F2L M slice *pairing* triggers

[advincubing]

I just came across the M slice variant of (f R f'): U’ M’ R’ U R U’ M. I was familiar with the M' slice alg for back layer inserts where the pair is already formed (r’ U’ R U M’ ), but never thought about using M for pairing before.

Are there other common/efficient F2L algs using M slices for pairing (or splitting > pairing)?

This excellent post touches on the topic broadly. In terms of M slice pairing, it mentions (and dismisses as inefficient) only the U’ M’ R’ U R U’ M alg.

 

[frogmanson]

M U L F' L' U' M'
(U') R U' M' U' R' U R U r'
(U) M' U R U' M U' R'
M' U' R U R' U2 R U' r'
M' U R U' M U' R' U R U' R'
M' U R U' R' U R' U' r
R U R' U' r U R' U' M
M F' M'

Just some off the top of my head.

 

[mark49152]

I found this video interesting and convincing.

That got me exploring ways to avoid rotations without also clocking up extra wasteful moves continually repairing the cross. Some examples.

Some other observations on move efficiency of F2L.

 

[ryanj92]

M U L F' L' U' M'

I use this and the mirror all the time (M U' R' F R U M')

 

[advincubing]

Just some off the top of my head.

Wow. More than I thought. Some of not as efficient as a rotation, but some are really clever. I'm going to look at these closely.

M' U R U' R' U R' U' r

Is there perhaps a typo in this one?

Thanks!

I found this video interesting and convincing.

I agree. Cyoubx did a great job on that. I do agree with his conclusion that there are certain instances (last slot, for example) where wide turns and/or M slices are efficient ways of avoiding rotations (and presumably partial edge control).

 

[frogmanson]

Wow. More than I thought. Some of not as efficient as a rotation, but some are really clever. I'm going to look at these closely.

Is there perhaps a typo in this one?

Thanks!

Ye, typo. Also, I would probably use all of these in solves. At the very least, they're good for edge control.

M' U R U' R' U R U' r'

 

[Tao Yu]

M U L F' L' U' M'
(U') R U' M' U' R' U R U r'
(U) M' U R U' M U' R'
M' U' R U R' U2 R U' r'
M' U R U' M U' R' U R U' R'
M' U R U' R' U R' U' r
R U R' U' r U R' U' M
M F' M'

Just some off the top of my head.

Wow, these are amazing!

I would do

 Twizzle link 

R' F R F' R U' R' U R U' R' 

instead of the fifth one though, which is also rotationless.

 

[frogmanson]

Wow, these are amazing!

I would do

 Twizzle link 

R' F R F' R U' R' U R U' R' 

instead of the fifth one though, which is also rotationless.

The cool thing about the fifth one (or all of them) is that it's also pretty good to use when the cases are a y2 away (in the back slot).

 

[Artic]

The cool thing about the fifth one (or all of them) is that it's also pretty good to use when the cases are a y2 away (in the back slot).

Could you give examples of this?

 

[maps600]

M U r U' r' U' M'

 

[elrog]

I have been aware of M slice pairing for about as long as I've known what F2L was. It is much more efficient with a free M slice, but If you leave the M slice free, you may as well use Roux. I have found though, that you can meet in the middle and leave just one M layer cross edge out. It works pretty well.

 

[Stefan]

Not really an M-slice execution (only L' R), but maybe interesting anyway: For the FL pair, inserting the corner: L' R U' R' U L.

 

[frogmanson]

Could you give examples of this?

Just take any one of the algorithms I listed and do a y2 and convert what I wrote into a new algorithm that solves the same case from a y2 away. For example (these are just random moves btw), M R2 U2 R' M', when you do a y2 and execute them from the back it becomes M' L2 U2 L' M. What I meant in the post you quoted was that algorithms with M moves can be easily execute from the back (a y2 away) instead of something like R' F R F' which would be executed as L' B L B' from the back.

 

[Lucas Garron]

Just take any one of the algorithms I listed and do a y2 and convert what I wrote into a new algorithm that solves the same case from a y2 away. For example (these are just random moves btw), M R2 U2 R' M', when you do a y2 and execute them from the back it becomes M' L2 U2 L' M. What I meant in the post you quoted was that algorithms with M moves can be easily execute from the back (a y2 away) instead of something like R' F R F' which would be executed as L' B L B' from the back.

Shameless plug: Try the mirror buttons in the "Tools" section!

R' F R F' R U' R' U R U' R'