Trouble With Old Pochman/M2 BLD

[SweetSolver]

I'm trying my very hardest not to ask for too much help with this since learning/figuring it out on my own is better in the long run, but I just spent the last few days doing nothing but BLD and still get so mixed up over stuff.

I have my corner and edge set up moves 90% down, my execution is good.. but my memo is so sluggish. And I still get confused over cycle breaks, spotting flipped edges, keeping my fingers on the edges as I'm memorizing. A lot of the time I drop the cube or one of the layers will turn and I'll mess up haha.

Edges only SCRAMBLE:
R F' D F U2 R2 U L R2 F' R2 B R2 B L2 F R2 U2 B' D

I've been stuck on this one for 30 minutes now.

IF anyone cares to keep helping, It's always appreciated. So much.

Thanks!

Edge memo: RPSE IBGV T/AFQ

The slash represents a cycle break. After memorising the first 9 letters there are two remaining pieces that need to be solved (the UB and LF edges). I chose to shoot to A first as it's one of my default ones, but it doesn't matter which sticker you shoot to on either piece.

 

[mark49152]

My #1 tip for learning BLD is to get comfortable with your method with eyes open first. Doing it blindfolded is challenging enough, so why take that on while you're still struggling with the method itself? M2/OP is just a method for solving the cube. Nobody says you have to learn it with a blindfold on.

 

[Jacck]

You will have less problems, when you are more used to it. Trying things sighted is a good idea for the sart.

I'm a slowcucber (the goal is to get it at all with not too much effort, and speed isn't that important) and I examine the cube before the memo for solved or flipped edges. After that, I can calculate the number of expected letters (11 - solved + flipped) - this all can be done in a few seconds. I keep that number in mind and if a new cycle appears afterwards while memoing, I just have to add 1.
Advantage: I can memo quite fluently and don't have to search for missing edges after half of the memo (which I would forget quite soon). And I know, what is still to come and I don't need to put the fingers onto the stickers (which I do only for the centers in bigblind).
Maybe that can help you at the start, 10 seconds more in the beginning, but a much more easier memo.

Another tip: if my buffer-piece is flipped, then I lift a foot, so at the end of the memo, I know, whether I got the orientations right (or at least an even number of errors ). Keep in mind: if you start a new cycle with a flipped piece, the buffer piece is flipped, too.

Three ideas, which may help to unterstand cycles and flipped edges:
1. You start a new cycle, when your buffer-piece is solved. So at the start of the new cycle, the buffer-piece goes to the piece, with which you start the new cycle. So at the end of the cycle, this piece must be solved (again) to put the buffer-piece back.
2. The new-cycle-piece is involved twice and so you have an additional "tour" and you have to add 1 to the number of letters.
3. If you have a flipped edge (ie front-right) and you solve it like JP, then the J starts a new cycle and the P ends this new cycle.

(To 1: a really fast method could be, to take a new buffer and new target with the new cycle. I.e. if J isn't solved, you could take J as new target and R as new buffer - perhaps easiest done with cube-rotations. This would decrease the number of moves (J would be solved with an E2 or M2 after cuberotations), but is surely no thing for a beginner - but maybe it helps a bit to understand, why new cycles have to be like they are.)

For new cycles take the pieces, which can be solved fast (fastest is A because it's only an M2).
Or: if I have to start a new cycle, I try to get an middle-slice-edge oriented right (as the second piece in that new cycle). I don't like them flipped, because I don't like the algs for them - but this is maybe a bit too slowcubing

 

[cubing247]

Edge memo: RPSE IBGV T/AFQ

The slash represents a cycle break. After memorising the first 9 letters there are two remaining pieces that need to be solved (the UB and LF edges). I chose to shoot to A first as it's one of my default ones, but it doesn't matter which sticker you shoot to on either piece.

Hey thanks for the reply!

It looks like I goofed somewhere though. My white face has a yellow center, green has a blue center and my blue and yellow have green and white centers. Red and Orange are solved.

EDIT:
Nevermind. Seems I forgot to do F after A!

My #1 tip for learning BLD is to get comfortable with your method with eyes open first. Doing it blindfolded is challenging enough, so why take that on while you're still struggling with the method itself? M2/OP is just a method for solving the cube. Nobody says you have to learn it with a blindfold on.

