Montevideo Gaming House Open draws newcomers and international cubers in Uruguay

Víctor Gálvez won 3x3x3 in Montevideo with a 9.21 average, finishing ahead of Rodrigo Burone’s 9.67 and Leon Achata’s 9.97. That tight podium gave Montevideo Gaming House Open 2026 a compact competitive edge, but the bigger story was how deliberately the meet was built to welcome new faces into Uruguay’s scene.

Held June 21 at Montevideo Gaming House, Colonia 2235 Local MGH, 11200 Montevideo, the competition was open to cubers of any nationality and any age, and the event page explicitly welcomed newcomers. Asociación Uruguaya de Speedcubing, Axel Silveira and Sebastiano Benato organized the meet, while Brian Hambeck, Gennaro Monetti, Sebastiano Benato, Víctor Gálvez and Xabier Monsalve served as delegates, signaling an experienced official setup behind a small local floor.

The scale was part of the appeal. The competition capped registration at 50, then closed with 28 competitors, leaving enough breathing room for a personal meet rather than a crowded championship chase. Entry cost U$500, with on-the-spot registration listed at U$550 if space remained, and spectators were free. For a community meet, that combination mattered: it lowered the barrier for first-timers while keeping the official structure intact.

The registration page showed 18 advance sign-ups, including two first-timers and 16 returners, spread across four regions. The field reached beyond Uruguay, with competitors from Peru, the United States and Venezuela joining local cubers. That mix gave the meet a modest international footprint without losing the neighborhood feel that helps newer competitors step onto a WCA floor for the first time.

Montevideo Gaming House Open fit into a busy stretch of Uruguay hosting, following Montevideo al Cubo 2023, Claret Open Montevideo 2026, Claret Open Montevideo II 2026 and Campeonato Uruguayo de Speedcubing 2025. The national championship had a 300-competitor limit, so the June meet stood at the opposite end of the scale, built for access, mentoring and a close result sheet. Gálvez’s 9.21 average, with Burone and Achata close behind, showed exactly how a small, bilingual, newcomer-friendly competition can still deliver the kind of sharp 3x3 race that keeps veterans engaged while first-timers stay in the room.