Boot Camp? How to get started? (CFOP)

[MrDetermination]

Hardware I have down. I learned this solution years ago: link
Basically: White cross, 3 white corners, 2Lcorners under those corners, bottom cross and remaining edge, position corners, orient corners. I do everything intuitively and use a simple alg to position corners and another simple alg to orient corners.

I keep coming back to the cube and am motivated to learn it "for real".

I get that there are different methods, I understand what finger tricks are in theory and "see" a couple of them, I get that I need to look ahead are and I can read notation. I downloaded several "cheat sheets" but its still a daunting ocean of stuff to learn and I'm not really sure where to start. So many of the threads here I can tell will be extremely useful later on but right now they just sound like high level theory/philosophy.

Which order do I learn these algs in? Where do I stop and take breaks to I can truly internalize what I've learned so far? Which finger tricks do I start with?

Is there a resource somewhere that breaks CFOP in to stages or levels of difficulty?

I want a roadmap!

Thanks!

 

[Gordon]

Maybe this helps:
http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/s...-to-Get-Faster-using-the-Fridrich-CFOP-Method

 

[MWilson]

For algorithms, learn 2-look OLL (2LOLL) and 2-look PLL (2LPLL)so that you are able to solve any last layer with decent efficiency. Don't try to take on too many algorithms at once, just pick one and learn it until you don't have to think anymore to perform it. Don't worry about being fast for now.

In the mean time, learn the concepts behind F2L pair making in CFOP, and try out Roux and ZZ. Once you at least understand the process behind those methods, find some example solves of them and see how experienced solvers perform those methods. Whichever one appeals to you, focus on it. The 2-look algorithms can be used for the algorithmic steps of all three methods. 2LOLL then 2LPLL for CFOP, 1LOLL then 2LPLL for ZZ, and one look for orientation then one for permutation for the corners in Roux. It's not efficient, but it's enough to get used to the flow and more important important parts of whichever method for sure.

Of course, there are more methods than those three, so search around and experiment.

As for finger tricks, it's hard to say without seeing you solve in a video. It's just something that comes with practice if you simply try to mimic what you see in people's videos, albeit at slow speed. Turning the cube quickly with finger tricks becomes as subconscious as walking after a while.

For CFOP specifically, look for Rido's hunting story and badmephisto on youtube.

 

[Datak]

Do your f2ls slowly and look at another pair while putting in an f2l

 

[maggot]

i watched the video of your method. this is a very intriguing beginner method. i would like to point out some things that differ from your method and some intermediate steps i would reccomend.

1. cross is typically solved on the bottom. this is not important and you can solve it in any fashion you like, however, on the bottom is the norm. intermediate cross solution would be to memorize your colorscheme for your cube. know that yellow is opposite of white and with white on the bottom you go red, blue, orange, green going clockwise. this will help you construct your cross more efficiently.

2. learn to solve the corner and edge piece in the bottom 2 layers at the same time (with the cross on bottom). this involves finding the corner and its corresponding edge, pairing them together, and then inserting the whole pair into its corresponding "slot". the method you currently use is very similar to what we call the keyhole method. it is a good method to understand and sometimes a keyhole insertion is a very effective way to solve particular case.

3. solve all 4 corner edge slots before orienting/permuting corners/edges on the top layer. there will no longer be a need to leave one corner/edge slot open to finish the cube. the algorithms for OLL and PLL are to be applied after the F2L is completed.

4. the OLL algorithms are pretty daunting. there is hope. 2 look OLL. you should understand how to orient a cross on the top layer using 2 very simple algs. F R U R' U' F' for 2 opposite edges oriented, F U R U' R' F' (or y2 f R U R' U' f') for 2 adjacent edges oriented, or a combination of both for no edges oriented. once you have constructed the cross on the top layer, there are 7 or 8? algs to learn instead of the huge alg count required for full OLL.

5. PLL. there is hope for that too. instead of 21 cases you can boil this down to a few algs as well with 2 look PLL. with 2 look PLL there is a couple of algorithms that cycle the corners around and a few that cycle the edges. you will just deal with the edges and corners seperately.

how most people tackle learning cfop:
-learn how to solve the F2L intuitively with corner edge pair and solve last layer with beginner methods
-learn 2 look OLL and 2 look PLL
-learn full PLL
-learn full OLL
-learn f2l algs for bad cases and/or cross optimization technique
-relearn PLL/OLL algs for bad or slow cases and or multiple cases for different angles for the same case

the transistion from beginner method to CFOP with the method you are currently using will be pretty difficult. however, it is just difficult in general, regardless of what beginner method you use. expect your times to go down quite considerably (if you have timed yourself with a beginner method). the key to CFOP is that it is extremely more efficient than a beginner method. learning to become efficient at making pairs without disturbing the rest of the cube takes a bit of time. be patient.

