Older cubers discussions

Jason Green said:
I realize this has probably been discussed a lot on here, so sorry for repeating. I'm sure you all understand since us old folks can't remember much (except a few hundred cube algs).

What do you recommend for first learning 2x2? I prefer to learn something I can get good with. Like I think it's pointless to learn beginner 3x3 because CFOP seems easy enough IMO. So with that in mind?

Also while I'm at it how about 4x4? I've done that a time or two but never for speed.

Just really looking for brief suggestions to look into, so you don't overwhelm my simple mind. ;)
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I also recommend Ortega for 2x2.
I suggest looking at Hoya for 4x4. It's really just a matter of personal preference but it's simple and intuitive. I also never enjoyed practicing Yau as much as I do Hoya.
 
Just in the hypothetical case that I were bored with 3x3 and had decided to start learning bld right now... does it matter which orientation you chose to use in bld? for example I would probably choose yellow on top and black (red) on front because it's the one I am more used to solve with Roux.
 
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EvilGnome6 said:
Go with Ortega. It's relatively easy because you can reuse a lot of CFOP algs and you can get really fast with it.
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I agree with this advice. Start with your regular OCLL algs then you only need to learn 3 PBL algs to start using Ortega.

You can soon start learning better algs and I'd suggest knowing 2 algs for each case, minimising AUF and avoiding z2 rotations.

Chris Olson has a page with decent Ortega algs.
 
muchacho said:
Just in the hypothetical case that I were bored with 3x3 and had decided to start learning bld right now... does it matter which orientation you chose to use in bld? for example I would probably choose yellow on top and black (red) on front because it's the one I am more used to solve with Roux.
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It's a personal preference. I took yellow on top because I solve with this orientation. And I think this is only important for CFOP users. Front color doestn matter. But if you are Roux solver I would recommend to take the orientation you choose for Roux. If I remember good, you are not CN in any orientation. It will be easier for you in the beginning when you learn your letter scheme.
 
I try to be CN... but (hopefully just for now) I do like 60% of my timed solves with that orientation, I hope that helps to find the pieces in bld (by the way, in the beginning bld is hell, so much to learn).

Another question, I've seen some scrambles that only touches the corners (like D2 L' B2 R B2 D2 R' F2 R2 F2 L F L F2 D2 R2 D2 R' F), is there a tool to get scrambles only for corners (or edges)? maybe with cube explorer?
 
muchacho said:
Another question, I've seen some scrambles that only touches the corners (like D2 L' B2 R B2 D2 R' F2 R2 F2 L F L F2 D2 R2 D2 R' F), is there a tool to get scrambles only for corners (or edges)? maybe with cube explorer?
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To scramble corners only, I scramble with triple sexy's. Do 10 or so from random directions and the corners will be sufficiently scrambled, at least for beginning to learn blind methods, I think.

Someone mentioned commutators in this thread the other day, so I looked up a video to see what the fuzz is about, and now I'm hooked. Spent all evening yesterday just scrambling the corners and solving with 3-cycles. I love this method! It basically turns the cube into an actual logic puzzle, instead of a memory game. Finding the solutions for the first couple of cases was very slow, but then it clicked and became very intuitive. Before going to bed I even tried doing corners blind once. Obviously it was very slow, but got it right... almost. Forgot to AUF after the last alg I did to orient the last two corners... I probably should spend time working on basic solving for now, but if/when I eventually decide to learn blind, I'll for sure go straight to commutators for the corners.
 
muchacho said:
Another question, I've seen some scrambles that only touches the corners (like D2 L' B2 R B2 D2 R' F2 R2 F2 L F L F2 D2 R2 D2 R' F), is there a tool to get scrambles only for corners (or edges)? maybe with cube explorer?
Click to expand...

Cstimer has an option of scrambling only corners or edges.
 
