My Records
->My fastest time solving the Rubik's Cube (not being a lucky case):  10.xx seconds (more than once, in 2006).
->My fastest average of ten attempts (actually 12, then eliminating the best and worst case):  12.xx (Feburary 26, 2006, and in 2007)
->My fastest time solving the Rubik's cube (including lucky cases):  3.76 seconds (February 14, 2003).

21.9 Second video
Note: These are old videos from 2002/2003. I'm going to upload sub 15 second solves when I have time.

Click here to watch a 21.9 second solve - (528 KB)
(You might need DivX for this).

Watch another video, 24 second solve - (1.27 MB)
(You might need DivX for this).

If you don't have DivX, and don't even know what it is, you can download it HERE.

Cube info

In the 1982 World Championships, Minh Thai set the original world record for a 3x3 single solve of 22.95 seconds. In 2003, the official World Record was broken at the 2003 Rubik's World Championships to 16.53 seconds solved by Jess Bonde. However the 2003 World Champion was Dan Knights from USA. The 2005 World Champion was Jean Pons from France. The current official World Record for the single 3x3 solve has ranged from Shotaro Mackisumi, Leyan Lo, Toby Mao, and now to Ron Van Bruchem who solved a cube in 9.55 seconds at an official tournament. The 2007 World Championships took place in Budapest, Hungary in October 2007. The 2007 World Champion was Yu Jeong-Min from Japan.

My system

Jessica Fridrich's System. This is the most commonly used system used by Speedcubists. There are other systems which are also fast, such as Corner's First method Mark Waterman's method (who averaged 16.04 back in the 80's), and the Lars Petrus method. Back in 04' I tried learning the ZB method but there are theories that say no human being can master the ZB method well enough for it to be useful. The number of algorithms for the ZB last layer alone is 494. If you're interested in researching optimum algorithms for ZB last layer, contact me because I've done a lot already.

How I solve the Rubik's Cube

[02 seconds][07 moves]     (1)  Form the Cross (I form the cross by placing 4 blue edges matching with the blue center, and each blue edge connected to the other correct center colors).
[08 seconds][28 moves]     (2)  Finish the First Two Layers (I finish the F2L by placing all 4 pairs into their correct positions).
[02 seconds][09 moves]     (3)  Perform correct Orientation (1 out of 57 algorithms, including Inverse/Reflections).
[03 seconds][12 moves]     (4)  Perform correct Permutation (1 out of 21 algorithms, including Inverse/Reflections).
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[15 Seconds total (average)][56 moves total (average)] If you want to see how this system works for me, visit my Expert solution (see above).

Notation

Here it is:

R = Right side clockwise R'= Right side counter-clockwise. L = Left side clockwise L'= Left side counter-clockwise U = Up, or top, side clockwise U'= Up, or top, side counter-clockwise D = Down side clockwise D'= Down side counter-clockwise F = Front side clockwise F'= Front side counter-clockwise B = Back side clockwise B'= Back side counter-clockwise M = Middle Slice upward M'= Middle Slice downward

Just imagine a clock in every face for the notation.

The "²" just means to turn that face twice.

The 2003 World Rubik's "Games" Championship
Held on August 23 and 24, 2003. The venue was the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada. Jess Bonde broke the record for the single 3x3x3 solve time (16.53 seconds) and Dan Knights was announced World Champion (averaging at 20.0 seconds).


2004 USA National Championships
The venue was Polytechnic High School (near Caltech) in Pasadena, California, USA. Jon Morris was announced USA champion for the 3x3x3 with an average time of 20.06 seconds. In the last round I averaged 20.88 seconds and placed 2nd in USA and 3rd overall. This was a cool event because I learned a lot from Macky, Chris Hardwick, and Frank Morris.

2004 Caltech Fall 2004 Tournament
The venue was Polytechnic High School near Caltech in Pasadena, California, USA. I averaged 19.72 seconds and placed 2nd overall for the 3x3x3. Macky took first.

2005 World Championships
The venue was the Disney Pop Century Resort, Disney World, Florida. For the 3x3x3 I placed 5th in the semi-final round (making it to the final round) and 12th overall in the final round. I made my fastest average time (16.29 seconds) and fastest single time (15.04 seconds) in this tournament. I remember off stage I did a few 11's and 12's racing Ryan Patricio. It was an honor just making it to the final round with the legends attending this tournament.

(This was the top 12 at the 2005 world champs. I'm the second from the right, with the white shirt)

24 Hour Marathon for 3x3x3 in 2006
This took place at Caltech in February 2006. I solved 3141 cubes in 24 hours and made the world record. I broke the legendary Jess Bonde's record (of 2000) at the 12 hour mark. I believe solving 4000 cubes in 24 hours is possible. Though I no longer hold this world record, in the future I'm willing to make another attempt.

2007 Italian Open
The first Italian national competition. I took 2nd place, while Dan Harris (UK Champion) took first. I was in Italy for a summer abroad physics program at the time, and I happened to jump in the tournament on an available weekend. This took place in Rome, early June.

2007 World Championships
This took take place in Budapest, Hungary. In the semi-finals I took 20th place with an average of 15.62 seconds (my fastest average in a tournament). The 2007 World Champion was Yu Jeong-Min from Japan with an average of 12.46 seconds. 20th place sounds bad, but this was the most intense tournament in Rubik's history at the time, and I was glad I did so well with all the new talent out there nowadays. It was here that I, at last, shook the hand of the Creator of the cube, Dr. Erno Rubik himself.


Dr. Erno Rubik (Rubik's Cube Inventor) and I

Cube related events I have participated in:

International Conference on Thinking XI (2003): Phoenix, Arizona. I was a guest speaker, talking about the Rubik's Cube.
Diamondbacks Baseball game (2003): Phoenix, Arizona. I solved the cube at a diamondbacks game at the seventh inning stretch. Audience was 30,000 + people.
Phoenix Suns Basketball game (2003 or 2004): Phoenix, Arizona. I solved the cube during a commercial break in front of the audience.
University High School Talent show(2004 and 2005): Solved the cube behind my back. Standing ovation in 2004, won first money prize in 2005.
University of Arizona's "Physics Phun Night" (2007): Tucson, Arizona. I solved the cube behind the back in front of audience.

Cube related media about me (all in Tucson, Arizona):

Arizona Daily Star Newspaper: Been interviewed twice for articles (2003 and 2007).
Tucson Citizen: Been interviewed once for article (2004).
Channel 4 News: Been on channel 4 news about the 2007 World Championships results (2007).
Arizona Daily Wildcat: Been interviewed twice from the University of Arizona's newspaper (2005 and 2007).
Channel 13 News: Publicly seeking Sponsors for 2003 World Championships (2003).

I respect the hard work and genius of Jessica Fridrich, Mirek Goljan, Ron Van Bruchem, Chris Hardwick, Frank Morris, Shotaro Makisumi (Macky), Dan Harris, Lars Vandenbergh, Dan Knights, Master Katsu, and many others who have motivated me in reaching my fast times with the cube.

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