People · United States
Jesse Balsam
2×2 · top 6.4% of 186,767 all-time · competing since September 2018 · 2018BALS02
Jesse Balsam has been competing for 8 years. His best event is the 2×2: a personal-best single of 2.22, set at Ephrata Fall 2025, puts him in the top 6.4% of the 186,767 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 2,535th in the United States. Until February 2008, no official 2×2 solve in the world had been that fast. Across 4 competitions since September 2018, he has put 54 official solves on the record across four events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 10% around a typical one, an early reading from 5 counted rounds. His 3×3 best has come down from 24.97 in September 2018 to 10.45, a 58% improvement. Jesse has entered four competitions, more competitions than 78% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2×2 | 2.22 | 3.26 | top 6.4% | 2,535 / 40,951 | |
| 3×3 | 10.45 | 14.44 | top 8.8% | 4,827 / 59,724 | |
| Pyraminx | 9.38 | 11.95 | top 48.0% | 13,885 / 28,708 | |
| 4×4 | 1:23.96 | 1:28.90 | top 59.1% | 10,219 / 19,072 |
Percentile against all competitors ever ranked in each event, a fairer measure than raw rank, because the pools differ by a factor of ten.
The line so far
Best single per competition, 3×3. Faster is higher — the axis is the right way up.
The story so far
- 27 Sep 2025First sub-15 3×3: 14.68 at Ephrata Fall 2025.
- 27 Sep 2025Four personal bests in one day at Ephrata Fall 2025.
- 6 Apr 2019First sub-20 3×3: 19.44 at Ridge Cubing 2019.
- 22 Sep 2018First competition: Kew Forest Open 2018. A 24.97 3×3 single to start from.
Competitions
- Ephrata Fall 2025 · 27 Sep 2025 — 4 personal bests set
- Ridge Cubing 2019 · 6 Apr 2019 — 2 personal bests set
- CubingUSA New Jersey Championship 2018 · 17 Nov 2018
- Kew Forest Open 2018 · 22 Sep 2018
Reading this page: a single is one solve's time · an average is the middle three of five solves, best and worst discarded · a PB is a personal best · a DNF (did not finish) is an attempt with no valid result: a popped piece, an unsolved face, an over-limit memorisation · top X% compares against everyone ever ranked in that event, which is fairer than raw rank because event pools differ tenfold.
The circuit
The people whose scorecards keep turning up next to his.
- Livia Kleiner — met in 8 rounds, finished ahead once
- Bob Burton — met in 7 rounds, finished ahead 4 times
- Gavin Gruppuso — met in 7 rounds, finished ahead 3 times
Next targets
- A sub-2 2×2 single — 8,848 people have one; it is 0.22 away.
- A sub-10 3×3 single — 21,172 people have one; it is 0.45 away.
Targets move as he improves.