Berkeley Fall 2023

Heidi Chan delivered a masterclass in precision to secure victory in the premier 3x3x3 Cube event, posting a decisive 7.27 winning average in front of a packed venue. Held on November 18, 2023 at the Pauley Ballroom in Berkeley, California, USA, Berkeley Fall 2023 brought together 189 competitors in a high-stakes arena where advancing through rounds was a grueling test of consistency. Across 13 total rounds spanning seven events, the sheer depth of talent meant that even seasoned contenders faced fierce pressure from the opening scramble to the final podium finish.

The 3x3 results demonstrated just how narrow the margins were among the top tier. Out of 184 starters in the classic Rubik's Cube category, Chan navigated three rounds to stand atop the podium with a best single solve of 6.40 seconds alongside that 7.27 winning average. Zerui Cheng earned second place with a 7.64 average, while James Chea secured third with a 7.66 average. The speed cubing community in Northern California saw dozens of competitors separated by fractions of a second across the board, underscoring the relentless standard required to reach the final round.

Beyond the flagship puzzle, the 2x2x2 Cube division delivered lightning-fast sequences across two demanding rounds for 145 competitors. Varun Mohanraj emerged victorious, finishing with a 2.00 average and a best single of 1.70. Zane Qureshi captured second place with a 2.42 average, followed closely by Theeran Sathish Kumar in third at 2.67. The event highlighted remarkable depth, with ten competitors locking in notable single and average marks during the contest, including Mohanraj logging a blistering 0.97 single and Stanley Tran putting up a 1.81 average.

In the technical domain of 3x3x3 One-Handed, Ethan Jan showcased remarkable efficiency across two rounds featuring 107 entrants. Jan captured the title with a 9.53 average and an 8.70 best single. Anto Kam earned the runner-up spot with a 10.86 average, while Caleb Yao took third place with a 13.78 average. Meanwhile, Square-1 tested 61 solvers over two rounds, where Calvin Nielson took top honors with a 6.83 average and a 5.88 single, holding off James Chea who posted an 8.89 average for second and Nico Harper who took third at 9.77.

The broader slate of events at Berkeley Fall 2023 showcased a vast range of mechanical puzzles, from dynamic edge-turning mechanisms to high-order hardware. In Skewb, 100 competitors battled through two rounds, resulting in an international victory for Jusun Choi, who won with a 3.82 average and a 2.80 single. Seongjun Kang finished second with 4.32, while Mitchell Lane secured third with 4.97. The big cube events were dominated by Paul Mahvi, who claimed a double victory by winning the 6x6x6 Cube in 1:38.81 and the 7x7x7 Cube in 2:32.08, outpacing Varun Mohanraj in both finals.

Away from the podium battles, several competitors achieved remarkable milestones across their personal events. Shubhaay Mehta entered three events and delivered a 2x2x2 Cube personal best of 3.95, which was 65.7 percent faster than their previous best mark. Nitin Kunaparaju tackled five disciplines, recording a 4.87 personal best in Skewb that was 66.2 percent faster than before, as well as an 11.20 in the 3x3x3 Cube, improved by 36.9 percent, alongside a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 37.59. Ayaansh Kala logged a 5.38 in 2x2x2 Cube, representing a 64 percent improvement, and improved their 3x3x3 Cube mark by 41.1 percent down to 21.42 after attempting Skewb for the first time with a 17.61.

Other dedicated solvers marked great strides on the competition floor through new events and major personal records. Vinh Vu took on six events, dropping their Square-1 personal best by 64.6 percent down to 45.86, cutting their 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 52 percent to 18.78, and setting a 7x7x7 Cube personal best of 7:46.13 to finish 33rd. Devin James Munar improved their 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 59.7 percent to 17.42 and finished 12th in 6x6x6 Cube with a 2:34.49 mark. Daniel Y. Liu cut their 2x2x2 Cube time by 49.6 percent to 3.38 while recording debut marks in 3x3x3 One-Handed of 31.14 and Skewb of 8.25. Adit Kantak posted a 12.03 in 3x3x3 Cube for a 39.4 percent drop and debuted in 3x3x3 One-Handed with 21.14, while Oscar Holzman-White completed six events, debuting in 7x7x7 Cube with 7:45.58, Skewb with 7.39, and Square-1 with 45.04.

Across the entire day, the WCA competition stood out as a premier speedcubing gathering in the Bay Area. The distribution of podium places saw the USA capture 18 spots, alongside two podium places for Korea and one for Hong Kong. From first-time category entries to the rapid-fire final rounds, Berkeley Fall 2023 proved that succeeding in modern cubing requires absolute focus, mental stamina, and continuous technical refinement across every single turn.