Older cubers discussions

[mark49152]

@mark49152 you make me jelaous. You did 5bld again.

Once the baby arrives I won't be going to comps for a few months, so if I get any cubing time at all, I might focus on our race to 6BLD So far I have not even tried a full attempt, and haven't had a single success on obliques.

Good luck today guys!

 

[muchacho]

This morning I got a 22 seconds OH PB that I was not able to reconstruct (even if FB was just 2 moves) so I've started filming some solves, this is the best I got:

2506 18-dic-2016 15:38:57 00:28.495 R2 B2 D2 F2 L2 B2 U L2 U B2 U L B' R D L2 F2 D B D B

 

[Logiqx]

More

Thanks @Logiqx . Very pleased but particularly in 5x5 where I got my fastest ever solve. 10 PBs for the day. Looking forward to 3x3, 4x4 and 6x6 tomorrow.

http://m.cubecomps.com/competitions/1908/competitors/45

Indeed great results for @mark49152 and @Shaky Hands

Another bunch of cracking results today!

Great results for Chris in 6x6 and a very nice 3x3 average. Don't worry about the 4x4 times - brown stuff happens.

The same goes to Andy in 3x3. You had great results for 7x7 and clock yesterday.

 

[h2f]

This morning I got a 22 seconds OH PB that I was not able to reconstruct (even if FB was just 2 moves) so I've started filming some solves, this is the best I got:

2506 18-dic-2016 15:38:57 00:28.495 R2 B2 D2 F2 L2 B2 U L2 U B2 U L B' R D L2 F2 D B D B

Nice. I've decided to stick with CFOP. I got PB's in ao50 and ao100 only after 150 solves. It helps also in normal solving.

 

[pglewis]

@Shaky Hands: Nice collection of PBs. So close there on 3x3, started off really promising only to end up pummeled by that counting 48 .

@Selkie: at least one PB in nearly every event and crushed your 5x5 single (hellooooooo WuShuang!)

@mark49152: I smell a podium coming soon... or an outright win in 5 bld. Also, congrats on the expanding family!

 

[pglewis]

I discovered this little gem that I'm spending some time on daily: http://net13.net/Cube/Cross/

I'm surprised at how quickly this exercise seems to be paying dividends. I haven't done full splits in some time but I broke it down enough to know that slow crosses are a common issue responsible for my solves bleeding sup 40 still. Or low 30s instead of sub 30. The good ones are okay but my bad ones are too frequent and drag the average down. After just a few days working diligently on 4-move and 5-move crosses I knocked a couple seconds off both my best ao5 and a012. Seeing a lot more low 30s now and had another pair of 29.x in an ao12 a couple days ago. Reaching the point where a 35 just gets a shrug now.

csTimer can give optimal cross solutions (Tools, function: solve cross, use input to paste the scramble) and I had to resort to that a few times even on some 4-movers that I couldn't figure out optimally. The creator of that drill suggests doing a level until you're 100%; it's their opinion this isn't one of those areas to push yourself, but get completely proficient at each level before moving up.

 

[h2f]

@muchacho, David - Antoin Cantin has a very nice Yperm. Looks scary but once you got it it's easy. It's full of sexy moves:
R2 U' R' U R U' x' U' z' U' R U' R' U' z U R

 

[Shaky Hands]

Another bunch of cracking results today!

Great results for Chris in 6x6 and a very nice 3x3 average. Don't worry about the 4x4 times - brown stuff happens.

The same goes to Andy in 3x3. You had great results for 7x7 and clock yesterday.

@Shaky Hands: Nice collection of PBs. So close there on 3x3, started off really promising only to end up pummeled by that counting 48 .

Thanks both. When first asked by other competitors how I did at 3x3 I said "abysmal" however I now prefer the word "wretched" !! In all fairness, bad result there. The 3rd solve was weak, full of lockups and badly coordinated. The 4th solve had a corner twist on the D layer that I'm not sure my judge had noticed before I pointed it out. And then the 5th solve was probably just a result of damaged confidence from the previous 2 and the realisation that the best I could get would be a sup-30 Ao5. I even said to the judge "maybe it's time I just retire!"

