Older cubers discussions

My take on this is that moves like R U R' are simple triggers before the rest of the alg that are often referred to as setups.

For instance, look at these N-perms that incorporate J-perms:

Na: (R U R' U) (R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U') (U' R U' R')
or... (setup) (J-perm) (undo setup)

Nb: (L' U' L) (R' U L' U2 R U' R' U2 L R U') (L' U L)
or... (setup (J-perm) (undo setup)

Ahhhh that's probably what it was.

and btw, thanks for those beautiful algs ! Where did you get them ?


I don't think there's a catch-all approach for this. Setups affect more than just angles, otherwise they would just be x, y and z rotations.

Yes, of course. Too bad then.
 
I just did an average of 50 PLLs (recognition + execution) and I got 6.14 s. How is that split, considering that my current 10+ averages are always around 32-33 seconds ?

I must add that I'm amazed at how small a gain this is compared to 2look PLL (my Ao100 for 2 look PLL's, recognition+exec, was 7.97 sec !) That means that the 7-8 seconds improvement in my solves is mostly due to faster F2L !
 
Maybe I should put this in a blind discussion thread, but this thread is often that anyway:

It seems like I'm stuck on the puzzle rather than the memorization. What I mean is that I'm taking enough time figuring out my sequences that I have to go back and check at least my first few corners after I'm fine m done figuring out edges. And even when I do figure it all out and finish a solve, except for a single lucky solve a month ago the best I've gotten is two flipped edges away. I'm using straight OP, figuring that I should figure out what I'm doing first, then find better ways to do it. And for some reason learning algs is hard for me.

Should I go ahead and learn m2 and hope the faster execution time helps? Is there any cure for what I'm doing wrong other than more practice? I feel like I'm getting close, but at this rate it will be another few months, and a matter of decades before I get to big blind, which is what's really interesting.
 
I had a great day at the Dutch Nationals. Became 3rd in the 40 plus category :) I had my second sub 20 average ever.. And took 5 secs of my Pyraminx average. Fist solve was 12 but it was a plus 2 (not really but I did not want to argue with my 10 year old judge.. LOL)


*notes you hitting the Stackmat reset every time*

Here's a little comedy of errors from my 3x3 attempts at my only comp:

1: I completed inspection, put my hands on the timer, and it doesn't go green. I've had no prior experience with the Stackmat so I had no clue what to do. I was ready to go before 8 seconds, I say "it's not turning green!" twice and the judge reaches over and resets the timer. By this time I'd hit a mini-panic as the 12 second notice was already given before he got to the reset. My brain went into hijack, it found no match for fight or flight, so it chose "freeze". I completely lost what I had planned for the cross and it was a chore trying to get any information to the logical part of my brain. I might as well have had a cube with 36 different colored stickers on it. Took forever to get through F2L, misread OLL, misread PLL twice, and finally decided to just abort and take a few deep breaths.

2: Brain still hasn't come out of hijack. Solved like 6 F2L pairs incredibly slowly then botched the PLL leaving me half-scrambled. Again, decided to bail and see if I could get my head straight.

3: I felt calmer, planned out a decent cross, put my hands down, timer doesn't go green. Again I alert the judge like three times not understanding anything about the timers, but he seems out of his depth. I finally raise my hands off the timer in a shrug and the timer starts. The judge consults the delegate, I explained, and his advice was since the timer was running I should be solving (this wasn't the least bit rude, just matter of fact). I started figuring out the cross again at over a minute.

4: The cube bobbles out of my hand at the end of PLL and I drop it while stopping the timer, ending in a +2 lol

5: 1:10 felt like a victory in the moment
 
Maybe I should put this in a blind discussion thread, but this thread is often that anyway:

It seems like I'm stuck on the puzzle rather than the memorization. What I mean is that I'm taking enough time figuring out my sequences that I have to go back and check at least my first few corners after I'm fine m done figuring out edges. And even when I do figure it all out and finish a solve, except for a single lucky solve a month ago the best I've gotten is two flipped edges away. I'm using straight OP, figuring that I should figure out what I'm doing first, then find better ways to do it. And for some reason learning algs is hard for me.

Should I go ahead and learn m2 and hope the faster execution time helps? Is there any cure for what I'm doing wrong other than more practice? I feel like I'm getting close, but at this rate it will be another few months, and a matter of decades before I get to big blind, which is what's really interesting.
Looks like you need to practice your orientation. Ignore the solve for now. Also, take time to get a really strong memo on corners so you can be confident when you go back to them. Maybe try practicing corners on a 2x2. It's never too soon to learn M2.

