PBQ in Tashkent 2025

Sixteen competitors gathered at the Almazar Specialized School on October 11 to 12 for PBQ in Tashkent 2025, taking on a program built entirely around endurance, calculation, and blind execution. Across five non-standard disciplines and six total rounds, the competition placed unique demands on every solver. Without standard speed events to lean on, the weekend shifted focus to strict attempt limits, cumulative cutoffs, and single-chance finals. Tashkent, Uzbekistan served as the backdrop for two intense days of high-stakes solving where every turn of the Rubik's Cube carried extra weight.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded event was the only contest on the schedule featuring two full stages, offering solvers a rare second chance to find their rhythm after initial qualifying attempts. In the opening stage, twelve competitors battled to secure a clean result across three attempts, with Damir Zhanataev of Kazakhstan putting up a 1:05.53 single and a 1:16.48 average, while Ge Shi posted a 1:22.37 single and a 1:29.92 average. When the final round arrived, Andrey Koposov delivered the weekend's benchmark performance. Koposov captured first place with a swift winning single of 28.54 seconds, leaving Bekzodjon Yusupov in second at 49.93 seconds and Igor Aipkin in third with a time of 1:02.13.

Unlike the multi-round setup of the classic blindfolded event, the 3x3x3 Fewest Moves challenge gave solvers a direct, single-round test of efficiency. Twelve participants spent the round analysing scrambling sequences to produce optimal move counts within the sixty-minute window. Ge Shi secured victory with an average of 34.00 moves and a best single of 30, finishing just ahead of the local contingent. Umidjon Zafarov earned second place with a 34.33 average, while Igor Aipkin collected another podium spot with 35.00 moves. These meticulous 3x3 results highlighted the technical variety present throughout the entire cubing competition in 2025.

The larger blindfolded puzzles tested endurance under harsh single-round formats where a single mistake meant an incomplete solve. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Andrey Koposov claimed his second victory of the weekend by logging a time of 2:00.00 among nine competitors. Igor Aipkin earned the silver medal in 7:30.31, while Bekzodjon Yusupov took bronze in 8:22.14. The 5x5x5 Blindfolded event proved even more unforgiving across its eight-person field. Daniel Wallin took top honors with a single of 3:35.30, followed by Aipkin in 15:47.00 and Ge Shi in 27:30.00, completing a grueling test of big cube memorisation.

The most demanding format of the weekend was 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, where competitors tackled multiple cubes under a strict sixty-minute cap. Daniel Wallin showcased remarkable precision across nine competitors, taking victory by solving 37 out of 42 cubes in 59:53. Bekzodjon Yusupov earned second place by completing 10 of 11 cubes in 51:08, and Igor Aipkin finished third with 11 of 14 in 56:08. The format rewarded calculated ambition, as every missed puzzle deducted from the net score and pushed solvers toward the absolute limit of the hour-long window during this intense WCA competition.

Away from the top of the podium, PBQ in Tashkent 2025 delivered major personal milestones across the roster. Zaya Qiaolong produced the biggest leap of the weekend in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, setting a personal best of 11:09.00 that was 50.6 percent faster than their previous mark of 22:35.00, alongside a personal best of 36 in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and five completed cubes out of eight in Multi-Blind. Akram Usarov took on four events and delivered a personal best in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a clean 7 out of 7 in 35:42 to earn a fourth-place finish. Bekmurod Astanaliyev tackled five events, registering a personal best single of 1:15.30 in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, logging their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a result of 43, and placing fourth in 5x5x5 Blindfolded.

The breakthrough performances continued through the remainder of the field as solvers embraced new challenges. Muhammadyusuf Abdumalikov entered three events, taking fourth place in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves and making their first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a time of 7:32.64. Matsvei Chelei attended their first WCA competition, taking on 3x3x3 Fewest Moves for the first time and finishing twelfth with a solve of 50. Maksim Aipkin took on two events to finish seventh in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Tolibjon Tokhirov secured eighth in 3x3x3 Blindfolded, and Jasur Beknazov finished seventh in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves. Damir Zhanataev competed across five events, securing a best finish of fourth place in 5x5x5 Blindfolded.

The weekend concluded with host nation Uzbekistan collecting nine podium positions, while Sweden, China, and Russia earned two podiums each. The distinct formats across all five disciplines ensured that success required intense discipline and flawless execution from start to finish. From rapid blindfolded turns to hour-long memorisation marathons, the gathering demonstrated the deep technical demands of specialist speed cubing. As competitors look ahead to the next season, the standards established in Tashkent highlight the enduring appeal of the sport's most complex solving formats.