Older cubers discussions

[mafergut]

Nice. We do have similar OH styles. I think we both have plenty of room for improvement and will do so over time.

I hope so. I have come to the idea that for me "nice times" is between 2 and 3 times the "fast guys". E.g.: for 3x3, fast guys 6-7 seconds, me 12-18 up to 21 seconds. A similar comparison for the two events I'm trying to improve right now would yield:

OH
Fast guys: I'd say 11-12 seconds
Me: 22-33 up to 36. Right now my PB Ao100 is just under 49 so a target average of around 33-35 seconds would be achievable? With some sub-25 solves here and there.

4x4
Fast guys: 24-28 seconds
Me: 50 - 1:30. Right now my times are absolute cr**p, well over 2 minutes. So lots of room for improvement here as well.

By the way, I keep not improving at 3x3 but I guess it is because the more diverse events I practise now and having less time to actually practise anything, but this weekend I had time to do a relaxed Ao100 and got mixed but not bad results. 19.10 Ao50 just 2 tenths off my PB and several full-step 14.xx and 15.xx. Definitely changed to Yueying as my main now.

 

[EvilGnome6]

Definitely changed to Yueying as my main now.

I was wondering if you had finally settled on a new main. I ended up switching to the YuXin 3x3.

 

[mafergut]

I was wondering if you had finally settled on a new main. I ended up switching to the YuXin 3x3.

I was also trying the Yuxin 3x3 this weekend. I love how smooth it can be and at times, PLLs seem to flow better than with anything else that I have... that is, when I'm "in synch" with the cube. But as soon as I start to push the boundaries I start to lock up or, worse, turn in undesired axes or get a hard rebound from the cube that stops the flow. In the end my times are very inconsistent with it. I'm sure at least half of it is to be blamed on the colour scheme (I have not re-stickered it yet) but the other half is my turning style not going along well with the cube. I'm sure I could adapt if I had to but right now I feel more comfortable with other cubes.

In fact, I did an Ao50 with the Yuxin and got like 21.5x. After that I did an Ao100 with the Yueying and got a 19.10 Ao50 and 20.51 Ao100. 'Nuff said. But, I realize that the Yuxin is a great cube, if you can manage to come to terms with it. I will keep trying it from time to time, and I'll order a sticker set for it.

 

[chtiger]

A few pages ago in this thread, someone (Raul?) suggested timing just tracing cycles without trying to memo anything. I've done that again since and have come down from about 1:20 to 1:00 with practice. That's still pretty shocking though, being more than half my memo time (~2:00) and I figure that it is perhaps a good thing to practise more. My aim is to trace cycles in 30 secs. That's still 1.5 secs per piece and it seems reasonable to achieve that... doesn't it?

I asked a while back how long it took similar level BLDers to trace the pieces like that. That's probably what you were thinking of. I know the best do it (and remember it) in under 10 seconds, so I was wondering how long it took us regular folks. I'm going to do some target practice on tracing the pieces when I get back to practicing 3BLD.

 

[mark49152]

I asked a while back how long it took similar level BLDers to trace the pieces like that. That's probably what you were thinking of. I know the best do it (and remember it) in under 10 seconds, so I was wondering how long it took us regular folks. I'm going to do some target practice on tracing the pieces when I get back to practicing 3BLD.

Yes probably, I was too lazy to search back through the thread. It's great practice so thanks for the suggestion, or just planting the idea . After a couple more (short) sessions I just got an ao12 of 51.48, so pretty fast improvement, and I think it's already helping my BLD. Last BLD session was 6/10 with 2:55 mean. Only my second sub-3 session.

 

[MarcelP]

Look at that wicket scramble.. yeah first solve of the day..

1. 13.82 L2 F2 U2 L2 U F2 U L2 U' L' F' R2 B' D' R2 B U2 R2

I did:
L' F' U L' U' F R2 // XCROSS
R U' R' U R U' R' //2ND
R´ U R y U R U R' //3RD
L U L' U L U' L' //4TH
U' ... // OLL
U2 ... F PERM

 

[mark49152]

Look at that wicket scramble.. yeah first solve of the day..

Nice... Imagine if you had been warmed up!

