Liberty Science Center Open B 2026

The competition hall inside the Liberty Science Center bustled with focus as timers flashed across solving stations on March 1, 2026. Cubers from throughout the region settled into their match routines in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA, bringing 69 competitors together for nine hard-fought rounds across five diverse disciplines. From rapid-fire two-layer puzzles to shifting geometric shapes, the day showcased the very best of modern speedcubing under tournament lights.

Matty Hiroto Inaba set the benchmark for the entire weekend, delivering a masterclass across the traditional Rubik's Cube and the larger five-layer puzzle. At Liberty Science Center Open B 2026, Inaba emerged as the definitive double champion, dictating the tempo from the preliminary heats straight into the championship finals. His commanding execution across different cube sizes placed him at the center of the day's biggest achievements.

In the flagship 3x3x3 Cube event, Inaba outpaced a crowded field of 69 competitors through three rigorous rounds. The final 3x3 results confirmed his dominance as he secured gold with a stellar 5.88 winning average, powered by a blistering best single of 5.05. Aaron Jake Wong captured second place on the podium with a 6.67 average, while Carson Widjaja followed closely in third with an average of 6.79 to complete the podium sweep.

Inaba extended his dominance directly into the 5x5x5 Cube, an event featuring 40 entrants that tests stamina, piece alignment, and complex pattern recognition across an expanded grid. Cruising through the single round, Inaba posted a winning average of 47.15 and a top single of 43.66. Daniel Karnaukh took the silver medal with an average of 54.47, while Ishaan Lal earned bronze with an average of 56.17.

Away from the top of the podium, the tournament provided fertile ground for personal milestones and competitive breakthroughs. Samuel Cano tackled four events at Liberty Science Center Open B 2026, dropping his 3x3x3 One-Handed personal best by 46.8 percent down to 17.90, his 3x3x3 Cube best by 35.3 percent to 9.32, and his 2x2x2 Cube mark by 25.3 percent to 4.66. Connor Duffy dropped his 3x3x3 Cube personal best by 40.6 percent to 17.84, made a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed with 45.77, and recorded a first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Cube with 3:12.43.

Other competitors took on fresh challenges across the schedule as well. Ryan Huang notched a 31.2 percent improvement for a 1:28.82 personal best in 5x5x5 Cube, alongside personal bests of 3.63 in 2x2x2 Cube and 25.65 in Square-1. Alan Noyola improved his Square-1 best by 31.1 percent to 21.42. Bode Lee reached sixth place in 3x3x3 Cube, improved his Square-1 best by 34.7 percent to 9.75, and dropped his 3x3x3 One-Handed best by 14.9 percent to 10.95. Krish Sanganahalli completed five events, logging a first ever attempt at Square-1 of 1:30.61, a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed of 1:16.87, and a first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube of 8.77. First-time WCA competition entrant Jack O'Connor tackled four events, setting marks of 3:10.43 in 5x5x5 Cube, 15.77 in 3x3x3 Cube, and 3.23 in 2x2x2 Cube. Fellow debutant Isaac Shtern launched his career across three events, including a 46.17 in 3x3x3 One-Handed, a 5.40 in 2x2x2 Cube, and a 19.13 in 3x3x3 Cube.

The 2x2x2 Cube tournament delivered high-octane speed across two packed rounds involving 63 participants. Zayn Khanani proved unbeatable, capturing the gold medal with a lightning-quick winning average of 1.27 and a best single of 1.06. Daniel Karnaukh claimed his second silver medal of the day with an average of 1.56, while Parker Trager rounded out the podium positions in third place with a 1.93 average.

One-handed solving brought its own tactical intensity to the cubing competition floor, requiring flawless finger independence and careful puzzle balance. Parker Trager rose to the top among 52 entrants, claiming the 3x3x3 One-Handed title with a winning average of 11.16 and a single solve of 10.00. Hassan Khanani took second place with a 12.66 average, just ahead of Ishan Donavalli who earned third place with a 12.73 mark.

Hassan Khanani secured gold of his own in Square-1, mastering the shifting geometry of the puzzle to win with an impressive 5.53 average and an event-best single of 3.74. Daniel Karnaukh finished in second place with a 6.42 average, and Aaron Jake Wong claimed third on an 8.22 average. Across every round, Liberty Science Center Open B 2026 highlighted the remarkable depth and technical precision driving the speed cubing circuit in 2026.