Yaracuy Open 2023

The competition hall at Casa de la Cultura de Yaritagua José Pepe Peñalver filled with the rhythmic click of plastic and the hum of timers on September 9, 2023. Sixteen competitors from across the region gathered around the solving stations in Yaritagua, Yaracuy, Venezuela, prepared for a focused one-day test across eight rounds of play. With six distinct puzzles on the schedule, every solve counted toward deciding titles in a compact, high-stakes atmosphere.

The 3x3x3 Cube final provided the day's defining duel, coming down to the very last turns of the fifth solve. Bernardo Torres held his nerve through three rounds of the classic Rubik's Cube to post a winning average of 8.18 seconds, sealed with a blistering single of 7.08. Louis Rodriguez Guerrero pressed hard throughout the championship round, finishing closely behind in second place with a 9.10 average, while Rafael Antonio Sanchez secured third with 9.62 in a memorable clash of official 3x3 results.

That razor-thin battle was not the only time the podium trio traded places during this WCA competition. In the 2x2x2 Cube event, Rafael Antonio Sanchez delivered an untouchable performance across his five solves. Sanchez secured the gold medal with a winning average of 2.17 seconds, highlighted by a day's best single of 1.76. Torres took second place with an average of 4.30, and Rodriguez Guerrero completed the sweep for the top trio by earning third place with 4.54.

The Megaminx contest produced another head-to-head confrontation between the same leading contenders. Rafael Antonio Sanchez captured his second title of Yaracuy Open 2023 by completing a winning average of 51.25 seconds, driven by a best single of 47.42. Bernardo Torres chased him all the way to the finish, taking second place with an average of 53.01. Louis Rodriguez Guerrero earned his spot on the podium once more, picking up third place with an average of 1:17.08.

Beyond the title deciders, the tournament floor served as a launchpad for significant personal milestones. Dierry Jeesid Querales Bello delivered some of the day's biggest drops, trimming 29.9 percent off his previous best in the 4x4x4 Cube with a 1:17.52 single and cutting 24 percent in the 3x3x3 Cube with a 15.23 solve. Javier Alberto Carrero Pabon entered four events, improving his Megaminx mark by 23.9 percent to 2:22.20, dropping his 4x4x4 Cube time by 9.5 percent to 1:41.48, and making his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 6.74 single to finish fifth. Andrés Daniel Azuaje Camacho took on two events, recording his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 7.58 single and lowering his 3x3x3 Cube standard by 23.6 percent to 22.05.

First-time competitors and multi-event entrants also made their presence felt across the tables. David Simmons took on three events, registering his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with a 5.50 single for a seventh-place finish, his first attempt at 4x4x4 Cube with 1:57.80, and a 16 percent improvement in 3x3x3 Cube to 18.63. Daniel Josue Martinez Sanchez made his first WCA competition appearance by tackling two events, logging his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with an 8.02 single for sixth place and a 55.37 in the 3x3x3 Cube. Diego Josué Martinez Sánchez also debuted, logging his first ever attempt at 2x2x2 Cube with 6.64 for eighth place and a 48.69 in 3x3x3 Cube. Alejandro Josué Silva Pérez made his first competitive 3x3x3 Cube solve with 54.03, while Juan Fernando Araujo Valladares posted 31.30 on his opening Rubik's Cube attempt.

The mid-sized puzzles saw Louis Rodriguez Guerrero step atop the podium in the 4x4x4 Cube. Handling the layered reduction strategies cleanly, Rodriguez Guerrero posted a winning average of 32.29 seconds and a tournament-best single of 31.55. Torres remained right on his heels, earning second place with an average of 33.68, while Rafael Antonio Sanchez rounded out the top three with an average of 43.64.

The big cubes belonged entirely to Bernardo Torres, who showcased mastery over the grueling 6x6x6 and 7x7x7 formats. Torres won the 6x6x6 Cube with a standout average of 2:12.71 and a best single of 2:09.06, finishing ahead of Rodriguez Guerrero at 3:07.65 and Enrymar Cisneros at 3:26.54. In the 7x7x7 Cube, Torres dominated again, posting a winning average of 3:28.51 and a single of 3:20.29. Rodriguez Guerrero claimed second with 4:11.61, and Cisneros secured third with 5:58.44.

All eighteen podium positions across the tournament were claimed by Venezuelan competitors, highlighting the depth of local speedcubing talent. From quick-fire sprints on the smaller puzzles to lengthy solves on the big cubes, the speed cubing showcase rewarded consistency across all disciplines. As the final timers were packed away, Yaracuy Open 2023 concluded a fast-paced day of competitive cubing in Yaritagua.