I ended up laughing about the whole round not long afterwards.

I was more annoyed about 6x6, which I've put a lot of effort into, only to get a pop (one cubie missed another competitor's ear by about an inch when it went flying across the room.) I ended up doing a "rage quit" on the solve for the DNF. I'll get another PB for this in 2017 for sure.

3BLD, whilst not a success, I can maybe call a competition PB as I managed to get 2 attempts in rather than the single attempt I'd got in previous comps. (I'm such an optimist here, aren't I? ) Second solve was slightly better (off by 1 flipped edge in the K position and several corners) - although it turned out as I suspected whilst executing edges that I had twisted one of the corners so it would have been unsolvable anyway.

4x4 I got a token PB (<1s improvement from previous PB) to finish off the day, then hung around to help out with judging.

Enjoyed the comp, although Clock remains the only thing I felt went well for me. But hey - it's not just about the results. Good to see @mark49152 and @Selkie once again and it was all as entertaining as ever.

PS: @newtonbase, looks like about 60% chance I will be at Manc Open 2017.

 

[Selkie]

Thank you all for your kind words I will read up and reply later tonight or in the morning. But a quick update post comp...

A great set of results yesterday followed by a mediocre set today but I cannot complain with 13 comp PBs.

Great comp, expertly organised as ever and always a pleasure to spend time with fellow solvers especially @Shaky Hands and @mark49152

I did film every solve and will upload most averages but first set edited is my 3x3 Round 1 PB average. Not as low as I had hoped but talk about an 'average'...

...Well just did ... 15.56 Ao100...

That 15.56 average of 100 in the week. I got a 15.57 average today. Cannot get much more average than that!

 

[newtonbase]

Well done everyone on your successes and near misses.
You'll get there with the 3BLD @Shaky Hands. You learn from every attempt. I'm still aiming for top 20 in the UK but I'll need one of my best solves to get there. Hoping to get some practice in over Xmas. I do hope you do get to Manchester. I won't be doing an Indian unfortunately as I'm staying with my brother that night.

 

[bubbagrub]

Well done Mark, Andy & Chris -- some really great results there, although I know you all had some disappointments too. Sad to have missed it, and probably won't make Manchester either (my daughter's birthday weekend).

Didn't know you had a baby on the way, Mark -- congratulations! Look forward to seeing them become a cuber some day...

 

[Selkie]

@Shaky Hands - Your clock is getting so much better mate. I know the 3x3 round 1 and then the pop on 6x6 was so unfortunate and frustrated you after all the practice but was great to see you recompose for 3BLD. You are such a great guy and very motivating to be round dude. Roll on some more comps in 2017 mate.

@mark49152 - Sorry I missed your 5BLD mate, I happen to be walking the entire Aston area of Birmingham in search of a coffee at lunchtime. Great PB and great intro to pyraminx too. Don't worry about a few months out for the new little one. A break from comps is often a good thing. I have had at least 10 PBs per comp in the three this year after a 3 year comp break. Learn some new stuff without worrying it will affect your times.

@Logiqx , @pglewis , @newtonbase , @bubbagrub - Thanks all for the kind words. Nothing more motivating to improve than this thread so thanks for that too

---

Well I am now on a 2 month self imposed timer ban for 3x3. I have learned COLL and Winter Variation too many times and then not incorporated them in my solves. So its slow solves only and making sure I incorporate Winter Variation first (With right and left mirrors), then COLL and perhaps Summer Variation. I am hoping that after the initial hit on my times and a lot of slow work on edge control, it may get me the other -0.5 seconds to get to sub 15 globally and in comp.

---

Uploaded a few more videos. Most pleased all comp with this 5x5 average on Saturday:-

 

[Shaky Hands]

@Shaky Hands - Your clock is getting so much better mate. I know the 3x3 round 1 and then the pop on 6x6 was so unfortunate and frustrated you after all the practice but was great to see you recompose for 3BLD. You are such a great guy and very motivating to be round dude. Roll on some more comps in 2017 mate.

