Amman Wintertime 2023

Inside the halls of AlHassad AlTarbawi Schools, the focused rhythm of turning plastic and dropping timers echoed throughout the weekend. Competitors gathered in Amman, Jordan on February 3 and 4 for two days of rigorous head-to-head solving. With 49 competitors registered to tackle 12 separate puzzles, the tournament required peak preparation across 18 total rounds. Every stage tested both precision and endurance, creating a lively atmosphere as the regional cubing community settled in for a packed program.

Round progression defined the tactical battles at Amman Wintertime 2023, where only the strongest solvers earned repeat visits to the timing stations. The classic Rubik's Cube featured a full three-round gauntlet, demanding consistency from an opening roster of 49 competitors down to the final podium. In contrast, longer events like the 4x4x4 Cube, 5x5x5 Cube, and Clock offered just a single round to make a mark. Solvers had to execute under direct time limits without second chances, separating measured control from rushed mistakes.

Zakarya Otair proved well suited to every schedule format, securing a sweeping victory across eight individual disciplines. In the 3x3x3 Cube, Otair captured the title with a winning average of 10.43 seconds, bolstered by a best single of 9.31 in the final. Othman Saleh secured second place with an average of 12.04, while Mohammad Ahmad Abu Hussein of Palestine rounded out the podium with 12.88. The 3x3 results capped a dominant showing where Otair controlled the bracket from start to finish.

Otair applied the same mastery to the big cubes, winning the single-round 4x4x4 Cube in 35.86 seconds ahead of Mohammad Ahmad Abu Hussein at 48.01 and Yazan Abughosh at 51.18. In the 5x5x5 Cube, Otair struck again with an average of 1:26.53, leading Baha Alshwaiki who finished in 1:44.25 and Abu Hussein who clocked 1:54.62. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed final, Otair took first place with a 20.18 mark, holding off Alshwaiki at 21.06 and Saleh at 22.95.

Beyond the podium contenders, significant breakthroughs took place across all brackets. Yousif Al-Juboori delivered an enormous leap in the 2x2x2 Cube, setting a personal best of 3.72 seconds to improve by 60.3 percent. Adam Kilani tackled the 4x4x4 Cube for a personal best of 59.56, slicing 57.7 percent off his prior mark, while also making his first ever attempt at the 5x5x5 Cube with a time of 2:19.39 to finish sixth. Sam Othman shaved 37.6 percent off his 3x3x3 Cube best with a 32.62 single, and Moneep Khaldon Al Qassas cut 35.7 percent off his 2x2x2 Cube standard to reach 7.13.

Other competitors expanded their repertoires during the busy speed cubing sessions. Zeid Zumot set a Pyraminx personal best of 7.60 seconds, which was 31.7 percent faster than before, while also trying Skewb for the first time with an 11.79 mark. Ahmad Ashraf Shjrawi took on 11 separate disciplines, improving his Square-1 best by 25.5 percent to 51.45 and placing fourth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded. Making their first appearance at a WCA competition, Jeziel Siyeol Yeo contested seven events with a high finish of sixth in Megaminx, while Fawaz AbuTayeh finished eighth in Clock during his first attempt at the puzzle with a time of 38.99.

Specialist categories produced great variety throughout the weekend. In Skewb, Layan Sbeitan clinched top honors across two rounds with an average of 5.95 seconds, defeating Alshwaiki at 8.11 and Abu Hussein at 8.97. The 2x2x2 Cube title went to Albara Mahmoad Shanna'a, who posted a winning average of 4.29 seconds. Abdallah Almaharmeh took the Square-1 crown with a 20.06 average, finishing ahead of Otair at 29.70 and Saleh at 1:16.47.

Blindfold solving tested mental stamina, where competitors rely purely on memory before executing turns without sight. In the 3x3x3 Blindfolded event, Otair secured victory with a best single solve of 28.21 seconds. He followed with a strong performance in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, recording a score of 27/49 in exactly 1:00:00. Otair additionally captured top spots in Clock with a 7.94 average, Megaminx with 1:12.34, and Pyraminx with 7.16.

By the close of the competition, Jordan earned 28 podium finishes, Palestine claimed seven, and Brazil captured one. The varied schedule at Amman Wintertime 2023 offered both high-pressure single rounds and multi-stage tournaments that rewarded versatility. Solvers leave the 2023 season opener with new milestones and valuable experience for future speedcubing fixtures.