Please Be Quiet Reno Summer 2023

Twelve competitors took to the tables as Please Be Quiet Reno Summer 2023 opened the summer stretch on June 11, 2023. Staged at the University of Nevada, Reno, the gathering served as a key mid-year fixture for specialist solvers navigating the demands of the 2023 speedcubing calendar. Across four distinct events and six scheduled rounds, the lineup emphasized quiet concentration and cerebral puzzle mastery. The event gave competitors an ideal platform to measure their form as the competitive year gained momentum in Reno, Nevada, USA.

In the blindfolded events, Anto Kam delivered an exceptional double victory, sweeping both the big-cube blind categories. In 4x4x4 Blindfolded, Kam registered a winning single of 5:23.10 across two rounds of action to finish ahead of Jeremy Benik, who secured second with a time of 8:50.89, and Michael Larsen, who finished third at 18:05.00. Kam carried that commanding form directly into the 5x5x5 Blindfolded discipline, logging a single mark of 21:13.00 in a contest where every other competitor in the five-person field suffered a DNF on the score sheet.

The 3x3x3 Blindfolded division featured intense matchups over two rounds of play, where memory work and precision handling met standard Rubik's Cube mechanics. David Karalli captured the overall title with a swift winning single of 26.79 seconds in the final, edging past Jason Ostdiek, who took the runner-up spot with a time of 49.16. Jeremy Benik earned another podium finish for the weekend by securing third place on the strength of a 1:41.80 attempt.

Fewest Moves challenged solvers on pure efficiency rather than rapid-fire turns, requiring competitors to find the shortest possible sequence within the standard time limit. Michael Larsen emerged on top of the nine-person field, posting a winning average of 35.00 moves alongside a best single attempt of 28. Mitchell Lane followed closely behind in second position with a 38.33 average, while Jacob Vincent Vicente Mangosing rounded out the podium positions by taking third place with a 39.67 average.

Away from the top steps of the podium, several solvers produced significant breakthroughs that shaped the broader story of Please Be Quiet Reno Summer 2023. Brayden Scott stepped up for a career milestone by taking on his first ever attempt at 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, successfully writing down a solution of 76 moves to secure 9th place in the event. Meanwhile, TJ Kelly tackled a busy program of 3 events at the venue, navigating a rigorous schedule across multiple formats and logging an 8th-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves.

The depth of effort continued through experienced competitors taking on demanding puzzle disciplines during the Reno stop. Chris Martin focused his full attention on a single discipline, achieving a 4th-place result in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves with a well-constructed solution. Brandon Harnish demonstrated notable versatility across 3 events on the day, highlighted by a strong 5th-place finish in 3x3x3 Fewest Moves, showing the steady dedication found throughout the entire field during the competition.

The collective haul across the four contested events highlighted a balanced distribution of medals, with competitors representing USA claiming 12 podium positions and Hong Kong earning 2 top-three spots. In a focused WCA competition format centered on blindfolds and move efficiency, every single solve carried immense weight for rankings and season statistics. Participants tracking their 3x3 results found significant challenges in translating raw turning speed into disciplined, memory-based execution on the stage.

As the weekend concluded, Please Be Quiet Reno Summer 2023 provided another valuable chapter for the regional speed cubing community in northern Nevada. The focused schedule of four events offered a rigorous examination of technique, patience, and mental endurance. Solvers now carry these valuable results into the remainder of the 2023 campaign, setting benchmarks that will inform their preparation for upcoming stops across the wider cubing competition landscape.