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Checking back slots in F2L?

Shamah02

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Hey guys,

While I was doing an average of 12 today, I noticed that I'm slightly better when I don't tilt the cube to look at back slots for F2L. I've searched around a bit and haven't found anything about this. So, these are my questions for you all:

How many times do you tilt the cube to check those back slots during F2L?

Also,

Do you feel it's better to not do this too much and focus more on what happening in front of you?

Thanks
 

emu

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What do you mean? Do you mean to only check the back slots when there are no white corners on the U or F faces? Or do you mean to never, ever check the back slots and instead take the corner out of the back slot and do AUF to look at it instead? With practice, being able to very quickly and efficiently check the back slots is probably faster than either of those choices.
 

cmhardw

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That's interesting. Back in the day Dan Knights used to advise to solve F2L with the cube slightly tilted towards you, as if you're perpetually about to check the back slots. Image doing the cube rotation (x')*0.25. I tend to do better when I remember to do this, rather than solve with the F2L "flat" so to speak.

Just my two cents,
Chris
 

Shamah02

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That's interesting. Back in the day Dan Knights used to advise to solve F2L with the cube slightly tilted towards you, as if you're perpetually about to check the back slots. Image doing the cube rotation (x')*0.25. I tend to do better when I remember to do this, rather than solve with the F2L "flat" so to speak.

Just my two cents,
Chris

Yea, I read Dan Knights page a while back and he said to try and insert pairs in the back as much as possible while solving F2L as it seems to help look ahead. It always helps me because I don't have to focus on the back slots, and I can focus more on what is happening in front of me.

What do you mean? Do you mean to only check the back slots when there are no white corners on the U or F faces? Or do you mean to never, ever check the back slots and instead take the corner out of the back slot and do AUF to look at it instead? With practice, being able to very quickly and efficiently check the back slots is probably faster than either of those choices.

What I mean is that I never tilt the cube to check the back slots as it seems like it slows me down. I believe it's possible to solve F2L this way as long as you're always looking ahead. In most cases you can just "guess" or "feel" what's in the back slots anyway.

I watch sub-10 and 11 cubers a lot and I rarely see them tilting the cube to see the slots in the back.
 

IamWEB

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Why are you checking those slots? To make see if they are completed or empty slots?

If so, just keep track of what you have done and haven't, which is second nature with practice.
 

Shamah02

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Oh no, I try not to check those slots... If I have to, then it probably meant I wasn't looking ahead.

I'd never check those slots to see if they're empty or not though. I would check them to see exactly what pieces are in those slots.
 

Lt-UnReaL

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With process of elimination and knowing how corners end up when in slots, you don't always have to look at the back slots.

For example, set up your cube with:

R' U' R U R' U' R

You should know which color every sticker is on that corner piece while only seeing the color of the sticker on the R face.

Another example, set up with:

L U' L' U' L U2 L'

Same explanation as above.
 

Shamah02

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With process of elimination and knowing how corners end up when in slots, you don't always have to look at the back slots.

For example, set up your cube with:

R' U' R U R' U' R

You should know which color every sticker is on that corner piece while only seeing the color of the sticker on the R face.

Another example, set up with:

L U' L' U' L U2 L'

Same explanation as above.


Thanks Lt-UnReaL! This was the exact point I was trying to get across. It was that you could use process of elimination to determine every sticker on both edges and corners during F2L.

I guess the question should now be: Is using process of elimination faster than tilting the cube to check back stickers while solving F2L?

I try and use process of elimination to solve my F2L instead "twirling the cube around" trying to find F2L pairs. I think it's better because you can focus on what is happening in front of you, and you'll know that if you have to "check" the back slots that you probably wasn't looking ahead enough.

I hope this makes sense :eek:
 

enigmahack

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This kind of reminds me of a chess addage: Mind on the center, Eyes on the edges. (Meaning you should be LOOKING towards the edges, but keep working on the center, depending on your strategy)

I guess here it would be Eyes on the front, Mind on the back. Interesting - This is something I'll have to practice!
 

spdcbr

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Uhh, another advertiser. I hope somebody has reported him. Okay, here's some advice, when you insert a F2L pair, and the two slot in the back are empty, do a d2 or a x2 and insert it backwards. THen you have the two unsolved slots right in front of you, ready to solve.
 

emu

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That's interesting. Back in the day Dan Knights used to advise to solve F2L with the cube slightly tilted towards you, as if you're perpetually about to check the back slots. Image doing the cube rotation (x')*0.25. I tend to do better when I remember to do this, rather than solve with the F2L "flat" so to speak.

Just my two cents,
Chris

Actually I've found that I get faster (sometimes much faster) F2Ls when I hold the cube low and close to my chest, as opposed to holding it with my arms on the table. That way, I am looking mostly at the U face as opposed to the F face. I'd say that's excellent advice for getting faster at F2L.
 
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