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Official Q&A: VEX IQ Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Mix & Match
2909: Scoring changes impacted by Q&A 2830's new definition of 'roughly vertical'
If I'm correctly understanding the new definition of 'roughly vertical' in 2830, then I think the answer in a number of other Q&A's (as well as a few examples in the game manual) are now wrong. Here is the quote from 2830:
A Stack that is resting on one of the following Field Objects in a way that is more "up and down" than sideways should generally be considered as roughly vertical unless it is leaning on / supported by another Field Element or a Scoring Object that is not part of the Stack: --Load Zone --The lower portion of the base of the Standoff Goal (as illustrated in Q&A 2800) --The VEX IQ pieces that are attached to the Floor around a Square Goal
A Stack that is leaning on / supported by a Scoring Object that is not part of the Stack or a Field Element other than those listed above should not be considered roughly vertical and should not count as Connected or a Stack.
Can you confirm my understanding of these scenarios:
- Scenario A - Game manual example SE3 shows a stack of blue & yellow pins fully supported by the beam, but the stack is not Connected to the Beam. The manual says these pins are a valid 2 color stack worth 5 points, but since they are supported by a Scoring Object that is not part of the Stack (i.e. the beam), then that means they are NOT 'roughly vertical' and therefore those pins should be worth 0 points...correct?
- Scenario B - Q&A 2664 Scenario 10 is similar to Scenario A, and therefore pins E&D should be worth 0 points...correct?
- Scenario C - Game manual example SE9 states The Pins in the one Stack that is in contact with the Robot do not qualify as Connected to each other or to the Beam so I would concluded that the beam is now supported by a Scoring Object that is not part of the Stack, which means it is NOT 'roughly vertical' and therefore none of the beams or pins should count. This means the entire scenario is worth only 2 points (as the robot is contacting those pins at the end of the match)...correct?
- Note: Q&A 2746 is the same scenario and would need to be updated to 0 points...correct?
- Scenario D - Q&A 2716 Scenario 1 shows a beam that is not fully nested in the Standoff Goal, however the pins are fully nested in the beam. The Q&A answer implies this is worth 38 points, but since the Standoff Goal is not one of the allowed Field Elements that can support a stack, it seems like this should now be worth 0 points as it's not 'roughly vertical' (using the same logic as you used in 2669 scenario 3)
- Scenario E - My apologies for getting extreme here, but technically the Floor of the Field is not called out in the list of field elements that are allowed to support a scoring object so I think every stack on the Floor (not touching the Load Zone, base of the Standoff Goal or the Square Goal) is also NOT 'roughly vertical'...but I assume that was just an accidental oversight.
I'm guessing your new definition of 'roughly vertical' didn't intend to impact all these scenarios, but I wanted to verify to be sure.
![[Example Image]](https://events.vex.com/storage/markdown/uploads/CRkSGObnjt7pTJt2eUqlHvciQJ5sUf2rhM5LoqhA.png)
![[Example Image]](https://events.vex.com/storage/markdown/uploads/5Jga62XEg5UpvRskF27AIKFwY6MDm6LinBPKneay.png)
![[Example Image]](https://events.vex.com/storage/markdown/uploads/5zhPTVN3JnnEILq7pMIb4w1DjkQWfvnLwzVYsOgZ.png)
![[Example Image]](https://events.vex.com/storage/markdown/uploads/Xr1Pzry28fRujA5r46NBsGeIKEVC9WEqBbmtGYgn.png)
Note: Our answer for Scenario D in this question was revised on January 22, 2026. We apologize for the confusion this topic has generated, and we will attempt to further clarify this topic in the January 29 game manual update.
Thanks for these questions, Steven!
You are correct, and most of these scenarios include one or more sets of Scoring Objects that no longer represent valid Stacks under the revised guidance for 'roughly vertical.'
Your examples from existing Q&As and the game manual will be updated to reflect the following changes. These changes are effective immediately.
- Scenario A: The blue & orange Pins that sit on top of the Beam are supported by a Scoring Object that is not part of the Stack, and do not qualify as Connected or a Stack. Those two Pins are worth 0 points.
- Scenario B: Pins D & E are worth 0 points, through the same logic as scenario A.
- Scenario C: The December 4 game manual update will reflect that Robot contact with one Stack in a multi-Stack structure has no impact on the other Stacks in that structure for the purposes of 'roughly vertical.' The two Stacks in this multi-Stack structure that are not in contact with a Robot still count as 'roughly vertical' and scoring for this example will not change.
- Scenario D: The guidance for this scenario in Q&A 2716 is correct based on the change made in Q&A 3009, which expands clause D of rule <SC3> to count a nested Stack that is resting on any part of the Standoff Goal in a way that is more “up and down” than sideways to count as roughly vertical. Scoring for this example will not change.
- Scenario E: The December 4 game manual will specify that contact with the Floor does not negate a Stack's 'roughly vertical' status.