Back To Tbilisi 2023

Giorgi Minasiani delivered the defining performance in Tbilisi, Georgia, capturing the premier 3x3x3 Cube title with a 6.83 second winning average and a single of 6.20 seconds. Held at the Institute of Cybernetic on March 26, 2023, Back To Tbilisi 2023 tested a concentrated roster of solvers through intense elimination rounds. With 23 competitors contesting 5 total rounds across three distinct events, securing a spot in any final round proved to be a demanding task from the opening scrambles.

The 3x3 results demonstrated how narrow the margins were at this cubing competition. All 23 attendees registered for the primary Rubik's Cube bracket, meaning that advancing through the initial phase required supreme consistency. Minasiani set the benchmark early, while Vako Marchilashvili pushed the pace to take second place on the podium with an 8.19 average. Andro Gvaramadze secured the third-place podium step with an 8.83 average, cementing a fiercely contested final where sub-nine averages were mandatory to claim silverware.

Beyond the flagship puzzle, the 2x2x2 Cube event presented another congested leaderboard among its 18 competitors. Vako Marchilashvili produced lightning-fast turns across two rounds, clinching victory with an exceptional winning average of 1.42 seconds and a best single of 1.18 seconds. Nino Zguladze earned the runner-up position with a 2.74 average, while Minasiani returned to the podium steps in third place with a 2.80 average, demonstrating the immense skill density present in the Georgian speedcubing community throughout the 2023 calendar.

The single-round Pyraminx contest condensed the pressure even further for its 16 entrants. Giorgi Minasiani secured his second gold medal of Back To Tbilisi 2023 by completing a winning average of 2.88 seconds, punctuated by a rapid 1.87 single. Andro Gvaramadze took second place with a 5.20 average, while Dachi Tevdorashvili rounded out the top three with a 6.61 average. The podium finishes across all three events went entirely to solvers representing Georgia, highlighting the high standard of local speed cubing talent.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several solvers achieved dramatic improvements across the board. Ilia Jalal entered two events and slashed their personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube by 43.3 percent down to 19.55 seconds, while also trimming their 2x2x2 Cube mark to 5.74 seconds. Peter John Byl from Canada tackled three events, reaching a best finish of 6th place in Pyraminx with a personal best of 7.26 seconds, an improvement of 42.7 percent, alongside a 2x2x2 Cube best of 6.84 seconds. Saba Jikia took on three events, dropping their Pyraminx best by 41.7 percent to 6.28 seconds on the way to a 10th-place finish. Aleksandre Kharazi also contested three disciplines, securing a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 7.27 seconds, which was 31 percent faster than before, as well as a 3x3x3 Cube personal best of 20.24 seconds.

The depth of the field was further illustrated by veteran competitors and new entrants meeting milestone marks. Mariami Narchemashvili claimed a 6th-place finish in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.20 personal best, alongside a 12.76 personal best in the 3x3x3 Cube. Ketevan Feradze entered all three events, finishing 4th in Pyraminx and setting personal bests of 6.01 seconds in the 2x2x2 Cube and 19.91 seconds in the 3x3x3 Cube. The WCA competition also welcomed newcomers making their debuts. Gaga Khoperia entered two events, recording a first ever attempt of 12.62 in the 3x3x3 Cube and an 8th-place finish in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 4.97 attempt. Egor Zakharov took on three events in their debut, registering first attempts of 26.17 in the 2x2x2 Cube, 16.42 in Pyraminx, and 1:19.91 in the 3x3x3 Cube.

Across the five rounds staged at the Institute of Cybernetic, every heat carried serious elimination consequences. With small field sizes and high qualification standards, Back To Tbilisi 2023 offered virtually no room for nervous solves or slow starts. Competitors in both two-round formats had to execute near-flawless solves in the opening stage just to earn the right to solve again in the final.

As the final timers were stopped, the single-day gathering in Tbilisi proved how high the standard has risen in regional tournaments. Between Minasiani's dual victories and the widespread personal records throughout the rankings, Back To Tbilisi 2023 offered a comprehensive showcase of precision solving across multiple formats as solvers look forward to the challenges of the upcoming competition season.