Buckeye Big Brain 2023

Inside the Ohio Union at The Ohio State University, the quiet focus was unmistakable as solvers took their seats for two days of demanding, memory-intensive puzzles. Across five distinct events, twenty-four competitors gathered for Buckeye Big Brain 2023 from January 14 to January 15. The air was defined by long minutes of silent memorisation, soft pen clicks, and the gentle turning of puzzle layers. Unlike standard speedcubing tournaments where raw visual speed dominates every second, this weekend tested pure spatial calculation, cognitive endurance, and meticulous execution across eight rounds of elite competition in Columbus, Ohio, USA.

The drama peaked in the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves contest, where the podium places were decided by mere fractions of an efficient path. Kyeongmin Choi captured top honours with an extraordinary winning average of 23.00 moves over two rounds, anchored by a best single solution of just 22 moves. James Quinn pushed Choi to the absolute brink, securing second place with an average of 25.33 moves. Stanley Chapel rounded out the tightly packed podium in third place at 28.67 moves, meaning only a handful of turns separated the top three solvers after hours of intensive move-finding analysis.

Choi doubled down on his masterclass in the memory disciplines, sweeping multiple blindfolded titles throughout the weekend. In the 3x3x3 Multi-Blind event, the Korean standout delivered a flawless performance by solving all seven cubes he attempted, registering a perfect 7/7 in 33:22. Ivan Krueger fought hard to finish runner-up with 7/8 in 55:21, while Braden Richards earned third place by logging 7/9 in 53:59. Choi continued his commanding form into the 4x4x4 Blindfolded bracket, securing victory with a winning single of 4:10.46, finishing ahead of Howie Craig at 10:40.00 and Kate Grahame at 10:50.00.

Stanley Chapel countered Choi with his own dominant showing in the individual blindfolded categories at Buckeye Big Brain 2023. Chapel claimed the 3x3x3 Blindfolded crown with an average of 17.71 seconds, highlighted by the weekend's best single of 16.66 seconds across three rounds of play. Choi followed in second place with an average of 43.13 seconds, while Craig collected third place with 1:15.38. Chapel then delivered another masterstroke in the 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, conquering the complex puzzle in 2:52.69. James Quinn took second place in 12:34.00, and Craig earned another podium spot in third with 17:39.00.

Away from the top of the podium, the weekend offered an exceptional showcase of personal progress and breakthrough efforts across every category. Layne VanSiegel made massive strides, dropping a 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best of 1:56.60 that improved on a previous 5:31.92 by 64.9 percent, while also recording a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a score of 40. David Miguel-Santiago shaved 36.2 percent off his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best with a 1:37.41 single and recorded a personal best of 4/5 in 24:28 in Multi-Blind. Roger L. Goff improved his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best to 2:23.74, a 30.9 percent jump over his previous 3:28.10 mark, and placed seventh in 4x4x4 Blindfolded.

The experimental spirit of this WCA competition was evident in several first-time event entries and sharp personal bests. Cameron Feezel stepped up for a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded, clocking 19:45.00 to take fifth place, alongside a personal best of 44 in Fewest Moves. Kevin Devers took on a first ever attempt at 4x4x4 Blindfolded in 37:29.00 and set a Multi-Blind personal best of 4/4 in 38:18. Nick Arvin entered three events, logging a first attempt at Fewest Moves of 47 and a first Multi-Blind score of 2/3 in 23:14. Carson Miller recorded a first ever attempt at Fewest Moves of 35 to finish fifth, while Alex Lamont secured a Fewest Moves personal best of 42.

The variety of formats gave everyone present a rare test of mental agility. Solvers tackling the classic Rubik's Cube under strict blindfold conditions relied on memory palaces and orientation cycles rather than rapid lookahead. The combined 3x3 results across both standard blindfolded rounds and the Fewest Moves tables showed just how versatile modern speed cubing has become. With fifteen competitors stepping up to the multi-cube challenge and eight brave enough to memorise and solve the big 5x5x5 cube without sight, every round demanded immense concentration from start to finish.

When the final scores were tallied at Buckeye Big Brain 2023, competitors from the United States collected eleven total podium places, while South Korea accounted for four top-three finishes thanks to Choi's remarkable run. The gathering concluded a high-calibre weekend of technical excellence in Columbus, setting a strong benchmark for the mental disciplines as competitors prepare for the next wave of memory and efficiency events on the 2023 calendar.