Extended Cross

[immortal technique]

Hello there!
I'm new in this forum. I've been cubing for 6 months now, learnt full Fridrich and average about 33sec by now. With much much practise I cut my Cross-time down to 4-6 sec, the F2L takes me about 15 sec, LL I think 10.
Now the question :

DO YOU TOPCUBERS ALWAYS MAKE THE EXTENDED CROSS? And is it absolutely necessary to know 2x2 block building of Petrus' method as described on Chris Hardwick's page?

 

[joey]

No. You can be very fast without using an extended cross. Sometimes, unless you are very fluent, and extended cross can actually slow you down. I only make extended cross for very easy cases.

 

[hdskull]

yea i agree with joey, u usually just do a cross, but if it's so easy that it's shouting at u, then u make an extended cross.

as least that's how i cube, and i know for a fact u can reduce ur times by at least 10 secs w/o doing it(look at my times).

i've been speedcubing since mar 07.

 

[Lotsofsloths]

whats an extended cross?

 

[Pedro]

extended cross = cross + 1st F2L pair

 

[immortal technique]

OK, thanks. Then I'll be working on a morefluent F2L and a faster LL recognition first.

 

[Jilvin]

Yeah, cross is very underrated and often overlooked.

Judging by your times, if you really get good at executing the cross you could cut up to 2 or 3 seconds off your average.

Practice recognition for F2L and get that down before getting very advanced with the LL. You can cut about 6 or 7 secs off if you are able to execute that well!

 

[yish]

I find delays a lot more important than people make them out to be. Each pause can steal not just the looking time, but also the fluidity of the movement.

But extended cross is useful I find if you can do it in the maximum 5 seconds. that is if you want to sub 20. >< but i realise my sub 11s were all double extended..