JanW said:
I probably should spend time working on basic solving for now, but if/when I eventually decide to learn blind, I'll for sure go straight to commutators for the corners.
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Much better option is to learn Old Pochman for corners. In comms there are several hard cases. And not every 3cycle you can do straight. I've learnt it the way Noah suggested - first learn all 3cycles going through the OP target, that is UBL to RFD to every sticker. Next UBL to two left stickers from RF. And after that - all comms. To solve corners with 3cycles without any problem you must make a lot of solves. So dont start comms before you are quite good with OP. I mean till you can solve corners with OP without any problem.
 
h2f said:
So dont start comms before you are quite good with OP. I mean till you can solve corners with OP without any problem.
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Are there alternative algs to do the adjusted Y alg thing? I mean for corners. Is there a different alg that also switches two corners and the BU and LU edges?

EDIT, I hate it so much because my mussle memory REALLY wants to perform normal Y alg.
 
MarcelP said:
Are there alternative algs to do the adjusted Y alg thing? I mean for corners. Is there a different alg that also switches two corners and the BU and LU edges?

EDIT, I hate it so much because my mussle memory REALLY wants to perform normal Y alg.
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For some targets I used Ja or Jb perm. For example for UFL I did U2, Jb perm, U2. For UBR you can do Ja perm. For some targets I used normal Y perm. For example FDR i did R Yperm R'. Etc. But theres not many options in OP. Only Y perm and its modification. I hated it too and started learn comms when I was averaging around 3 minutes, but in fact it was too early to do it.

Edit: I think if you use Ja perm like this: R' U L' U2 R U' R' U2 R L you can find some alternative options for some targets.
 
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h2f said:
Much better option is to learn Old Pochman for corners. In comms there are several hard cases. And not every 3cycle you can do straight. I've learnt it the way Noah suggested - first learn all 3cycles going through the OP target, that is UBL to RFD to every sticker. Next UBL to two left stickers from RF. And after that - all comms. To solve corners with 3cycles without any problem you must make a lot of solves. So dont start comms before you are quite good with OP. I mean till you can solve corners with OP without any problem.
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Not sure if I understand the reasoning here. What are the long term benefits of learning the slower method first? Learning to solve quickly with comms will for sure take a lot of solves, so why delay those solves? Sure some cases are more difficult than others, but I've done dozens of corner solves by now, I mean solving all corners of the cube with comms, and haven't yet encountered anything that couldn't be figured out. I don't see it as learning cases, it's all intuitive. With time it would probably become more case-like thinking, just like intuitive F2L.

Keep in mind I don't do standard CFOP, so don't know the basic algs you use for OP.
 
It was a bad session (34 seconds mean after 11 solves), but then... single, Mo3 and Ao5 PBs :)

Old PBs -> New ones
22.621 -> 22.295
26.936 -> 26.320
26.936 -> 26.320

26.374 D2 R2 U' L2 D' B2 L2 D R2 U2 B2 R D' B2 U' R F R' U F' L2
23.902 L2 U' B2 U2 L2 B2 R2 D' R2 F2 D' L' D' U2 F' U2 B F2 R2 F2
28.686 U B2 D2 B2 U2 L2 D' B2 F2 R2 U2 L' B2 D B U L' U' R2 F' R'
32.255 R2 U' L2 U2 F2 U F2 D' R2 U' R' B' U' F' D2 R' U2 F U2 F'
22.295 U R2 U F2 L2 U' R2 U' B2 F2 L2 F' L' B2 R U L' F' U' L2 D
 
Today I was filming a nice average (Ao12 sub 18..) After a few nice solves (some 16's in a row) I thought 'let's not mess that up'.. And then I had a twenty... bleh... then back to 16.. and then...

I saw the X-cross in inspection, but I got lucky and got a double X-cross :)
Reconstruction: see on alg.cubing.net

Edit: Cube MoYu TangLong, 48 moves in 10.84 secs = 4.4 TPS
 
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MarcelP said:
Today I was filming a nice average (Ao12 sub 18..) After a few nice solves (some 16's in a row) I thought 'let's not mess that up'.. And then I had a twenty... bleh... then back to 16.. and then...

I saw the X-cross in inspection, but I got lucky and got a double X-cross :)
Reconstruction: see on alg.cubing.net
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9u6e8q4aPc&feature=youtu.be

Edit: Cube MoYu TangLong, 48 moves in 10.84 secs = 4.4 TPS
Click to expand...
Sweet! I think you have a sub 10 right? Do you know where this ranks on your bests?
 
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