Awww, you're too kind. I must find a way to ruin my reputation now!

Uploaded a few more videos. Most pleased all comp with this 5x5 average on Saturday:-

Excellent 4th solve Chris. Well done!

 

[JanW]

Congrats all on the comp pbs! Looks like you all had a great time!

I've been doing daily Ao100s the past week. Today was a good one, improved all pb averages Ao5-Ao100. This was also my first Ao100 with more sub-20s than sup-30s (7-6). All sub-20s were full step.

I just counted that I currently know 22 OLLs. I used to know more, but have forgotten a few in the past couple of months. I should probably focus on learning more of these.

 

[JohnnyReggae]

@Selkie - Chris, do you have a particular training schedule ? I simply grab a cube and start timing my solves for the most part. I must admit the time I did only concentrate on slow turning to help train look ahead I did see quick improvement. But being a procrastinator of note, I don't seem to go back to specific training.

 

[Selkie]

@Selkie - Chris, do you have a particular training schedule ? I simply grab a cube and start timing my solves for the most part. I must admit the time I did only concentrate on slow turning to help train look ahead I did see quick improvement. But being a procrastinator of note, I don't seem to go back to specific training.

It is far too easy to just solve over and over as practice and I am as guilty of it as anyone. I do try and break the pattern of practice such as I have decided to do for the next couple of month but there is nothing quite like concentrated, structured practice to maximise improvement. If you have not read it this practice guide by @Escher is an invaluable resource and absolute required reading Brent. I try and read it every few months to refresh my memory when my practice gets slack:-

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/how-to-practice.27870/

 

[mafergut]

Wow! Another couple pages of posts to catch up today. Congrats on all your comp PBs guys! You are so great and I envy you so much for goint to comps... and I am so repetitive

There are some incredible solves there and it's nice to be able to watch some of them on video. @Selkie, Chris, as always watching your 5x5 average is so motivating, seeing that I don't need to turn any faster, just more fluid and with better lookahead!

Well, this was not an official result but I just shaved off some extra seconds in my road to 4x4 sub-1min single. It's now so, so close that it hurts!

1. 1:02.54 F2 Fw2 L F Uw B D2 L' Uw R Fw R Uw R F' B' Rw' Uw' B2 Fw2 Uw Fw' D2 F2 Rw D' B F' Uw2 B' Fw D2 Fw' D2 Fw Uw2 L2 Rw2 R F

 

[Shaky Hands]

Just finished my first ever Skewb Ao12. I've had a partially-solved Skewb for about a year, but eventually learned how to solve it this lunchtime.

The first time below is not a typo. It was that bad.

(10:06.95), 1:15.98, 1:09.27, 1:27.69, 1:05.66, 1:09.10, 1:03.27, (52.06), 1:01.50, 1:19.55, 56.30, 1:17.20

Whilst I'm sure that practice will reduce my times from these early ones above, the TPS that I see at comps is insane on both Skewb and 2x2. Right now, despite taking some advice, I can barely even hold the thing!

In a few weeks I'll see what my times are. Hoping to knock ~25 seconds off the 1:10+ average above.

I might order a stickerless Skewb as a reward for myself if I can get down to a sub-1m average. It feels weird to be solving a stickered puzzle again.

 

[pglewis]

It is far too easy to just solve over and over as practice and I am as guilty of it as anyone. I do try and break the pattern of practice such as I have decided to do for the next couple of month but there is nothing quite like concentrated, structured practice to maximise improvement. If you have not read it this practice guide by @Escher is an invaluable resource and absolute required reading Brent. I try and read it every few months to refresh my memory when my practice gets slack:-

https://www.speedsolving.com/forum/threads/how-to-practice.27870/

This is gold.

 

[Logiqx]

Crusty cuber stats updated... just click the link in my signature.