Having trouble spotting the first pair in F2L

[Calvin Laza]

I've only recently switched from beginner mode to cross_on_bottom/intuitive F2L/dummied_down_OLL/2_Look_PLL, and I am still slow as heck.

One of the major reasons why my F2L is horrible is because I'm having a hard time spotting the first pair.

I know I'm supposed to do the bottom-cross entirely from muscle-memory such that my brain thinks about F2L moves while my hands are still doing the cross, but that it easier said than done. I would appreciate some tips and tricks on how to get this thing accomplished, and please don't just say "practice".

I've been watching some videos on this subject. Badmephisto's videos were especially helpful, but I'm still getting dizzy and find myself going cross-eyed when tracking an edge and a corner that constantly crisscross randomly from one spot on the cube to another.

Perhaps I should start by trying to track just one corner and hope its mating edge lands in a visible spot? Please help.

 

[Erzz]

Plan out your cross before hand, no matter how long it takes. Then do the cross slowly enough that you're able to see clearly where a pair is, or their relative locations (ie, back face, left face, etc). The best advice you can get in cubing other than "practice" is "go slow and look ahead". Also, try not to rotate the cube very much during cross and F2L. It makes it harder to track pieces. Seriously though, practice, you'll get faster.

 

[Zarxrax]

If you plan your cross in the inspection, then also look for a corner and an edge in inspection.
If you know what moves to make for your cross, then you dont have to hunt for an f2l pair... you just have to track it while you make the moves.

 

[Calvin Laza]

Isn't it hard to see what is on the other side if you don't rotate? Is tilting the cube to look OK as long as you don't re-grip? And how many corner-edge mates do you typically track? Is it better to just focus on corners, or it really needs to be be the whole pair?

 

[Erzz]

I personally track one at a time. It's better to track the whole pair, but just a corner should be fine to start. Also, during your cross you should be able to see whether or not the pair you are tracking has moved to the back of the cube. The way I subconsciously look for pieces is that if I see a black sticker (I use yellow, which is opposite Black) I immediately look at a different piece. I don't know if that helps, but good luck.

 

[masteranders1]

Practice doing your cross blindfolded. This will help you not concentrate on the cross, and instead look for your first F2L pair. It helps as you don't have to look for every individual cross piece and then place them, instead you just look ahead to F2L.

 

[Calvin Laza]

I'm having trouble enough with my eyes open, how the heck am I track pairs if I blindfold myself!?

But I do know what you meant when you said "blindfolded", you meant "muscle-memory". Like I said in my original post I was trying to do exactly that but I was getting dizzy and cross-eyed so I asked for people to share their secrets and special techniques.

 

[Rpotts]

how do you get cross eyed with your eyes closed?

 

[Calvin Laza]

No, dude, I only get cross-eyed when I track the edge piece with my left eye and its corner mate with my right eye, or the other way around.

I suppose doing it with my eyes closed would be one way to solve the problem...

 

[MichaelP.]

No, dude, I only get cross-eyed when I track the edge piece with my left eye and its corner mate with my right eye, or the other way around.

I suppose doing it with my eyes closed would be one way to solve the problem...

Don't look at the edge at all. Track one corner and then find it's edge quickly once the cross is solved.

 

[FatBoyXPC]

I'd say you're probably too new to be puttying too much worry on the Cross to first pair transition. Don't get me wrong, I'm a strong advocate of working on recognition situations long before you're ever "due to," because it certainly helps in the long run.

How well can you do the cross in 8 or fewer moves? 99%, 75%, 50%, etc.
How fast is your F2L only (not including the cross)?