 

[Jason Green]

Look at that wicket scramble.. yeah first solve of the day..

1. 13.82 L2 F2 U2 L2 U F2 U L2 U' L' F' R2 B' D' R2 B U2 R2

I did:
L' F' U L' U' F R2 // XCROSS
R U' R' U R U' R' //2ND
R´ U R y U R U R' //3RD
L U L' U L U' L' //4TH
U' ... // OLL
U2 ... F PERM

Awesome! Nice job!

 

[h2f]

Some people say that works for them, but personally I don't improve unless I'm pushing myself somehow. That applies to all events. On 3x3 if I just solve, I settle into a way of solving and will do 1000s of solves at steady average. To improve, I need to push limits or force myself to try new techniques, which is why I find targeted practice useful.

I'm finding BLD hard because what does "pushing" mean with memo? It's kind of hard to force your memory to work faster. I can pull down the blindfold earlier and skip another review, but at the end of the solve, it's success or fail, and if I ended memo too early I don't learn anything from that. I guess with memory it does just come down to doing it 1000s of times.

When I'm looking for something to push faster during memo, it's definitely the tracing. I can consciously try to trace around the cube as fast as I can, and if I don't, I lapse back to a relaxed pace, which is no good for improvement.

It may work. I like the idea of tracing pieces - I thought about it but never tried.

 

[MarcelP]

Awesome! Nice job!

Thank you sir..

Nice... Imagine if you had been warmed up!

Maybe. I think if I practice this scramble a few times I could get a sub 10. Still it was a pretty cool scramble.. and full step 13's are quite rare for me.

 

[mafergut]

I think if I practice this scramble a few times I could get a sub 10. Still it was a pretty cool scramble.. and full step 13's are quite rare for me.

Congratulations!!! I don't think I would have done so well in that scramble. Seeing two formed pairs always makes me want to find a way to preserve both and, as a consequence I end up overinspecting and / or messing up the cross completely. You managed to decide correctly and sacrificed a pair to easily preserve the other.

Regarding full-step 13.xx, I was a some days ago complaining that I was not progressing lately and my best full-step in the whole last month was a 14.5x or something but two days ago I had a very nice strike of good solves, ending in a new Ao50 PB and two full-step 13.xx... both in the same Ao5!!! (which is also my new PB Ao5) and both of them the exact same time: 13.67. I will try to reconstruct and post here later today if I can.

I also practice easy scrambles from other people sometimes to see what I can get. My "PB" for this kind of exercise is an 8.28 on this incredible scramble. I got a 12.38 at 1st try, 9.48 at 2nd try and then 8.28 at 3rd try:

D' U' B2 L2 U D F' B' D B' D' L2 U' D2 B' U2 B' R' U' L2 F2 L2 F' D2 L'

1 move XCross + ready made pair???????????

y' // Inspection
D' // Cross + F2L-1
U R U' R' // F2L-2
y' R U2 R' U R U' R' // F2L-3
y' R U2 R' U2 R U' R' // F2-4
U H-OLL
U G-perm

What can you guys get on this scramble? With this or different execution if you can find something better.

 

[cubesp]

Ok. The time is arrived...
On Sunday my baptism of fire 222 333 and 444 (444 is just for trying stackmat ).
Usual old cuber situations... Burst in job activities, son's birthday...
Actually just an avg12 333 and a few 444 solve...
Save a prayer for me!!!

 

[muchacho]

I suppose they'll let you practice with the stackmat before competing, especially since this will be your first competition.

Good luck! Any goals?

Are you the only one of your family competing? competitions would be even better if you make any of them into cubing.

 

[MarcelP]

Ok. The time is arrived...
On Sunday my baptism of fire 222 333 and 444 (444 is just for trying stackmat ).
Usual old cuber situations... Burst in job activities, son's birthday...
Actually just an avg12 333 and a few 444 solve...
Save a prayer for me!!!

Good luck! Enjoy yourself and try not to focus on results.

D' U' B2 L2 U D F' B' D B' D' L2 U' D2 B' U2 B' R' U' L2 F2 L2 F' D2 L'

1 move XCross + ready made pair???????????

