[Help Thread] Algorithm Memorization Discussion

[wir3sandfir3s]

I've noticed that there aren't too many set strategies for learning Algs quickly (if there are and I just completely missed them, then whatever). So I'll share one that's been working for me with ZZ-CT.
1. Break your Algs into sub groups, if you haven't already. They should be organized by a constant part of recognition. For example, notice how each group in the following link is organized by "bars" (really just corner colors) which are a major constant in recognitions. TTLL algs
2. Have all the Algs in front of you
3. Start on the list and get the first one deep into your muscle memory. Then move onto the second, and keep adding on. This seems pretty generic so far, right?
4. Each time you add an alg to your muscle memory, go back up the list in reverse order, performing all the other Algs, then back to the last alg you learned and add one more. Repeat.
5. The steps above just get the Algs into muscle memory, so you might not recognize the cases quite yet. Use a flash card app, such as Quizlet or Anki to drill recog for a specified number of cases (the ones you just learned). Move on to next subset. Go back and drill recognition and muscle memory occasionally.
Works for me. Pretty simple. Hope this helped

 

[Sidplusk]

I'm learning oll and pll and want to know any tips for memorizing algs.

 

[JustinTimeCuber]

Try to break algs down into short, easy "triggers" e.g.:

OLL cases-
(setup: F R' F' R U R U R')

The most common alg for this one is R U R' U' R' F R F'. This is one of almost everyone's favorite OLLs. It breaks down into 2 commutators which are easily fingertrickable:
(R U R' U') (R' F R F')

(setup: R U R' U' R' F R F')
The most common alg for this one is F R U' R' U' R U R' F'.* It is also pretty easy:
(F R U' R') U' (R U R' F')
You'll notice that the parts in parentheses are inverses of one another.

*There's a shorter but slightly less fluid OLLCP for this one which is F R' F' R U R U' R'.

PLL:
Some PLLs are just 2 OLLs preformed in succession. Most obvious is the Y perm:
(F R U' R') U' (R U R' F') (R U R' U') (R' F R F')

The T perm is an "easy" PLL and it also kinda does this:
(R U R' U') (R' F R F') (F R U' R') U' (R U R' F')
but the moves in bold cancel to R2, so we get
(R U R' U') (R' F) R2 (U' R') U' (R U R' F')

Or you can just do them over and over and over if that works for you

 

[shadowslice e]

I'm learning oll and pll and want to know any tips for memorizing algs.

There are 4 main ways but they all interlink and are most effective when used together:
1) Pair tracking: OLL and PLL algs don't usually break up F2L pairs so you can see where the pieces move to.
2) Triggers: many algs are also made up of very common and very fingertickable short sequences of moves called triggers so by memorising a series of those, you can often learn faster. Examples of this are the sexy, sledgehammer and their inverses.
3) Muscle memory: as much as I hate to say this, for certian algs, the best way to learn them is to sit down and drill the algs until they stick.
4) I don't know a short term for this but you can train yourself to be able to "undo" certain algs so you only need to learn half of the moves and your brain will already sort of see how you can finish the alg.

For example, here is how I learned the J and Y perms:
J-perm: Take out the pair (R U R'), hide the pair (F), Sexy (R U R' U'), Undo (F' R U' R')
Y-perm: F, hide the pair (R U' R'), U, Undo (R U R' F'), Sexysledge (technically an OLL alg but it can be a trigger too- (sexy (R U R' U'), sledgehammer (R' F R F')). The Y-perm is also just a combination of two OLL algs.

 

[JustinTimeCuber]

Notice that R U R' F' and F R U' R' both keep F2L pieces in the F2L and LL pieces in the LL. Therefore, doing R U R' F' <LL alg> F R U' R' will do nothing to the F2L and only change the LL. (You can also do the triggers on opposite sides of the alg.) For instance, (F R U' R') U' (R U R' F') is set up like this, with the LL "alg" being simply U'. A Jb perm, then, is (R U R' F') (R U R' U') (R' F R F) (F R U' R'), which cancels to the J perm that everyone uses.

 

[Brandon wilmoth]

I have recently joined this website looking for help on F2L but now that I can do that I am learning OLLand PLL. I was wondering what is the fastest way to learn 2 look OLL.

 

[Abo]

Just sit down and learn an alg or two per day, it isn't the fastest but it is easy, or you could just drill cases and algs if you really want

 

[alisterprofitt]

Honestly, there's no shortcut to learning algs fast. You just need to repeat the alg until it's stuck in muscle memory. Some people say that tracking the movement of F2L pairs helps them to learn algorithms as well. The more algs you memorize, the better you get at memorizing algs, especially since there are some algs that are very similar (For example the T perm and Jb perm). I'd also recommend learning 1 or 2 a day to start out.

