PSL Commissioner Addresses Questions About Dylan Miller Watching Opponents’ Solves
Michael Chai says Miller’s approach falls within PSL’s intended strategic elements and does not raise a conduct concern.
Premier Speedcubing League Commissioner Michael Chai responded to questions regarding Dylan Miller observing opponents’ solves during PSL events this season, most recently PSL Seattle 2026, stating that the league views the tactic as part of the format’s strategic layer.
In PSL’s alternating-solve format, one competitor solves at the station while the other waits off to the side before their own attempt. During PSL Seattle, viewers noticed Miller watching opponents’ solves from the waiting area, raising questions about whether a competitor could gain information about the scramble or possible solve paths before their own attempt.
“The league has noticed Dylan observing solves more frequently as he’s gotten more comfortable in the new format,” Chai said.
Chai said the impact of observing depends on solve order.
“This tends to happen regardless of whether or not Dylan is going first or second, but there is a clear difference of how it affects solving when the solving order is different,” Chai said.
According to Chai, PSL’s format is designed to allow small strategic differences between competitors.
“The design of the format is to create micro advantages and disadvantages, similar to sports with home-court advantage, seeding advantage and coin-tosses in the NFL,” Chai said. “This allows for a small nuanced amount of strategy to be deployed that Dylan seems to be tapping into.”
Chai also said PSL views the mental side of speedcubing as part of the format.
“Speedcubing is just as much a mental sport as it is a physical sport, so we hope to tap more into the mental aspect of the spectator sport through key decision-making that can dictate an outcome of a match,” Chai said.
While PSL’s code of conduct includes language around good sportsmanship, Chai said the league does not view Miller’s approach as a rules or conduct concern.
“Of course, we still have our code of conduct that references good sportsmanship, but there is nothing noteworthy about this situation as other competitors may choose similar tactics within the bounds of a match,” Chai said.
Miller won the PSL Seattle 2026 Pro Division, defeating Sameer Aggarwal in the Grand Final and activating a Wild Card spot for the 2026 PSL Championship.