*notes you hitting the Stackmat reset every time*

Here's a little comedy of errors from my 3x3 attempts at my only comp:

1: I completed inspection, put my hands on the timer, and it doesn't go green. I've had no prior experience with the Stackmat so I had no clue what to do. I was ready to go before 8 seconds, I say "it's not turning green!" twice and the judge reaches over and resets the timer. By this time I'd hit a mini-panic as the 12 second notice was already given before he got to the reset. My brain went into hijack, it found no match for fight or flight, so it chose "freeze". I completely lost what I had planned for the cross and it was a chore trying to get any information to the logical part of my brain. I might as well have had a cube with 36 different colored stickers on it. Took forever to get through F2L, misread OLL, misread PLL twice, and finally decided to just abort and take a few deep breaths.

2: Brain still hasn't come out of hijack. Solved like 6 F2L pairs incredibly slowly then botched the PLL leaving me half-scrambled. Again, decided to bail and see if I could get my head straight.

3: I felt calmer, planned out a decent cross, put my hands down, timer doesn't go green. Again I alert the judge like three times not understanding anything about the timers, but he seems out of his depth. I finally raise my hands off the timer in a shrug and the timer starts. The judge consults the delegate, I explained, and his advice was since the timer was running I should be solving (this wasn't the least bit rude, just matter of fact). I started figuring out the cross again at over a minute.

4: The cube bobbles out of my hand at the end of PLL and I drop it while stopping the timer, ending in a +2 lol

5: 1:10 felt like a victory in the moment
First comps are for experience and for setting targets to smash in your second comp. Looks like you've learned plenty.

It's good practice to always check the timer before a solve and to reset it after the solve is recorded whether you are judging or competing. But you know that now!
 
It's good practice to always check the timer before a solve and to reset it after the solve is recorded whether you are judging or competing. But you know that now!

Technically it's the judges responsibility, but I always check out myself first thing. Easier than trying to get a re-scramble for sure. :)
 
Fist solve was 12 but it was a plus 2 (not really but I did not want to argue with my 10 year old judge.. LOL)

One can see the pyra only during few frames but it looks like it's far from +2. And as far as he touched the cube the delegate should give you an extra attempt.
It's pretty early in the month for that.

Yes but I told myself a limit for buying cubes every month. Maybe I will broke the rule this time... ;)

best I've gotten is two flipped edges away.

When I had a lot of DNFs I redid a scramble and did it again to figure out what was wrong. In OP you use a lot setup moves so it's probably mistake during doing and undoing setups. If you finish with 2 flipped edges two things might happen:
- wrong memo - you memoed wrong stikcer
- wrong setup - you did setup for the other sticker of the edge
And there's no cure but practice: normal blindes or sighted solves. Both leads to success.

Here's a little comedy of errors from my 3x3 attempts at my only comp:

First competitions is a hard lesson.
 
When I had a lot of DNFs I redid a scramble and did it again to figure out what was wrong. In OP you use a lot setup moves so it's probably mistake during doing and undoing setups. If you finish with 2 flipped edges two things might happen:
- wrong memo - you memoed wrong stikcer
- wrong setup - you did setup for the other sticker of the edge
And there's no cure but practice: normal blindes or sighted solves. Both leads to success.

I should have thought of redoing a scramble. I've just been solving it and starting again with a new one. Thanks!
 
@megagoune Very nice 2 to 5 relay!!! I'm missing the Master Kilominx but sooner or later I'll get one.

@h2f Wow! Very nice Ao5. I really can't stop solving the Valk3. I have used for some time the Huanying and the Yueying as mains. They were very scratchy but I liked them a lot. The Valk is all the Meiying should have been but wasn't. It's getting a bit too fast and effortless to turn as it starts to break in so I'm not getting better times that with my current main but I enjoy solving it a lot more than the Yuexiao.

@MarcelP Very nice video of your solves at nationals. I would have fought for that +2 all the way to the delegate :)

@moralsh I would like to go to a comp but right now I'll have to spend all my weekends studying for a professional certification until December so no competitions for me any time soon. Anyway, unless there's one at my city I don't think I would go even if I had the weekend free.

@pglewis That's nothing compared with what I'd do if I ever go to my 1st comp. DNF after DNF woudl be the most likely outcome. Funny account of your experience!

@Logiqx Congrats on your great results. You've set the bar so high for the rest of us at 3x3.

And now... back to studying. My Valk3 feels so lonely right now :(
 
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