Older cubers discussions

If what you want is getting a random PLL every time and see how well you recognize it you can use a PLL scramble like those on csTimer.

Sounds nice but how to you get it to do PLL scrambles ? I can't seem to find that in its options.
 
Go to 3x3 scrambles on the left combo box ( the one you usually have on "WCA") and then choose PLL on the right one. I'm saying this from memory so I might be wrong.

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got it ! Thanks !

Go to 3x3 scrambles on the left combo box ( the one you usually have on "WCA") and then choose PLL on the right one. I'm saying this from memory so I might be wrong.

Sent from my Nexus 4 with Tapatalk
This is great !! The only thing it's missing is the ability to practice a subset of PLL's ie. the ones I learned the algs for so far :-)
 
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This is great !! The only thing it's missing is the ability to practice a subset of PLL's ie. the ones I learned the algs for so far :)
The lack of this feature should be good motivation to learn more algs. :) But even if you don't know the algs, you can still train recognition. It could be a good idea to learn to tell the difference between all cases already. (It's not necessary to be able to tell which a/b/c/d variant before you learn the algs, it's enough if you can tell if a G perm is a G perm.) Then when you identify a perm you don't know the alg for, you perform any known PLL alg in a random direction for another PLL case. Identify the next case and solve if you know the alg, otherwise do a random PLL alg again in a random direction.
 
Hahah, driving tests... that was a while ago. I actually failed my first one, but in hindsight this was a good thing. Upon failure, I was assigned a certain amount of extra lessons before retaking the test. As I took those lessons with another driving instructor, I learned that my first instructor had been really really bad. The reason I was so nervous going into the first test and got so many red marks was that my instructor hadn't taught me how to do things properly. He was mainly sitting next to me waiting for retirement, not commenting much at all on anything I did. The new instructor was a lot more demanding, corrected almost everything I did from the first lesson, and after a few lessons with him I was a lot more confident. Passed second test without any remarks. :)

I think the best story of this type I can share is... when I was learning to drive, the instructor took my rear view mirror, so he could see out of it... Alas I couldn't.

So I rolled down the windows and an 18 wheeler BLEW past us, REALLY loudly.

Him: Why did you roll down the windows, that scared me. (Paraphrased... age does take its toll.)

Me: So I could hear them coming. (I'd been taught the trick by my dad.)

Needless to say, I did pass my driving test. But I really hated driver's ed. ;)
 
Hey guys,

Small question here.

I just used cwtimer's PLL tool to make an average of 100 using exclusively my 2look PLL algs (that is : Ua, Ub, E, H, Z and Aa, but not Ab). I got an average of 7.97 s. This is not technically the "ao100" that the site counts because it's the average, counting every solve, except about 4-5 of them where I screwed up either on the alg or on recognition and which I simply deleted.

Now my question is : how good is that time, considering my average (for series of 10+ solves) is consistently between 39 and 43 s ?

I wanted to use this time as a "baseline" to compare how I would improve while learning 1look PLL, but I have no idea what goals to set.

Thanks :-)
 
@teacher77 I would guess that is pretty on target but not sure. I actually did 20-30 PLLs on cstimer since we were talking about them on here. I was timing recognition and execution and getting about 4-5 seconds. A couple of sixes and maybe two sub 4. I'm averaging right about 20.xx so it seems on scale with your times. Were you timing recognition or just execution?

Really good execution only is like sub 1 second (for fast kids I mean). For most oldies sub 2 is good. I'm usually 2-3 for execution only.
 
@teacher77 why don't you use Ab?

1 look pll should improve times a lot. Getting PLL alg execution down to an average of 3-4 seconds should not be very hard. With a little bit of practice you should be able to execute most of them in 2-3 seconds.

I've only just learned full PLL, I now tried doing all 21 algs in a row, got 1:15, which is about 3.5 seconds/alg for execution only (with some time to stop and think about which alg comes next).
 
Were you timing recognition or just execution?

Both. But it's not a big difference because for 2look PLL, my recognition is quite fast. 1st look is "are there headlights", which decides bettween Aa or E, 2nd look can be done with only 2 sides, to decide between Ua, Ub, Z or H. I never used Ab with 2look because the added recognition time didn't seem like is was worth saving an H only once every 6 solves or so. But now that I'm learning 1look, this is something that needs to be undone.

Really good execution only is like sub 1 second (for fast kids I mean). For most oldies sub 2 is good. I'm usually 2-3 for execution only.

sub 2 for exec or recognition too ?