with fingertricks, a lot of those just come with time. when you are learning 2 look OLL and 2 look PLL, look up some slow motion videos of each case and see how they perform the alg. some of the fingertricks on youtube are EXTREMELY personalized and are not for everyone. you will eventually find your own fingertricky ways to solve cases quickly. if you do not own a speedcube, or at the very least a lubed and broken in rubiks brand, fingertricks can seem almost impossible. once you have held in your hands a broken in and lubed speedcube, you will understand how to perform fingertricks. it just comes naturally.

good luck =)

 

[speedpicker]

Great advice there maggot. +1

 

[MrDetermination]

Killer responses guys; thank you very much.

I think my plan is to watch RiDo's hunting story until I get how to do F2L intuitively - using alg app on my phone to "cheat" OLL/PLL for now. Once I get Rido's way down I think I'll go to 2LOLL and 2LPLL and stop/reread this then. Fingertricks I'll revisit at that time, too.

Does that get me to a place where I can practice without looking at apps/cheat sheets and add incrementally/sporadically?

 

[MrDetermination]

Hi guys,

I just wanted to check in. I am able to recall the 2LOLL/PLL ALGs from BadMephisto 90% of the time now... sometimes they take a minute. I'm *trying* to do the cross on the bottom without peeking. I'm *trying* not to do cube rotations. And I'm *trying" to look ahead in F2L. I do understand RiDo's hunting story now but that is still by far my biggest time suck. Overall I'm ~2 minute solves ~ 2.5 weeks in to this. The look ahead is coming slow but I think I'm on a good path. Thanks again.

 

[SVNooberCuber]

Look at these links:
http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/s...-to-Get-Faster-using-the-Fridrich-CFOP-Method
http://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php/Road_to_Sub-15_Second_Averages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad2NdgoAg8I&list=PL4A19F1D174B975BD&index=5

 

[Smiles]

this may not be optimal for everyone, but i learned pretty quickly and i can tell you my process to sub-whatever.
i main CFOP, and i have been learning Roux recently, my times have been increasing quickly and i'm applying the same concepts i used to learn CFOP.

1. solve a lot. just turning the cube gradually increases your understanding of the cube, or your method.

2. DON'T worry about the algorithms. you can keep your 2 look OLL/PLL until you straighten out your F2L, because algs can just be practiced and drilled. F2L takes time. (for roux, i'm working on blockbuilding and looking ahead instead of the CMLL algorithms)

3. work on the most intuitive/abstract part(s) of the solve. For CFOP, this would be the cross and especially the F2L. however, the cross can't really be improved much at a certain point, but you'll know when you're there.

4. work on muscle memory. if your muscles know it, you won't forget it. once you've done F2L enough, you'll slowly start to think of the different corner-edge positions as cases (algorithms, kinda) instead of a process of insertion. once that happens, you'll be good enough to blast through each pair at full speed, however, the look ahead is the next part.

5. LOOK AHEAD. once you have your F2L cases in muscle memory, then it won't be hard to look ahead. right now that might be impossible since you can't solve an F2L pair without looking at it, but once you're fast at them, you won't need your eyes and you can just glance around the cube for your next pieces.

when i was learning Roux LSE, i didn't look ahead one bit (even though i know how important it is). it was way too much to focus on. first figuring out the case, then doing it, then thinking about the next step. but once i was fluent at each case and recognizing my next step immediately, i started focusing on looking ahead.


again, looking ahead is VERY important. but if you push yourself too hard, you might just learn everything slower than you could be. im not saying don't look ahead yet, but don't try to force it until you're comfortable with the F2L cases.

and as an extra that might help,

6. don't worry about the timer. at this point it's only for keeping track of your progress. i remember when i first became sub-30, and getting a personal best of 19 seconds was a VERY big deal. looking back, it's not.
but now with Roux, i'm not worrying as much about how fast i can solve the cube, but more about whether or not i'm actually learning and practicing the skills required EVERY solve. i've learned that it's not about the outcome of that one solve you're doing, because if you apply all your skills and learn from every solve, the speed will come naturally.

 

[speedpicker]

i'm not worrying as much about how fast i can solve the cube, but more about whether or not i'm actually learning and practicing the skills required EVERY solve. i've learned that it's not about the outcome of that one solve you're doing, because if you apply all your skills and learn from every solve, the speed will come naturally.

Superb point +1