Tbilisi September Open 2023

Seventeen competitors assembled for a fast-paced day of action at the Tbilisi September Open 2023, where 13 rounds of intense puzzle solving tested resolve and technique across six events. In the realm of competitive puzzle sports, blindfolded and precision solving demands absolute mental discipline, visual memory, and unbroken focus under pressure. Held on September 3, 2023, at College Barakoni in Tbilisi, Georgia, the WCA competition brought together dedicated local and visiting solvers looking to make their mark across various formats.

Tamar Dolenjishvili delivered a commanding performance throughout the gathering, capturing victory in four separate categories. The marquee 3x3x3 Cube event drew a full field of 17 competitors across three stages of elimination, where Dolenjishvili secured the top spot with a decisive 9.09 winning average and a single solve of 5.47 seconds. The standard Rubik's Cube final saw fierce domestic contention, as Vako Marchilashvili took second place with a 9.38 average and Andro Gvaramadze finished third with a 9.64 mark.

The 3x3 results formed only part of Dolenjishvili's weekend haul, as one-handed mastery and mechanical control proved equally sharp. In the 3x3x3 One-Handed division, which demands distinct tactile precision, Dolenjishvili clinched first place with a 15.10 winning average over two rounds, having recorded a best single of 14.45 seconds. Andro Gvaramadze secured second place with a 17.77 average, while Vako Marchilashvili stepped onto the podium in third at 18.46.

The larger puzzles and specialized disciplines produced equally fierce showdowns at this speedcubing meeting. Dolenjishvili swept the 4x4x4 Cube contest with an impressive 32.11 winning average and a single of 29.28 seconds, comfortably ahead of Marchilashvili at 44.31 and Gvaramadze at 44.75. In the Pyraminx bracket, Dolenjishvili claimed yet another title with an average of 3.97, edging out Gvaramadze who finished runner-up at 4.03 and Dachi Tevdorashvili who placed third at 4.81.

Away from the top steps, the weekend featured remarkable personal breakthroughs across the roster. Nika Vashadze tackled six events and achieved a 46.7 percent improvement in the 2x2x2 Cube with a 2.31 personal best, on top of dropping their 4x4x4 Cube mark to 1:07.97 and finishing fourth overall. Dachi Cindadze enjoyed massive strides across three events, cutting their 2x2x2 Cube best by 45 percent down to 8.05 seconds, improving their Pyraminx mark by 37.9 percent to 9.16, and lowering their 3x3x3 Cube time to 22.75. Ana Marchilashvili undertook five events and logged a first ever attempt at 3x3x3 One-Handed in 2:49.21 while improving her Skewb best by 44.5 percent to 30.30 seconds. Luka Patashuri recorded a 29.3 percent improvement in 3x3x3 One-Handed with a 15.58 personal best and shaved 18.2 percent off their Pyraminx record to register 6.56 seconds.

The depth of progress continued across the venue as competitors found new standards in several categories. First-time participant Tinatin Tsimakuridze made their official debut in two events, establishing opening marks of 11.49 in 2x2x2 Cube and 37.11 in 3x3x3 Cube. Alex Davitashvili took on five events, improving his 3x3x3 Cube time by 11.5 percent to 15.98 seconds, his 3x3x3 One-Handed time by 9.3 percent to 40.95, and his 2x2x2 mark to 3.08. Ketevan Feradze finished fourth in Pyraminx and improved their 3x3x3 One-Handed record by 7.1 percent to 40.48, while Iakov Kasian trimmed their 2x2x2 Cube best by 17.7 percent to 6.55 seconds.

Sprint events brought extraordinary speed to the floor as Vako Marchilashvili triumphed in the 2x2x2 Cube. Marchilashvili captured first place with an average of 2.06 seconds after navigating three full rounds of play. Giorgi Gegeshidze earned the silver step on the podium with an average of 3.01, while Andro Gvaramadze secured bronze with a 3.14 average, demonstrating exceptional finger dexterity across the compact puzzle.

The Skewb bracket delivered another exciting title race at the Tbilisi September Open 2023, where Nikolozi Kobakhidze emerged victorious with a 4.80 average and a single solve of 3.65 seconds. Dolenjishvili added to a prolific medal count by claiming second place with a 4.91 average, while Giorgi Gegeshidze rounded out the podium positions in third with 5.19. The event concluded a diverse schedule that highlighted technical variety across all 13 rounds.

Every one of the 18 podium positions awarded throughout the day went to competitors representing Georgia, showcasing the strength of the local speed cubing circuit. Across all disciplines, the cubing competition celebrated focused execution and rapid growth from seasoned podium regulars and newcomers alike. As the Tbilisi September Open 2023 came to a close, the field left behind a dense ledger of personal bests and set a high competitive standard for the rest of the 2023 campaign.