[Help Thread] CFOP Discussion

Megaminxer said:
Hello!
I've been cubing for about a year and my times haven't dropped at all. Partially because I don't have a good speedcube and partially because I've been focusing on other events and mainly collecting (still need to get free-slicing down!). I've considered switching to Roux as well. Should I learn F2l and start the road to CFOP or something else? What can I do to get better (at the very least sub 40?)
Click to expand...
Learn CFOP, starting with F2L
 
Guys, I suck at making the cross. I am at sub30 and it takes me aromd 4 to 7 secs for the cross. Please help. =(
 
To get better, try making your cross in 8 moves or less, this is a tip to get more efficient.
Once your more efficient, then start one-looking your cross every solve, or do the cross blindfolded until you can do this consistently.

Once you can do it blindfolded then start increasing TPS. However always maintain lookahead.

Honestly, the cross isn't that important when your sub 30 and you average 4-7 seconds, I average sub 20 yet I still average 4 seconds for the cross.
 
Hello!
I've been cubing for about 2.5 months and I'm now a sub 35 solver. Within the previous month, I improved my times from 55 to 35 seconds by learning full pll, f2l lookahead, and I started planning my cross before solving. Now I've ran to a problem. I can't improve my times in any way. My lookahead is good in F2L. My cross takes about 4,5 seconds, F2L 16, OLL 5,8 and PLL 4 seconds. Does anyone have tips for me?
 
Got it in 35 seconds. Would have been 32 if it wasn't for that fail in F2L where I accidentally put a pair to the wrong place. I also had a pause in oll, and before pll when I tried to recognize the case.
 
WombatWarrior17 said:
You need to work on f2l lookahead, efficiency, recognition, and rotations.
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Do you have any tips for practising those? Is intuitive F2L good enough or should I learn all the algorithms? I can pretty much solve an F2L pair eyes closed, and I have pretty much every case in my muscle memory, but I've never learned any algorithms for F2L.
 
aNub said:
Do you have any tips for practising those? Is intuitive F2L good enough or should I learn all the algorithms? I can pretty much solve an F2L pair eyes closed, and I have pretty much every case in my muscle memory, but I've never learned any algorithms for F2L.
Click to expand...
The best advice that I can give you is to go to CubeSkills.com, it's a website by Feliks Zemdegs. I have found it to be very helpful on multiple occasions and it will have everything you need there.
 
1. Your hands are too jittery. This might be because you're uploading a video of yourself for complete strangers to see, or it might be something that's happening in your usual solves too. (If it's the former, then this is irrelevant; if it's the latter, try to turn calmly rather than with brute force.)

2. Cross is kinda bad because of the rotations. Generally, avoid rotations while solving your cross as much as possible. (It also looks like you might not have planned out the full cross here.)

3. F2L efficiency is meh. Red-green (your first pair) could have been done in two triggers (you used three). Apart from the rotations (already mentioned by WombatWarrior17), the third and fourth pairs look fine efficiency-wise, although you might want to learn an alg for the case you got in the last slot (flipping a single edge).

4. F2L lookahead needs work too. The transition between the first pair and the second (free!) pair took something like a whole second.

5. Learn a proper OLL alg. R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 U2 R is faster than doing two Sunes. (You don't have to learn all of OLL at once, but at least for two-look OLL, use good two-look OLL algs.)

6. You mentioned this in your post already, so I'm guessing you already know this is a weakness you have: LL recognition pauses.
 
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xyzzy said:
1. Your hands are too jittery. This might be because you're uploading a video of yourself for complete strangers to see, or it might be something that's happening in your usual solves too. (If it's the former, then this is irrelevant; if it's the latter, try to turn calmly rather than with brute force.)

2. Cross is kinda bad because of the rotations. Generally, avoid rotations while solving your cross as much as possible. (It also looks like you might not have planned out the full cross here.)

3. F2L efficiency is meh. Red-green (your first pair) could have been done in two triggers (you used three). Apart from the rotations (already mentioned by WombatWarrior17), the third and fourth pairs look fine efficiency-wise, although you might want to learn an alg for the case you got in the last slot (flipping a single edge).

4. F2L lookahead needs work too. The transition between the first pair and the second (free!) pair took something like a whole second.

5. Learn a proper OLL alg. R U2 R2 U' R2 U2 R2 U2 R is faster than doing two Sunes. (You don't have to learn all of OLL at once, but at least for two-look OLL, use good two-look OLL algs.)

6. You mentioned this in your post already, so I'm guessing you already know this is a weakness you have: LL recognition pauses.
Click to expand...
Thanks for answering!
1. That doesn't happen in my usual solves. It was because of the video.
2. I understand this. I tried to plan as much as I could, but that cross was a bit hard. I'll practise it more.
3. Yeah, my efficiency in the first and usually the second pair is pretty bad. Could you explain how I could've done it in two triggers?
4. I just started slowing down and practising lookahead after filming that video.
5. Alright, thanks.
6. Trying to practise recognition too.
 
aNub said:
3. Yeah, my efficiency in the first and usually the second pair is pretty bad. Could you explain how I could've done it in two triggers?
Click to expand...
(btw I typoed the OLL alg in my earlier post and I've fixed it)

This is the case you got as your first pair. (Ignore the other F2L pairs and look at only red-green.)

What you did: R U2 R' U' y U2' R U R' U2 R U' R'
Set up, rotate, insert: U' R U' R' y' L U L'
Rotate, set up, insert: y' R U' R' U' L U L'

These two alternatives require some free slot. If you get this case in your last slot, here's another alternative that doesn't require free slots: y U2 R U' R' U R U R'.
 
xyzzy said:
(btw I typoed the OLL alg in my earlier post and I've fixed it)

This is the case you got as your first pair. (Ignore the other F2L pairs and look at only red-green.)

What you did: R U2 R' U' y U2' R U R' U2 R U' R'
Set up, rotate, insert: U' R U' R' y' L U L'
Rotate, set up, insert: y' R U' R' U' L U L'

These two alternatives require some free slot. If you get this case in your last slot, here's another alternative that doesn't require free slots: y U2 R U' R' U R U R'.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much. Do you know any good videos that would teach me more efficient f2l, or should I just watch some example solves?
 
Hey I am now averaging about 35 sec and I can't improve.... I think it's the last layer I am struggling with because I can complete first two layers within 22 sec (mostly 20 sec but at times I mess up:p ) please help...... And what would be ideal solve time for a guy who has first two layers within 22 sec??
 
Dude Blu said:
Hey I am now averaging about 35 sec and I can't improve.... I think it's the last layer I am struggling with because I can complete first two layers within 22 sec (mostly 20 sec but at times I mess up:p ) please help...... And what would be ideal solve time for a guy who has first two layers within 22 sec??
Click to expand...

If you are struggling with f2l then I would suggest just practicing that for a while not even doing full solves but if it is oll and pll you struggle at then I would suggest just practicing and getting faster at those algs (solve your cube and keep doing the alg until you feel like your getting faster) also you can try this video
yes i know it says sub 20 but still you can try his tips
 
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