Oh, well, if an OLL was supposed to do a 3-cycle PLL for instance (above Niklas does UBL to UFL to UBR), the OLL could solved the orientation, but sometimes the target PLL (not symmetrical) was not reached because the PLL was not aligned correctly for the OLL (for example, UBR to UBL to UFR)...
OK, um...
You skip 2 F2L pairs, but if you know how to do the first two pairs, then you would know how to do the last two (It's also easier for the last two as there are less places to look).
I don't see this as intermediate, I just see it as something a bit more complicated, sorry.
The OLL leading up to the PLL doesn't matter. Last layer cases for every OLL and PLL case combination is possible (I'm quite sure), you can create them using PLL then commutators to flip the corners and edges "individually" (paying attention to the law of the cube, of course).
http://cube4you.com/209_Competition-Timer-with-Carry-Bag.html
It's 2.5x the price, so I'm not sure if it would be much help.
As far as I know, they ship international.
I learned F2L when I got to 46 seconds average with my first method, but when I started, I got like 1:05. After a week or two of practice, I got down to 45 seconds average again.
Right now, I am using F2L and getting sub-30.
Given this, you probably just need to practice :)
Haha.... I remember the first time I solved it on the computer. I got stuck on the centers and spent like 2 hours trying to fix them myself. I've only moved up from 5x5x5 (and have only solved it 4 times) so I had no idea what I was doing. I learned for a tutorial from Emile Compion on YouTube...
Hmm... I was cubing lying down on my bed when I accidentally let go of the cube, and it fell on my head... ow.
Many times I have stopped the timer so fast that my hands were under the cube, and the cube fell on my hands.
Nothing much... :)
I define it as any step skip of the seven (Cross [unlikely], 4 F2L pairs, OLL, PLL) without "working for the skip". So, x-cross would skip an F2L pair, but wouldn't be considered lucky. However, if you just do the cross but accidentally solve an F2L pair, you get a lucky case.
I know 29/57 OLL...
Well, first, switch to solving the cross on the bottom. I couldn't solve the cross during inspection when I solved the cross on the top, and can't even now.
When you're used to that, solve the cross (in your head) without doing any moves. Close your eyes and try to solve it from memory.
Do this...