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People · United States

Michael Nguyen

2×2 · top 3.9% of 186,767 all-time · competing since November 2008 · 2008NGUY03

Michael Nguyen has been competing for 18 years. His best event is the 2×2: a personal-best single of 1.86, set at Stanford Fall competition 2009, puts him in the top 3.9% of the 186,767 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 1,537th in the United States. Until February 2008, no official 2×2 solve in the world had been that fast. Across 6 competitions since November 2008, he has put 156 official solves on the record across nine events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 12% around a typical one, steadier than 71% of the 35,811 competitors with ten or more counted rounds. That figure sets aside his 3 DNFs. His 3×3 best has come down from 29.38 in November 2008 to 13.83, a 53% improvement. Michael has entered six competitions, more competitions than 86% of everyone who has ever competed.

2×2
best event — top 3.9% of 186,767 all-time
1.86
signature single · Stanford Fall competition 2009
156
official solves on the record
12%
solve-to-solve spread · steadier than 71% of the field

Standing, event by event

vs everyone ever ranked
EventPB singlePB averageAll-time standingUnited States
2×21.866.15
top 3.9%1,537 / 40,951
3×313.8316.00
top 20.4%10,981 / 59,724
Pyraminx6.1613.59
top 21.2%5,687 / 28,708
4×41:02.581:19.28
top 39.2%6,381 / 19,072
3×3 one-handed27.7832.75
top 41.3%5,536 / 15,683
Megaminx2:33.022:49.47
top 62.6%4,753 / 7,841
Square-138.0858.15
top 62.9%4,150 / 6,743
5×52:39.682:55.21
top 70.3%6,178 / 9,401
6×65:06.58
early days — 2 solves3,335 / 4,196

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

Berkeley Fall 2008: 29.38San Francisco Open 2009: 24.40Berkeley Spring competition 2009: 17.00US Nationals 2009: 16.43Berkeley Fall competition 2009: 14.09Stanford Fall competition 2009: 13.8313.8329.3815 Nov 200821 Nov 2009

Best single per competition, 3×3. Faster is higher — the axis is the right way up.

The story so far

Competitions

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.

  • Ryan Jew — met in 36 rounds, finished ahead 19 times
  • Dan Dzoan — met in 34 rounds, finished ahead 5 times
  • Andy Bridger — met in 33 rounds, finished ahead 26 times

Next targets

  • A sub-1 2×2 single — 1,032 people have one; it is 0.86 away.
  • A sub-12 3×3 single — 39,535 people have one; it is 1.83 away.

Targets move as he improves.