[Member Intro] Hello everyone!

[mknippen]

Hello,

I'm Matthew, from Chicago, IL and brand new to the SpeedSolving .com forums. Here's a few things about me:

Cube Related:
I can solve 2x2, 3x3 ~30s, Clock, and 2x2 Blindfold. Looking to expand and get faster.
I do CFOP, and used most of the videos on Feliks's site, cubeskills.com
On 3x3, I know all PLL's, about half OLL's.
I've never done a competition before, but considering my first one next month.

Non Cube Related:
• I have a wife, a 2 year old daughter, and a second on the way.
• I make apps for iPhone and iPad.
• My favorite app that I wrote: Charge Running - Never Run Alone Again. (You get a trainer to coach and motivate you while running anywhere in the world!)
• I play the board game Go. Somewhere around a 10k. If you like Rubik's, you'd probably love Go.
• I'm a competitive water-skier. Slalom.
• I'm a sleight of hand magician

 

[AbsoRuud]

Magic is nifty. I watch a lot of YouTube videos about it. Also, what does 10K mean in regards to Go? I know nothing about Go except that it's about putting down black and white thingies. No disrespect meant.

 

[Mike Hughey]

I suspect 10k means 10 kyu, a ranking. I only know because I once was fairly interested in shogi (Japanese chess), which has a very similar ranking system. I was probably never even as high as a 10 kyu at shogi, unfortunately. And I can barely even play go (I guess I basically know the rules), although I admit it is a lot of fun.

Matthew, welcome! Hopefully I'll see you at a competition someday, since you're not that far away. It's always nice to find other older cubers in the area; most competitions around here tend to have an average competitor age of around 16. But don't let that scare you - there are usually at least one or two of us oldies at most of them.

 

[mknippen]

Thanks everyone!

10k = 10kyu, it's a ranking. When you learn the rules, you're about a 30kyu player. You then work your way up to 29k, 28k, all the way to 1k, then it flips to dan players. The rankings then go 1dan, 2dan, etc.. up to 9dan in some countries. Then there's professional levels after that. It's fascinating because with one number I know how to handicap the game I play against someone else. No matter who you play, there's always a way to have a fair game.

I'm thinking of doing my first competition next month in Wisconsin!