I mostly do the solves with eyes open a few times, then try BLD. I agree with you fully.

You will have less problems, when you are more used to it. Trying things sighted is a good idea for the sart.

I'm a slowcucber (the goal is to get it at all with not too much effort, and speed isn't that important) and I examine the cube before the memo for solved or flipped edges. After that, I can calculate the number of expected letters (11 - solved + flipped) - this all can be done in a few seconds. I keep that number in mind and if a new cycle appears afterwards while memoing, I just have to add 1.
Advantage: I can memo quite fluently and don't have to search for missing edges after half of the memo (which I would forget quite soon). And I know, what is still to come and I don't need to put the fingers onto the stickers (which I do only for the centers in bigblind).
Maybe that can help you at the start, 10 seconds more in the beginning, but a much more easier memo.

Another tip: if my buffer-piece is flipped, then I lift a foot, so at the end of the memo, I know, whether I got the orientations right (or at least an even number of errors ). Keep in mind: if you start a new cycle with a flipped piece, the buffer piece is flipped, too.

Three ideas, which may help to unterstand cycles and flipped edges:
1. You start a new cycle, when your buffer-piece is solved. So at the start of the new cycle, the buffer-piece goes to the piece, with which you start the new cycle. So at the end of the cycle, this piece must be solved (again) to put the buffer-piece back.
2. The new-cycle-piece is involved twice and so you have an additional "tour" and you have to add 1 to the number of letters.
3. If you have a flipped edge (ie front-right) and you solve it like JP, then the J starts a new cycle and the P ends this new cycle.

(To 1: a really fast method could be, to take a new buffer and new target with the new cycle. I.e. if J isn't solved, you could take J as new target and R as new buffer - perhaps easiest done with cube-rotations. This would decrease the number of moves (J would be solved with an E2 or M2 after cuberotations), but is surely no thing for a beginner - but maybe it helps a bit to understand, why new cycles have to be like they are.)

For new cycles take the pieces, which can be solved fast (fastest is A because it's only an M2).
Or: if I have to start a new cycle, I try to get an middle-slice-edge oriented right (as the second piece in that new cycle). I don't like them flipped, because I don't like the algs for them - but this is maybe a bit too slowcubing

Thanks for the long reply! Really good tips! I don't think I've ever run into a case where my buffer was flipped though. And If I did, I probably didn't realize that was the reason for me to continue messing it up.

 

[newtonbase]

It looks like I goofed somewhere though. My white face has a yellow center, green has a blue center and my blue and yellow have green and white centers. Red and Orange are solved.

I think that your cube was probably in the wrong orientation when you did your memo. I've done the same myself.

 

[cubing247]

Perfect example!

Edge scramble:
D' L2 U2 F2 R' D2 U2 R U2 F2 R2 B F U L R' F' U'

THIS is my weak spot right now. I know pieces are solved/edges are flipped. I can see that, but when it comes to memorizing them, I don't see it all that quickly and it takes way too long.

My memo started out like this, but I feel like I'm not doing it right

Memo:
d/j-b/j-ox-/o...?

It just seems like everything is going back to where I'm starting. And it's hard to keep track of things/ all the while I'm thinking I'm wrong.

 

[mark49152]

D' L2 U2 F2 R' D2 U2 R U2 F2 R2 B F U L R' F' U'

Yes that's a nasty scramble but your memo is right.

D/J BJ /OX O/L SL. 10 targets with 3 breaks solves 7 pieces so there must be 4 left. Two of those are flipped, two solved.

Keeping track is sometimes hard especially on a nasty scramble. It just takes practice.

 

[cubing247]

Yes that's a nasty scramble but your memo is right.

D/J BJ /OX O/L SL. 10 targets with 3 breaks solves 7 pieces so there must be 4 left. Two of those are flipped, two solved.

Keeping track is sometimes hard especially on a nasty scramble. It just takes practice.

D/J BJ /OX O/L SL CI AQ ?

 

[mark49152]

D/J BJ /OX O/L SL CI AQ ?

Yes if that's how you prefer to memo flips.

 

[biscuit]

I memo flips as where the white/yellow stickers are (or what ever is the top/bottom colors in your orientation) following the word flip. So if my memo is ABCD and then I have to flip the W edge, My memo would be ABCD flip W. It's worked well for me. It also works for corners.