Beni-Isguen Open 2025

Inside the halls of the venue in Bounoura, Ghardaia, Algeria, the rhythmic clack of plastic layers turning at breakneck speed set the tone for an intense day of competitive solving. A gathering of 23 participants assembled on March 27, 2025, transforming the space into a focused arena where puzzle enthusiasts gathered across four distinct disciplines. Tables arranged across the hall served as the stage for both seasoned hands and eager newcomers, each competitor waiting for the judge to lift the cover and start the timer.

The Beni-Isguen Open 2025 brought a sharp competitive edge to the region, featuring five rounds of official solving organized under World Cube Association regulations. With spectators and fellow participants watching closely from the surrounding benches, every solve carried the weight of precise finger movements and split-second decisions. The atmosphere in the competition hall remained energetic from the early morning setup through to the concluding rounds as local talents tested their hardware and pattern recognition under strict tournament conditions.

The traditional 3x3x3 Cube event drew the largest field of the meeting, featuring 22 entrants across two full rounds of head-to-head play. Yahia Siroukane delivered a commanding performance to capture first place, recording a winning average of 17.80 seconds alongside the best single time of the event at 15.48 seconds. Mehdi Bammoune secured second place with an average of 47.00 seconds, while Bachir Zakaria locked up the third spot on the podium by recording a 50.62 average in the deciding round.

Yahia Siroukane doubled his title count in the one-handed division, navigating the complexities of single-hand execution to take victory among seven competitors. Siroukane posted a winning average of 45.87 seconds and a best single solve of 34.35 seconds. Bachir Zakaria took the runner-up position with an average of 1:57.69, while Mohamed Hammouda earned third place with an average of 2:29.52. Solving the standard Rubik's Cube with only one hand demanded absolute control and efficient turning algorithms from all involved.

In the 2x2x2 Cube competition, Bachir Zakaria climbed to the top step of the podium, capturing the title across a field of 12 competitors with a decisive 11.76 average and an event-leading single of 7.29 seconds. Omar Tirichine took second place with a final average of 19.49 seconds, including a standout single solve of 9.27 seconds. Hakima Siroukane completed the podium trio in third place, finishing with a 22.18 average and an individual best attempt of 11.30 seconds.

The event roster extended deeper as a large contingent stepped onto the official tournament stage for the very first time. Ilyes Bakelli completed four separate events during this first WCA competition, securing a best finish of 5th place in 2x2x2 Cube while posting a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 27.71 seconds, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 3:29.92, and a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Cube of 1:13.93. Azzeddine Bendrissou took on three events, earning 9th in Pyraminx with an opening single of 34.99 seconds alongside a 29.11 first try at 2x2x2 Cube and 1:52.20 in 3x3x3 Cube. Fares Ahmani also contested three categories, securing 5th place in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 2:46.64 debut single and putting down a 31.21 in 2x2x2 Cube. Hadji Bouras navigated three events, reaching 7th in 3x3x3 One-Handed behind a 4:02.96 initial solve while logging 34.59 on the Pyraminx.

That same spirit of first-time exploration characterized several other debuts across the competition tables. Mohammed Amir Bouras contested three events, finishing 7th in Pyraminx with an initial 36.94 single alongside first attempts of 1:41.36 in 3x3x3 Cube and 40.95 in 2x2x2 Cube. Elbachir Tellai made their debut across two events, claiming 10th place in 2x2x2 Cube with a 23.93 single and logging 1:05.50 in 3x3x3 Cube. Salaheddine Rasnaama tackled two events to finish 6th in 2x2x2 Cube with a 17.53 single and a 48.44 mark in 3x3x3 Cube. Ilyes Hammouda entered two disciplines, earning 8th in 2x2x2 Cube with a 20.05 single and posting a 53.99 effort on the 3x3x3 Cube, proving that the foundation of local speed cubing rests on active, growing participation.

The triangular Pyraminx puzzle offered another fast-paced contest, gathering nine solvers in a single decisive round. Slimane Siroukane proved fastest across the five-solve series, capturing first place with a winning average of 11.82 seconds and a single mark of 10.01 seconds. Bachir Zakaria added another medal to his tally by taking second place with an average of 23.44 seconds, followed closely by Brahim Fartas in third place with an average of 25.74 seconds.

As the equipment was packed away, the Beni-Isguen Open 2025 highlighted a thriving local community in Ghardaia. The single-day tournament demonstrated the breadth of speedcubing interest across classic and specialty formats alike, giving both established solvers and ambitious newcomers a shared platform to test their skills. With official marks entered into the record books and multiple podium finishers pacing the field, the gathering showcased the rising technical standard of puzzle solving across the country.