• Welcome to the Speedsolving.com, home of the web's largest puzzle community!
    You are currently viewing our forum as a guest which gives you limited access to join discussions and access our other features.

    Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community of 40,000+ people from around the world today!

    If you are already a member, simply login to hide this message and begin participating in the community!

[Help Thread] Am I Competition Ready?

AngelFire479

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
13
Location
England
YouTube
Visit Channel
So I've just recently started cubing, I found an old Rubik's cube before I moved and found entertainment in solving it once I figured it out. I then got more and more into it and bought a 4x4(Rubik's) 3x3(mirror Shengshou) 3x3(dyanV5 Stickerless) 2x2(lanlan) I am enjoying it as a pastime and have gotten better since I bought my Zanchi. My record is 56.33 and I have been cubing for almost 5 months(Am I Competition ready?), and have my own method for the corners of the first layer and the 2nd layer. MY QUESTION: When should I start considering to competively cube? What time that is? Any suggestions other than Finger-tricks would be very helpful. Thanks! P.S.-If you want to help me discover if my method exsists already please ask, I'd love help looking for it.
 

windhero

Member
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
777
Location
Finland
WCA
2013COCO01
YouTube
Visit Channel
Definitely yes. There is no speed req to enter to a contest; I'm sub20 and I still end up with the last ones. It's something you'll just have to accept. Even though you are probably not beating anyone there you can still enjoy seeing yourself progressing. I regret now that I never did enter a competition at my earlier stages.

The freebie tips would be to use CFOP or Roux and learn how to fingertrick, but if you dont want to consider those I can only suggest that you practice more. Remember that your stickerless dayan 3x3 is not competition legal and you need another cube (regular dayan with stickers for example) to compete.
 

AngelFire479

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
13
Location
England
YouTube
Visit Channel
NinjaStorm: Thank you, I'll remember that.:)
WindHero: Really? sub 30 with last place. Oh boy, i'm in for a surprise. What do you mean by CFOP and ROUX? I practice on most of my freetime(on the bus to school, Study hall, before bed) yes I know i'd have to buy another. Thank you though:)
 

Mikel

Premium Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
1,327
Location
Iowa, USA
WCA
2011MIKE01
YouTube
Visit Channel
If you can say "YES" to both of the following questions, I believe you are competition ready:

1) Can you solve a WCA puzzle within the time limit announced by the organizer? The time limit for the Rubik's cube is generally 10 minutes, but it depends on what the organizer has set up. Other events such as 4x4, 5x5, Megaminx, etc. have stricter time limits to keep the competition on schedule.

2) Are you familiar with the WCA Regulations? I would suggest reading it in its entirety, but Article A on "Speedsolving" is very informative. You should be familiar with the rules, so that you do not get disqualified for doing something you did not know was a violation.
 

Dapianokid

Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2013
Messages
214
I have some suggestions.
Learn about the whole speedcubing world. Do as MUCH research as you possibly can. You'll find that it will help you a whole lot.
You'll REALLY enjoy yourself at a comp. I'm sub-10, but I've never been to one. Just not in a part of the world where it's easy to do it.
My friend is slower than you and he can attest to how friendly the community is around the world. Seriously. It's not about winning. It's about meeting other cubers. Standing and staring in awe at the prodigies among you. Hangin' with the celebs and the newbs. Havin' fun! :D You're definitely comp ready if you know how to have fun.
 

AngelFire479

Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2013
Messages
13
Location
England
YouTube
Visit Channel
Thank you all, I think I'll attempt to get a stickered dyan for competitions and talk to my parents, I'm an American living in the UK, think they'll mind a foreigner at one of their comp's?
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2013
Messages
431
Location
Florida
WCA
2014TIUA01
Thank you all, I think I'll attempt to get a stickered dyan for competitions and talk to my parents, I'm an American living in the UK, think they'll mind a foreigner at one of their comp's?

Ofc they won't mind, cubing is an international hobby to be enjoyed by all!:D And from what I've heard, the Brit cubers are very nice and very fast.
 

AFatTick

Member
Joined
May 15, 2013
Messages
82
Location
Maryland
WCA
2013QIAN01
Competitions are more about having fun/learning new tricks/trying new cubes/making friends/and beating personal records. Most people don't go to win. I personally wouldn't go until you are sub-40 but it is up to you.
You cannot use stickerless cubes in a competition. You can either use your stiff Rubik's Cube, get a Stickered Speedcube, or borrow one from a friend or competitior.
Learn F2L. It will drop your time by at least 10 seconds. After that, practice look ahead.

If you decide to go, you will need to prepare!
Get a good 12 hours of sleep xD. If you live close to the competition, then you have more time to sleep! Get your cubes ready. Don't be nervous, it's all about having fun! I was nervous my first competition though, my hands were very jittery. Future competition will be okay though. GOOD LUCK! HAVE FUN!
 
Last edited:

MWilson

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2011
Messages
288
You can go with a 5 minute average if you want. It doesn't matter how fast you are, only that you want to go and enjoy it.
 
Top