What can you guys get on this scramble? With this or different execution if you can find something better.

Coolio! I love these challenges.. I am at work now, but tonight or tomorrow morning I will try this scramble untill I can sub 10 it

 

[Isaac Lai]

Congratulations!!! I don't think I would have done so well in that scramble. Seeing two formed pairs always makes me want to find a way to preserve both and, as a consequence I end up overinspecting and / or messing up the cross completely. You managed to decide correctly and sacrificed a pair to easily preserve the other.

Regarding full-step 13.xx, I was a some days ago complaining that I was not progressing lately and my best full-step in the whole last month was a 14.5x or something but two days ago I had a very nice strike of good solves, ending in a new Ao50 PB and two full-step 13.xx... both in the same Ao5!!! (which is also my new PB Ao5) and both of them the exact same time: 13.67. I will try to reconstruct and post here later today if I can.

I also practice easy scrambles from other people sometimes to see what I can get. My "PB" for this kind of exercise is an 8.28 on this incredible scramble. I got a 12.38 at 1st try, 9.48 at 2nd try and then 8.28 at 3rd try:

D' U' B2 L2 U D F' B' D B' D' L2 U' D2 B' U2 B' R' U' L2 F2 L2 F' D2 L'

1 move XCross + ready made pair???????????

y' // Inspection
D' // Cross + F2L-1
U R U' R' // F2L-2
y' R U2 R' U R U' R' // F2L-3
y' R U2 R' U2 R U' R' // F2-4
U H-OLL
U G-perm

What can you guys get on this scramble? With this or different execution if you can find something better.

Lol I was about to say that this scramble was oddly familiar after trying it (1 move XCross)... then I realised it WAS my scramble. It was my PB for some time (9.96). When I tried it this time, I got 8.86 on my first try (different solution, same as yours).

lol 5.18 first attempt

x2 y' // Inspection
[D' // X-cross (1/1)
U] R U' R' // F2L-2 (3/4)
U L U2 L' y' R U' R' // F2L-3 (7/11) (Planned to here in inspection)
U2 y' R U' R' U F' L' U' L F // VHLS (10/21)
R U R' U R U2 R' U2 // 2GLL (8/29)

Lol, got 4.65 on that, first try xD

y' D' U2 R U2 R' // X-cross and F2L 2
U L' U L U' y' L' U L // F2L 3
R U2 R' U2 R U' R' // F2L 4
Lw' U R D' R' U' R D x' U2 // COLL+EPLL-skip

Alternative solutions that I found

 

[mafergut]

Lol I was about to say that this scramble was oddly familiar after trying it (1 move XCross)... then I realised it WAS my scramble. It was my PB for some time (9.96). When I tried it this time, I got 8.86 on my first try (different solution, same as yours).

hehehe, I didn't remember it was yours, just that I saw it on the Lucky / weird... scrambles thread. Nice alternative solutions, they make me want to learn VHLS and COLL.

 

[cubesp]

I suppose they'll let you practice with the stackmat before competing, especially since this will be your first competition.

Good luck! Any goals?

Are you the only one of your family competing? competitions would be even better if you make any of them into cubing.

Thanks!!

No, I'll be just me competing.
Beginner goals:
222: sub15
333: sub35
444: just do it, I hope sub time limit ... 3 minutes !!

 

[cubesp]

Good luck! Enjoy yourself and try not to focus on results.

Thanks!!

one of the goals is "hiding myself in the cubers fathers group till stackmat time" !!

 

[mark49152]

one of the goals is "hiding myself in the cubers fathers group till stackmat time" !!

LOL... I gotta say, at the three comps I've been to so far, I've found myself having part admiration, part sympathy for the little groups of parents that sit there all day for two looong days with their iPads and books, watching their offspring indulge in their passion. It makes me wonder what my daughter will have me watching in a few years

 

[Jason Green]

LOL... I gotta say, at the three comps I've been to so far, I've found myself having part admiration, part sympathy for the little groups of parents that sit there all day for two looong days with their iPads and books, watching their offspring indulge in their passion. It makes me wonder what my daughter will have me watching in a few years

I hope my boys have me watching cubing or bowling. I'm sure they'd be way better than me!