 

[MunchPotato]

Hey there!

I'm a bit confused. I'm learning two look OLL and PLL, and I would like to know how to memorize all the algorithms.

Do you just keep solving the cube while looking at the algorithms until the moves are in your muscle memory, or do you need to study them? e.g. Like studying for an exam.

After oll and pll I'm going to learn intuitive F2L by badmephisto.

Thank you for taking your time to help me!

 

[genericcuber666]

learn muscle memory, its better if you get your algs form algdb.net although it may be confusing.

 

[Xxcookid123xX]

Hi, I currently need to memorize the algorithm R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2 for solving the 3x3x3 cube without looking at it, but I can't ever memorize it. Any good way?

 

[CubingGenius]

Hi, I currently need to memorize the algorithm R' F R' B2 R F' R' B2 R2 for solving the 3x3x3 cube without looking at it, but I can't ever memorize it. Any good way?

Try to do the algorithm at least 20 times in a row. You will probably remember it by then.

 

[Xxcookid123xX]

Try to do the algorithm at least 20 times in a row. You will probably remember it by then.

Thanks, that worked. I probably should of thought of that myself, guess I had a brain fart. I now can solve the entire 3x3 without paper!

 

[CubingGenius]

Thanks, that worked. I probably should of thought of that myself, guess I had a brain fart. I now can solve the entire 3x3 without paper!

It's quite hard to learn algorithms at first, but as you learn more it gets easier and easier.

Good job learning how to solve the cube!

 

[dskids]

I'm a little over half way done learning full OLL and as I continue to tack on more and more algs, I'm having trouble recalling them sometimes and getting confused as to which algs apply to which cases.

I've used CStimer to generate last layer scrambles and just grind last layer solves for a while, but with so many different OLL cases I can often go entire sessions without seeing one of my recent cases once.

Got any suggestions for a way to grind OLL recognition and execution?

 

[FastCubeMaster]

Learning algs is good for you because the more you do it, the more tricks you discover on your own. For example 3 years ago when I was learning 4x4 OLL parity and it was one of the first algs I learnt, it took several days and a TON of time. Just recently I learned a new, faster one, and could perform it at top speed literally 30 seconds after learning it. I've never really looked at these threads and got help there, you just figure them out on your own

 

[TwistAL]

I'm a little over half way done learning full OLL and as I continue to tack on more and more algs, I'm having trouble recalling them sometimes and getting confused as to which algs apply to which cases.

I've used CStimer to generate last layer scrambles and just grind last layer solves for a while, but with so many different OLL cases I can often go entire sessions without seeing one of my recent cases once.

Got any suggestions for a way to grind OLL recognition and execution?

I am also in the process of learning OLL's too, and I have a bit over half done. I have found this website (not mine) :
http://timothyaveni.com/cubing/oll-trainer/
You can click on "choose Oll" to select/un-select OLL's you need/don't want.
It's pretty helpful to me for drilling specific OLL's.

 

[dskids]

I am also in the process of learning OLL's too, and I have a bit over half done. I have found this website (not mine) :
http://timothyaveni.com/cubing/oll-trainer/
You can click on "choose Oll" to select/un-select OLL's you need/don't want.
It's pretty helpful to me for drilling specific OLL's.

PERFECT!!! Thank you so much!

 

[TwistAL]

PERFECT!!! Thank you so much!

 

[Marc Ringuette]

I'm trying out using some personalized move letters so that my algorithms sound more like words. I wanted to take better advantage of my verbal memory in memorizing algs, and also to eliminate the problem of forgetting a prime. Has anyone tried something like this? I'm liking it so far.

As an example, I was memorizing Ortega for 2x2x2 yesterday.

My 7 OLL cases: rusuros, roseres, asir ures, ruse sari, tosot, rotetetor, fruseg
My 5 PBL cases: ruse sat eser usi, rese heru suy, rerysus, tyt, tetohet

As I practiced these, I babbled the pseudo-words under my breath and it made memo a lot smoother for me. I also found it pretty hilarious to babble my solves out loud to the non-cuber friend I was with.

Here's my code, with vowels placed so that they usually alternate with consonants given my solving style:

U U' U2 = u e o
R R' R2 = r s t
F F' F2 = f g h (also a i y, whichever sounds better)
L L' L2 = l k j
B B' B2 = b c p
D D' D2 = d v w
M M' M2 = m n z

By the way, I'm not suggesting that we communicate with each other using anything but the standard notation. This is for personal memo. People who use a lot of wide or slice moves won't like my code choices; they should probably tweak their own personal code to suit.

What do you think? Have you tried or seen anything similar? I've seen the BLD memo approaches, but that's all I found, so I thought I'd share this before I really commit to it. Thanks for any thoughts!