Please Be Quiet in Tashkent 2023

Inside the Tashkent State Dental Institute, the atmosphere during the final weekend of May was defined by intense focus and unbroken silence. Competitors sat surrounded by an array of distinct puzzles, from standard twisty cubes to large multi-layered hardware, each requiring vastly different strategic approaches. May 27 to May 28 brought together solvers prepared to navigate everything from memory-intensive multi-cube attempts to methodical move-efficiency planning, showcasing the rich variety that makes specialist cubing disciplines unique.

The gathering marked Please Be Quiet in Tashkent 2023, a focused WCA competition that brought 16 competitors to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Over the course of five distinct events and six total rounds, the schedule offered a comprehensive test of mental endurance. Speedcubing in these specialized formats demands an extraordinary spectrum of skills, whether finding the absolute shortest sequence on a classic Rubik's Cube or holding dozens of cube states in memory simultaneously.

The flagship 3x3x3 Blindfolded discipline delivered exceptional drama across two rounds of play. Yifan Wang captured the title with a swift 18.08 single, leading the field while Andrey Koposov took the second spot on the podium with a mark of 25.98. Muhammed Ameen rounded out the top three with a time of 45.31. Among the notable 3x3 results, Akram Usarov delivered a standout moment by setting a national record single of 45.61 for Uzbekistan.

Beyond the standard three-layered cube, the schedule stretched into the complex world of big cubes tackled without sight. Andrey Koposov secured victory in 4x4x4 Blindfolded by posting a winning single of 1:53.88, ahead of Igor Aipkin at 6:23.93 and Muhammed Ameen at 11:16.00. In 5x5x5 Blindfolded, the top two were separated by a single second, as Igor Aipkin won in 17:24.00 over Yifan Wang at 17:25.00, with Bekzodjon Yusupov taking third place in 23:16.00.

The range of challenges continued in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, where Yifan Wang prevailed by successfully solving 21 out of 23 cubes in 57:01, followed by Andrey Koposov with 15 of 17 in 46:54 and Igor Aipkin with 12 of 14 in 58:05. Meanwhile, 3x3x3 Fewest Moves shifted the focus entirely to written efficiency, where Andrey Che earned first place with an impressive 27.00 average and a single of 25, leading Yifan Wang at 33.33 and Igor Aipkin at 35.67.

Away from the top of the podium, several solvers achieved significant individual milestones across the competition roster. Diasbek Zhuraev tackled five events, recording his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with a flawless 5/5 in 24:21, his first ever attempt at 5x5x5 Blindfolded in 25:18.00, and an improved 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best of 36, which was 16.3% faster than his previous mark of 43. Qi Mi also completed five events, achieving a personal best of 31 in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves for an 11.4% improvement, finishing fifth in 4x4x4 Blindfolded, and logging a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Multi-Blind with 2/4 in 21:10. Kamronbek Abdujabborov improved his 3x3x3 Blindfolded personal best to 4:21.48, making it 6.5% faster than his previous best of 4:39.63. Akram Usarov made this his first WCA competition, taking fourth place in 3x3x3 Blindfolded with a first attempt time of 45.61.

Other competitors similarly expanded their horizons across different puzzle categories during the weekend. Nurkhon Ugilbekov logged his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with 53, took sixth in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, and notched a personal best of 2/2 in 11:46. Damir Zhanataev took on four events and finished fourth in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a first ever attempt time of 17:52.00. Azamat Seitbekov recorded a first ever attempt in 3x3x3 Blindfolded at 4:51.93 to place tenth, while Tolibjon Tokhirov competed in three events, earning a 3x3x3 Fewest Moves personal best of 43 alongside a ninth-place finish in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind.

By the conclusion of the event, the podium standings reflected a diverse international field, with host nation Uzbekistan taking 5 podium spots, China earning 4, Russia claiming 4, and India collecting 2. The gathering highlighted how speed cubing encompasses vastly different mental disciplines under one roof. Please Be Quiet in Tashkent 2023 closed out the 2023 weekend as an exceptional showcase of puzzle variety and analytical execution in Central Asia.