"Card Architect" bags fourth stacking record with Jenga tower made of over 3,000 blocks

Tian Rui (China), known as the “Card Architect”, has recently smashed four Guinness World Records titles related to stacking.

His feats include the tallest house of cards built in one hour at 32 layers, most Jenga blocks stacked on one vertical Jenga block at an astonishing 3,149 blocks, tallest house of cards built in 8 hours reaching 62 layers, and most Jenga Giant blocks stacked on one vertical Jenga Giant block with 918 blocks. 

Three years ago, Tian Rui first claimed the tallest house of cards built in one hour with a 27-layer tower. Back then, it was a dream come true, built on limited practice, raw instinct, and a bit of luck. Now, stacking is woven into his life. 

When asked why he took on these challenges again, he chuckles: “Someone else broke my record.”

This time, though, there was no pressure. The nerves of his first attempt, when everything was unknown, have given way to confidence. Countless hours of practice have made him a master of technique, rhythm, and even the “temper” of the cards. “It’s like second nature now,” he says, “I just flow through it.”

Tian Rui’s challenges span cards and blocks, from one-hour sprints to eight-hour marathons. In April, he not only crushed his card records but also tackled Jenga, stacking 3,149 blocks to claim his first block-stacking record.

Cards are tough to start with but get smoother with skill; Jenga blocks are easy to pick up but brutally hard at extreme heights. “It’s like the difficulty curve goes vertical,” he explains.

His most crushing moment came when he was 100 blocks shy of victory. “I was so close, 95% done. I turned to sip water, and crash - it was gone,” he recalls with a wry smile.

Focus is Tian Rui’s superpower. Daily card practice has sharpened his senses to detect the tiniest shifts in balance. “There’s no secret trick,” he insists, “just pure concentration.” This focus carried him through the Jenga challenge and beyond. 

For longer tasks like the 8-hour card tower, he leans on podcasts to stay sharp when his body aches. “When my back or eyes hurt, I know I’m at my limit,” he admits. But he’s learned to find “sustainable balance” - not brute force, but a stance where every point feels just right.

The 8-hour card challenge tests endurance, while the Jenga Giant blocks demand planning, with every piece calculated for weight and stability. The 3,149-block Jenga tower, though, is where his focus shines brightest. He describes the stacking trance as a runner’s high or losing hours in a good book.

“The world shrinks to just the blocks, the cards, and my breathing,” he says.

Time and pain fade, leaving only the joy of creation.

A former magician, Tian Rui now thrives as a record breaker and content creator. Each role builds on the last: magic honed his dexterity, stacking sharpens his focus, and content creation captures fleeting sparks of inspiration. “Every skill is a stepping stone,” he says. “Do the thing in front of you right, and the next piece falls into place.”

Looking ahead, he’s planning bigger challenges - think city skylines crafted from cards and blocks, displayed in galleries or malls. “In this fast-paced world, I want people to see what quiet focus can do,” he says.

Patience, he believes, is rarer than talent. “Keep at it, and beauty grows over time.”