I suggest doing this (since you're so fresh): When learning to build a cross, find a way to make/preserve an F2L pair while solving the cross. Rowan Kinneavy gives 3 examples of this in this thread. Most of the time (especially if Opposite Neutral, something you should go ahead and work on as well), you can still do this in the 6-8 "optimal moves" if you just pay enough attention. Note: You don't have to have the F2L inserted in the correct slot (that's actually called x-cross). All you need is for it to make/preserve a pair (sometimes pairs are already built, you just need to not destroy it while making the cross). The pair can be in the wrong slot, inverted (pointing to U instead of D), or even ready for an RUR' type insert. It doesn't matter, but this not only tells you exactly where your first pair will be, but often you'll notice other corners will be easily tracked in U and you'll have an easier time spotting the 2nd pair. This boosts my F2L by 2s or so whenever I successfully do this.

 

[Calvin Laza]

This is very helpful, thanks, fatboyxpc.

I'm not going to answer your question about how fast my F2L is because I would embarrass myself pretty badly, but it is definitely the first pair insertion that is the most trouble. I'm at the point where I got every situation in F2L pretty much under control as soon as I spot a mating corner/edge. I never really counted the number of moves it takes me to solve the cross, but I'll take your advice.

MichaelP,
I'm not so sure about only tracking a corner. I try to always start with the white cross, and a few white corners always seem to land in plain sight by the time I finish the cross without putting any effort into tracking them. Finding their edge in the end feels about the same as difficult for me.

 

[Shack]

I think the best way to practise cross and F2L is to:
plan the cross
close your eyes
solve the cross
look for next pair
close your eyes
solve the pair
etch.

once you get used to that, you should try force yourself to look at ANY place on the cube (besides the cross)
once you get that down, try to look for next pair

this helped me a whole lot

 

[PowerChan]

i give you one suggestion: you, move to a new place, like Yard, rooftop. and slowly solve

 

[sonicalex10]

Where can I find a good F2L guide. I tried watching pi's tutorial on it, but it is to confusing for me.

 

[danthecuber]

How I learned intuitive F2L

 

[sonicalex10]

Thanks. I'll have to watch it when I get a chance.

 

[maggot]

Badmephisto is pretty good... you can also learn a lot from yourself, but it takes much patience...

For cross to f2l transistion, I would not worry so much if you are too embarrassed to give us your f2l time. Work on making your cross efficient and become more comfortable with f2l in general. Once you are more comfortable with f2l and you aren't making beginners crosses, the transition will become more natural. With f2l lookahead practice, your transistion will become as effortless as finding any f2l pair during your solve. A tip from me is to learn your color scheme. don't just make same or opposite color crosses, be sure to know the cross color relation no matter how they align with the centers. This will dramatically reduce cube rotations and will allow for easier transistion. Also, do not stall too much once the cross is finished. I remember when I first started with f2l, I was not used to looking for edges... and when I saw a corner, my first instinct was to insert it. It seems like a huge hassle to find the first edge to match your corner because there is so much going on. Just relax and try to block out the pieces that have opposite cross stickers as much as possible. Just go for it!

 

[FatBoyXPC]

http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/s...zation-required.-(Videos)&p=499228#post499228

Another F2L tutorial for you guys.

Calvin: If you want F2L help, you should post your time Preferably a video of you doing an average 5 or average 12 of F2L only videos (excluding cross as well, IE, build cross, inspect, execute F2L). You say it's embarrassing, I say it's can be used as a tool to help you get faster Besides, nothing feels greater than the feeling of accomplishment (alright, that's not entirely true, but you get my point!). Weeks/months/years later when you (look at or think of) this thread, you'll remember what a noob you were and have a good laugh. Just a year ago, I was incredibly slow and was going to my first competition. I wasn't sub30 yet, almost but not quite. This past november, I achieved 16.75 official average. That day felt great. Patience is the key Oh, and perfect practice, not just practice (IE target your practices, don't just solve over and over again. You learn much faster this way!)!

 

[danthecuber]

Yeah, but just by doing solves I improved my PB average of 12 by 7 seconds in a week, so sometimes just having patience and doing solves can improve your times. Also, comparing to myself, looking back to Christmas brek, I was using LBL and my pb was 1:16.xx, and I though I would never beat that. But now my ao12 is 29.xx, so definitely patience and practice are key. You will improve very gradually, but just don't expexct TOO MUCH TOO FAST.