in the finals.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLHLc-6pTbI|title=2012 Tetris World Championships Top 8 FINAL ROUND - Jonas Neubauer VS Mike Winzineck|publisher=YouTube|date=October 6, 2012|access-date=April 4, 2021}} In 2013, Jonas was once again able to defend his title for the third time, defeating rival Harry Hong 3–2 after being down 0–2. This marked the first time Neubauer lost a round in the finals and made him a 4-time Classic World Tetris champion and the sole champion of the competition up until this point.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LT--Q5AG78|title=Classic Tetris World Championship Finals 2013 Harry vs Jonas|publisher=YouTube|date=October 16, 2014|access-date=April 4, 2021}}

Neubauer participated again in 2014, looking to defend his title for the fourth straight time. Neubauer made it to the finals, setting up a rematch with the previous year's finalist Harry Hong. Despite taking an early 1–0 lead, Neubauer was defeated 3-1 by Hong.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoZFbdjQwuY|title=2014 Classic Tetris World Championship Final Match: Harry vs. Jonas|publisher=YouTube|date=April 5, 2017|access-date=April 4, 2021}} This marked the first time Neubauer was defeated in competition, and it was Harry Hong's only Classic Tetris World Championship victory. After the tournament, Neubauer contemplated retirement but was convinced to keep competing by his wife.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_UPHsGR6fM|title=16 Y/O UNDERDOG vs. 7-TIME CHAMP - Classic Tetris World Championship 2018 Final Round|publisher=YouTube|date=December 5, 2018|access-date=April 4, 2021}}

File:Alex Kerr vs Jonas Neubauer, CTWC 2015.jpg

In 2015, Neubauer returned to the competition motivated to claim his fifth title. He was once again able to reach the finals, where he defeated surprise finalist Sean "Quaid" Ritchie 3–1, successfully reclaiming the title after the previous year's defeat.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH2HGTkAhWo|title=Finals - Jonas Neubauer vs Sean Ritchie - Classic Tetris World Championship 2015|publisher=YouTube|date=October 21, 2015|access-date=April 4, 2021}} Neubauer won his sixth title in 2016 after defeating first-time finalist Jeff Moore 3–1, in what was once considered as the most popular Classic World Tetris Championship match in the competition's history, sparking renewed interest in the game and the competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdfRQjb5o9k|title=Finals - 2016 Classic Tetris World Championship|publisher=YouTube|date=October 26, 2016|access-date=April 4, 2021}} In 2017, Neubauer won his seventh title after defeating former finalist Alex Kerr 3–0 in the finals. Neubauer dropped only one game during the entirety of the competition during the quarterfinals against veteran Chad Muse.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNgSitjDjk|title=Finals - 2017 Classic Tetris World Championship Episode 5|publisher=YouTube|date=November 30, 2017|access-date=April 4, 2021}} This was Neubauer's final title in the competition.

File:Jonas Neubauer.png

Before the 2018 tournament, Neubauer expected increased competition due to the rise of the "hypertapping" style, naming Koji "Koryan" Nishio as the favorite to win the title. After qualifying as the third seed, Neubauer slowly made his way to the semifinals, where he set up a thriller match against first-time competitor Tomohiro "GreenTea" Tatejima. Neubauer was able to defeat Tatejima 2–1 in a close battle to reach the finals for the final time, having done so nine consecutive times in tournaments up to this one. There, he was swept 3–0 by hypertapper Joseph "JdMfX_" Saelee despite setting competition personal bests. During his post-match interview, when asked if he was again contemplating retirement, Neubauer reaffirmed that he plans to keep competing indefinitely regardless of whether he was the favorite to win or not. In 2019, Neubauer returned to the competition, looking to reclaim his title, but he lost the first round 2–1 to veteran competitor Paul "MegaRetroMan" Tesi, marking the first time Neubauer did not reach the finals in a competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5c-zPaKh8Y|title=2019 CTWC Classic Tetris Rd. 1 - Part 5 - JONAS/MEGARETROMAN + BUCO/DUDE|publisher=YouTube|date=November 7, 2019|access-date=April 4, 2021}}

