How fast are your fingers in technique coordination? This is what most speed cubing players are always on the lookout for while playing the game competitively.

We spoke to Nathan Raphael, a grade six student in Kagaki school who is considered a champ by his mates for solving the speed cube puzzle in 33 seconds.

Nathan Raphael a Rubik's cube player at Kagaki school.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA| MTAA WANGU

For Raphael, cubing is a fascinating sport to take up. He considers it a game of colors and patterns played to time, something he says, challenges his brain.

“I learned of the sport through teacher Michael. Before 2019, I only thought of the cube as a toy, but now I play it professionally. At this point, I am a pro at the 3 by 3 by 3 cube in my school, which I solve in under 33 seconds, “says Raphael.

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Currently, the world-solving record of this cube is 3.13 seconds by Max Park.

Mark Boen, a seventh grader, also plays speed cubing. Asked why he went for cubing and not other brain games like chess and Scrabble, he says the diversity of the cube itself fascinates him.

“We have a variety of Rubik’s cubes. As I advance in the sport, I hope to get to play the biggest cube in the world which is the 33 by 33 by 33 cube,” says Boen.

Tamara Wayu is the youngest cuber at Kagaki School. The seven-year-old solves a cube scramble in under one minute. Surprisingly, according to Rubik's website, less than 5.8% of the world's population can solve the Rubik's Cube.

A collection of rubik's cubes at Kagaki school.

Photo credit: PURITY KINUTHIA|MTAA WANGU

“Many people consider the Rubik’s cube a rinky-dink toy. However, I find it as a cool sport. I love going to the tournament and interacting with children from other nations who come to compete. I would advise more children to join the cubing club,” says Wayu.

Michael Makanga, a brain games trainer based in Nakuru says cubing is a good learning tool that holds positive brain development, adding that learners taking up brain games produce good grades in school.

“The last event we participated in was the Twists and Turn at Peponi House organized by Cubing Kenya where we got top ten positions across different categories,” says Makanga.

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“The plan is to rope in adults from Nakuru region to come on board and learn the Rubik’s cube so that they can represent the region in national competitions and also get more children on board to play Rubik’s cube.”

Kagaki School students compete in a Rubik's cube competition.

Makanga notes that, next year, the Rubik's cube turns 50 years old and to celebrate this, Nakuru cubers alongside others from different regions will come together and build a mosaic made of cubes to mark 50 years.

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