People · United States
Sam Zhang
3×3 · top 2.5% of 284,439 all-time · competing since November 2018 · 2018ZHAY37
Sam Zhang has been competing for 8 years. His best event is the 3×3: a personal-best single of 7.81, set at New Braunfels Comal Cubing Classic 2026, puts him in the top 2.5% of the 284,439 people who have ever been ranked in the event, and 1,439th in the United States. Until July 2008, no official 3×3 solve in the world had been that fast. Across 12 competitions since November 2018, he has put 387 official solves on the record across nine events. Solve to solve, his 3×3 times vary about 13% around a typical one, steadier than 52% of the 35,811 competitors with ten or more counted rounds. His 3×3 best has come down from 13.22 in November 2018 to 7.81, a 41% improvement. Sam has entered twelve competitions, more competitions than 94% of everyone who has ever competed.
Standing, event by event
vs everyone ever ranked| Event | PB single | PB average | All-time standing | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3×3 | 7.81 | 9.21 | top 2.5% | 1,439 / 59,724 | |
| 4×4 | 36.63 | 41.39 | top 8.3% | 1,251 / 19,072 | |
| 2×2 | 2.53 | 3.56 | top 9.2% | 3,622 / 40,951 | |
| 5×5 | 1:08.11 | 1:16.03 | top 10.3% | 807 / 9,401 | |
| 3×3 one-handed | 19.41 | 24.41 | top 19.0% | 2,444 / 15,683 | |
| 7×7 | 3:29.24 | 3:38.65 | top 19.5% | 553 / 3,184 | |
| 6×6 | 2:28.17 | 2:33.80 | top 24.6% | 880 / 4,196 | |
| Skewb | 9.33 | 14.30 | top 50.7% | 9,083 / 18,907 | |
| Megaminx | 2:38.13 | — | early days — 2 solves | 4,970 / 7,841 |
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
- 31 May 2026Three personal bests in one day at Georgetown Favorite Event Day 2026.
- 1 Feb 2026Three personal bests in one day at New Braunfels Comal Cubing Classic 2026.
- 2 Nov 2025First sub-10 3×3: 9.49 at Temple Cubing Fall 2025.
- 25 Oct 2025Six personal bests in one day at San Antonio Fall 2025.
- 22 Jun 2023Five personal bests in one day at CubingUSA Southern Championship 2023.
- 16 Nov 2019Four personal bests in one day at Austin Fall 2019.
Competitions
- New Braunfels Tube & Twist 2026 · 2 Aug 2026 — 2 personal bests set
- Georgetown Favorite Event Day 2026 · 31 May 2026 — 3 personal bests set
- Round Rock Splash & Solve 2026 · 4 Apr 2026 — 2 personal bests set
- New Braunfels Comal Cubing Classic 2026 · 1 Feb 2026 — 3 personal bests set
- Temple Cubing Fall 2025 · 2 Nov 2025 — 2 personal bests set
- San Antonio Fall 2025 · 25 Oct 2025 — 6 personal bests set
- CubingUSA Southern Championship 2023 · 22 Jun 2023 — 5 personal bests set
- Austin Fall 2019 · 16 Nov 2019 — 4 personal bests set
- 345 Cube Day Allen 2019 · 13 Oct 2019 — 2 personal bests set
- Katy Cubing 2019 · 16 Mar 2019 — 2 personal bests set
- Frisco Liberty Cubing 2019 · 19 Jan 2019 — 1 personal best set
- Longhorn Fall 2018 · 17 Nov 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.
- Tristan Patrick — met in 58 rounds, finished ahead 9 times
- Ryan Pilat — met in 51 rounds, never finished ahead
- Michael Conard — met in 46 rounds, finished ahead 39 times
Next targets
- A sub-6 3×3 single — 1,376 people have one; it is 1.81 away.
- A sub-30 4×4 single — 2,388 people have one; it is 6.63 away.
Targets move as he improves.