Hello from a new Tetris fan.

[Extruderx]

Yes, Russia really doesn't play Tetris for now. Sad but true. It was popular in 90's, especially NES Tetris, Tengen and Brick Game (not sure about Gameboys, I haven't seen them here). These were my first games as well, but outside of that time, 98% people who had played Tetris at least once, don't know that it even has competitive variants. As a casual game it has quickly passed away (probably only stayed on the mobile devices), and my country didn't have much hardcore players. And later, those who had played Tetris switched to newer games which weren't involving stacking blocks. I don't have much to say, because I don't know the exact reason Tetris was forgotten at its origin.
I should research this issue from inside in few days.

For now, I haven't met a single person there who had played Tetris multiplayer on the same level as me (or better). There are no live tournaments. (Except one just for fun and nostalgy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJCO07tJL24) People that see me play say that I should get a life (or at least play some "normal" games like Quake 4 or Crysis), and they don't get surprised if they see TGM videos. Maybe that's because it's not interesting to them.
There were some Tetrinet 1 servers, and from now there are apps on social networks, that clone Tetris Battle gameplay very badly (low speed, one rotation, but with customisable minos), just in attempt to get money from casuals, but what they really do is to kill the interest in Tetris. Russian Wikipedia doesn't mention multiplayer games and sprint modes. On the page is citation from Pajitnov, that he is still trying to make the multiplayer mode, but the game on higher levels is so fast, that gamers won't have time to look on the opponents screen. Lol.

One other thing is the language barrier: a lot of people don't know English, and those who do aren't curious enough to check about modern Tetris, because for them it's a game from their past, that doesn't develop. A small part plays Tetris Friends.
If there could be the normally translated and well-advertised client, who knows, maybe we'd gain a lot of new qualified members on HardDrop. Our gamers are very determined about scoring high goals.

How I got here: I was looking for computer games that are not about violence, but ones that improve your thinking abilities. And I've looked upon some english sites to look, to see if things are any different from us. The result was the video about Cultris 2.

[Panda]

I was looking for computer games that....improve your thinking abilities.

It's a far extrapolated stretch to claim a direct correlation between tetris skill and overall intelligence. But I do believe there is at least a hint of a connection between the two. Ever since I delved more into the Tetris world and pushed myself into the competitive scene, I've observed a noticeable jump in my theoretical explorations and abstract adaptative reasoning. Because competitive Tetris does indeed utilize these specific mental elements, it does make sense that after being constantly exposed to these elements, I have grown accustomed and subconsciously utilize them in my everyday life as well.

Long story short, I believe the mental elements we utilize and cultivate during Tetris play can potentially overtime become permanently ingrained in our everyday demeanor. Thus, Tetris is not making us "smarter" per-se, but rather we are learning and incorporating new abilities and traits to our daily mental arsenal. An improvement in diversity rather than an improvement in raw quality. Which, I suppose, one could indeed interpret as becoming "smarter"

[Extruderx]

Exactly. At that time I've thought that Tetris will be the closest for implementing that kind of improvement. Not always direct improvement, but I get opportunities to have fun. This forum also seems a good addition to the process.

[Panda]

This forum also seems a good addition to the process.

Yep, precisely. Through the experimental and analytical endeavors of Blitz, Caffeine, Paul, and so on, my own thirst for knowledge and breadth of conceptual understanding has spiked as a result. Just like in the field of science or any intellectually expanding field, this social interaction and communal discussion is so so integral to the overall cultivation of ideas, concepts, and discoveries. I wish Harddrop spawned even more conceptual thinkers who could contribute to this current intellectual expansion

[Extruderx]