In 2020, the Classic Tetris World Championship was held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now playing under the Spanish flag as an in-joke in which he was referred to as a man from Albacete,{{Citation |title=Final del mundo de tetris comentada por Ibai y Ander / AntoniormL | date=12 March 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1IyPji55w0 |access-date=2024-02-24 |language=en}} Neubauer qualified as the 31st seed after struggling during qualifying, only managing one max-out. Although expectations were low for DAS players like Neubauer after the domination of hypertapping in past competitions, he was able to make it to the top 16 before being defeated 3–1 by eventual semifinalist Jacob "Huffulufugus" Huff. During his post-match interview, a visibly emotional Neubauer expressed his gratitude and excitement for the ever-rising popularity of the tournament. This was Neubauer's final competition.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuMt7BX6_L0|title=2020 CTWC - TETRIS Group E - Pt. 6 - FINAL (see description for format)|publisher=YouTube|date=November 22, 2020|access-date=April 4, 2021}}

In June 2018, Neubauer set a (then) high-score world record of 1,245,200 points.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hIzK7DgH6M|title=Boom! [Former] World Record High Score for Jonas! 1,245,200 points|publisher=YouTube|date=June 22, 2018|access-date=January 9, 2021}}

On June 9, 2019, Neubauer was a panelist on ABC's To Tell the Truth, where he was one of three who had to fool celebrities into thinking that he was the Lego Master Builder. After the real Lego Master Builder was revealed, the celebrities then had to figure out which of the two remaining panelists was a performer who walks barefoot on Lego bricks (a "Lego walker"). The celebrities competing during that episode were Oliver Hudson, Justin Long, Snoop Dogg, and Amanda Seales.{{Citation needed|reason= There is no supporting evidence to this section. |date=December 2021}}

File:2022 JNMT.jpg

Neubauer died from a sudden medical emergency on January 5, 2021, at age 39. He had collapsed and never regained consciousness. His death was announced four days later on all of his social media pages.{{Cite web|date=January 10, 2021|title=Tetris champion Jonas Neubauer has died|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/tetris-champion-jonas-neubauer-has-died/|access-date=January 12, 2021|website=PCGamer}}{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2021 |title=Jonas Neubauer on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/neubsauce/status/1347769622947274754 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109045844/https://twitter.com/neubsauce/status/1347769622947274754 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |website=Twitter}} On April 2, 2021, the cause of death was diagnosed as "sudden cardiac death from cardiac arrhythmia of undetermined [cause]".{{cite web |title=Jonas Neubauer Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/neubsauce/status/1378124171285127168 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210402231703/https://twitter.com/neubsauce/status/1378124171285127168 |archive-date=2021-04-02 |access-date=2021-04-03 |website=Twitter |language=en}}

After Neubauer's death, the Classic Tetris World Championship trophy was renamed the Jonas Neubauer Memorial Trophy, and it was redesigned as a golden J-tetromino (representing "J" for "Jonas").{{cite web|title=Tetris Championship Twitter|url=https://twitter.com/ClassicTetris/status/1460085483107586057|access-date=2021-11-15|website=Twitter|language=en}} A quote from a 2018 interview of Jonas is engraved on the trophy: “If you’re a high visibility player, it’s on you to move the community in a positive direction”.{{cite web |title=Jonas Neubauer Trophy Unveiled At The Classic Tetris World Championship |url=https://tetrisinterest.com/jonas-neubauer-trophy-unveiled-at-the-classic-tetris-world-championship/ |website=Tetris Interest |date=21 November 2021 |access-date=22 October 2023}}

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Category:1981 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Tetris (NES video game) players

Category:American esports players

Category:California State University, Long Beach alumni

Category:Deaths from myocarditis