@JanW : the reason I wasn't using Ab is outlined above, but of course now I learned the alg. I now about 11 of the 21 algs so far and all of them I can perform sub 4. My problem isn't execution, it's the huge delay I take for recognition, AUF, etc.

@teacher77 Last layer - I mean OLL + PLL - is over 1/3 of the solve. This means your LL should be around 14 seconds. With 8 seconds PLL it leaves 6 seconds for OLL. I think it's good.

Yeah, I never timed LL but 14 sec definitly sounds like my times. I get 11-12 once in a while, 17-19 when I'm unlucky.
 
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I never used Ab with 2look because the added recognition time didn't seem like is was worth saving an H only once every 6 solves or so. But now that I'm learning 1look, this is something that needs to be undone.
In 2-look PLL you tell the difference by seeing if you have opposite color corners on front or left. When you get used to it, it shouldn't add to recognition time at all. It gets even easier in 1-look PLL when there are only 2 colors/side and no 3rd color edge piece to confuse you. :) I do a regrip with left hand before starting an A perm. This regrip provides the extra split second needed to recognize which A perm it is.
 
Hey everyone, I'm currently switching from 2look PLL to 1look PLL and I'm having a hard time with recognition more than alg memorization. Is there any way (apps ?) to practice recognition other than just solving full cubes ? I find solving inefficient as some cases only show up once in a day so it hardly does anything to get things in my brain... Can some of you please tell me how you first did it ?
I wrote an app to practice Last layer algs. Check my signature for the link.
 
Well, I have improved but not as much as I would have wanted. Anyway, some nice inspiration in this thread. Not sure you have had time to watch Chris' sub-1min Ao5 video from yesterday. That's what I really aim to but I still feel so far from it. Regarding 5x5 I don't seem to improve since 1 month ago but now I have some weeks of vacation where, on top of swimming pool and relaxing, I plan on putting some big cube practice time.

Thanks Miguel, nice to know some of the useless stuff I post is motivating for some. I have to be honest and say I get more motivation to improve from this thread than anywhere else :)

Some current targets I am working on at the moment:-

  • Sub 2m 5x5 Average
  • Sub 6m 7x7 Mean
  • Sub 3m Mega Average
The mega seems quite close and had 3 solves in the 2:5x.yz and then went to pieces so hopefully get one soon.

As for two sided recognition this is something I must really work on as I think it will be necessary for global sub 15.
 
I've been doing little more than reading you guys and liking your posts from Tapatalk since Friday but I hate to write long posts on my mobile so, now that I have some time in front of the computer I take the opportunity to say: I'm still here but trying to get some sunlight and exercise during summer weekends (no, I'm not sitting at home watching the Olympics on TV).

First OH Mo100 under 40 seconds... just barely, 39.999 :p
I'm going to do a few more solves trying to improve that, but my hand is tired, 130 solves today.
edit: I'm done, 39.928

So nice!!! Last time I recorded an Ao100 was in Dec 2015 and it was mid 44.xx so you're now way ahead of me at OH. I don't think I'm any faster than back then as I haven't practiced much. I even have problems at times with muscle memory of some PLLs (like Rs and E) so, I should practise more. Regarding PLLs and muscle memory, I was doing some 6x6 and two times in a row I got an R perm and was incapable of doing it. I have been practicing them on the 6x6 until I got them right. Still so clumsy with anything bigger than a 4x4.
 
Some current targets I am working on at the moment:-
  • Sub 2m 5x5 Average
  • Sub 6m 7x7 Mean
  • Sub 3m Mega Average
Even sub2 Mega average should be easy for you with some more practice, and now with the new X-man Mega is fun again for me no more lockups, have already gotten a 1:39 single with it.

Atm I'm planning a small Kilominx page (CO+CP), just need a nice outline templet for the LL & I'm not that good with PS :p
Like this one
megaPLLsmall.png
 
I never used Ab with 2look because the added recognition time didn't seem like is was worth saving an H only once every 6 solves or so. But now that I'm learning 1look, this is something that needs to be undone.

sub 2 for exec or recognition too ?
I only used one A when I did 2 look also. Then when I started trying OH a little I was doing it too, but I've quit that now. Although I'm usually 2 look for OH still.

I meant sub 2 execution. Of course during solves hopefully you start being able to look ahead from OLL to PLL. I'm not very good at that though.
 
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