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How to find your first WCA competition

Use the official WCA competition calendar and filter by country, region, date, and event. Open each event page instead of relying only on the calendar card, because registration limits, venue details, fees, schedules, and side events live on the individual page.

For a first competition, choose an event that gives you enough travel time and has events you can solve comfortably. You do not need to be fast. You only need to know the rules, bring legal puzzles, and be able to finish within any listed time limits.

How registration works

Most competitions require a WCA account and event-specific registration before the deadline. Some events fill quickly, so read the opening time, accepted payment methods, competitor limit, waitlist policy, and refund notes before registration opens.

After registering, watch your email and the event page for updates. Being on a registration list, waitlist, or accepted competitor list can mean different things depending on the organizer and payment status.

What to bring

Bring your main puzzles, backups if you have them, a valid ID if the organizer requests it, water, snacks if allowed, and anything you need for a long day at the venue. Label your cube bag or keep it with you because many competitors bring similar hardware.

Do not bring lubricants, tools, or accessories into the solving area unless staff allow them. Keep phones and smart devices away during official attempts unless the judge or delegate gives specific instructions.

What happens on competition day

Check in when you arrive, listen for announcements, and find your groups on the schedule or WCA Live if the event uses it. You may be asked to judge, scramble, or run cards when you are not solving, especially at smaller competitions.

During an attempt, your cube is scrambled out of sight, covered, and brought to the station. When the judge says inspection may begin, you have up to 15 seconds to inspect before starting the solve according to the regulations.

What inspection means

Inspection is planning time, not solving time. You can pick up the cube and look at it, but you cannot make turns that start solving the puzzle. The judge warns at 8 and 12 seconds, and starting too late can cause penalties.

Beginners should use inspection to find the first step, usually cross pieces or first-layer pieces. A simple plan is better than staring at the whole cube and rushing after the timer starts.

Common first-competition mistakes

The most common mistakes are arriving late, missing group calls, forgetting to stop the timer correctly, talking near active solving stations, and practicing with a cube while assigned to judge or scramble.

Read the competitor tutorial and ask staff when uncertain. WCA delegates and organizers expect first-timers, but they also need competitors to follow instructions so the event stays on schedule.

Parent and guardian notes for minors

Many competitors are students, and first competitions often include families. A parent or guardian should review the venue, travel plan, schedule length, food options, check-in instructions, and organizer contact information before the event.

If a minor is new to competitions, stay close enough to help them hear group calls and understand assignments, but let staff and judges run official attempts. Ask the organizer ahead of time about venue policies or accessibility needs.

Competition checklist

• Create or sign into a WCA account before registration opens.
• Read the competition page tabs, not only the calendar listing.
• Check events, time limits, fees, registration status, and waitlist rules.
• Practice with inspection and a stackmat-style start/stop routine.
• Bring legal puzzles and a backup cube if you have one.
• Arrive early enough to check in and find your first group.
• Review judging and scrambling expectations before event day.