Older cubers discussions

[mafergut]

I do Ortega.

Okay, it's a bit of an exaggeration to say I haven't practiced it at all. I keep my 2x2, 4x4 and 5x5 on a shelf by the TV. When I'm watching something on TV I usually play around with a cube. Most of the time it's a 3x3, but sometimes I reach for one of the other sizes. So over the past few months I have occasionally picked up the 2x2 to refresh my memory. No more frequently than maybe once every few weeks, but enough to not forget the Ortega algs.

I know what you mean. I do OH just once in a while and some PLLs just vanish from muscle memory. With 2x2 I keep my algs fresh thanks to @muchacho David's weekly race

 

[h2f]

square-1 -- sub-45 avg would be pretty good for me
rd 1 -- 28.03, 39.52, 41.34, 40.25, 40.74 = 40.17
rd 2 -- DNF, 35.85, 37.33, 58.98, 36.70 = 44.34
that went much better than expected

Wow, nice results. How do you practice squan?

 

[newtonbase]

I do Ortega.

Okay, it's a bit of an exaggeration to say I haven't practiced it at all. I keep my 2x2, 4x4 and 5x5 on a shelf by the TV. When I'm watching something on TV I usually play around with a cube. Most of the time it's a 3x3, but sometimes I reach for one of the other sizes. So over the past few months I have occasionally picked up the 2x2 to refresh my memory. No more frequently than maybe once every few weeks, but enough to not forget the Ortega algs.

I don't think I've solved anything outside 3x3 in 6 weeks or so. I've only timed 3BLD and MBLD. That's what happens when you aren't signed up for a comp (before July).

 

[chtiger]

Wow, nice results. How do you practice squan?

I don't practice much. Typically 5 solves per day when practicing for a comp. I've learned the EO and CP algs (I practiced more when learning those), haven't learned any EP algs yet.

@chtiger Those are really nice results! Very nice 3x3 and SQ1 singles and skewb average. Sorry about clock. You still have lots of PBs you can set on big cubes if you decide to try them at your next comp

Thanks.
For big cubes, I'd still have to make the hard cutoff to get a PB. To let you know how bad my big cubes are, the last time I tried 4x4, I had an easy solve and was still over 3:00. Then I wondered if I could use r2 (the 4bld method) for edges and do better. So I spent an afternoon doing 4x4 using r2 for edges (would look at 2 targets, solve those, look at next 2 targets, solve, etc), and eventually got a PB single 2:22 (previous was 2:23). I've briefly looked at Yau, but was confused with something, and didn't continue with it. It's on my to-do list for this year.
I've attempted the same number of 5x5 solves as I have 5bld solves (1), and don't own a 6x6 or 7x7.

 

[h2f]

I don't practice much. Typically 5 solves per day when practicing for a comp. I've learned the EO and CP algs (I practiced more when learning those), haven't learned any EP algs yet.

Impressive. I've heard a lot about small practice like this. Polish champ in megaminx (52.xx on average) used to use it in practicing it. I must try it in events I dont do a lot.

 

[newtonbase]

It does make sense to do small amounts of practice just to maintain rather than cramming the week before a comp like I do occasionally*


*Every single time.

 

[Logiqx]

Has anyone spent any time on CubeSkills.com? I haven't had the opportunity yet, as I gently ease myself back in to the world of work. @David Zemdegs, I really hope Feliks can find a reliable way to monetise cubing - I think he's a great ambassador for cubing in general, and it would be a shame if real life and/or a job intruded on his practice time!

Feliks has clearly put a lot of time + effort into cubeskills.com and I've watched a lot of the videos. I've also subscribed because I think he deserves the financial reward for the amount of time / knowledge / insight he is putting back into the community.

So far, I've been through all of the intermediate videos and some of the advanced videos. I'll go through the remaining advanced videos slowly because what is covered in a couple of minutes video may well turn into several weeks of practice!

I hope to find the time to go through his videos as well. Feliks is working very hard on his website and there will be heaps more stuff added in the future. I'm really looking forward to competing at the Worlds! My aim is not to be the slowest

I'd heartily recommend his videos to you... everything that you need is in one place and well organised!

Several of the regulars from this thread will be in Paris (especially the UK contingent) and it'll be cool to meet fellow oldies (and youngsters) from other countries.

 

[mark49152]

Several of the regulars from this thread will be in Paris (especially the UK contingent) and it'll be cool to meet fellow oldies (and youngsters) from other countries.

This is what I am most looking forward to about Paris. I'm especially excited to have the chance to meet the pioneers of the early cubing community and others who have accomplished or contributed enormously over the years.

 

[newtonbase]

This is what I am most looking forward to about Paris. I'm especially excited to have the chance to meet the pioneers of the early cubing community and others who have accomplished or contributed enormously over the years.

Me too. The thing that bothers me most about going for the weekend only is not missing events but missing out on meeting as many of the top cubers and guys who have made cubing what it is. I'll be expecting you lot to do the groundwork so you can introduce me.

 

[newtonbase]

4/6 MBLD in 53:59. Missed a word in recall on one cube and last letter memo error on another (instinct told me what I should have done but I trusted the memo). Pretty happy as it was very close and I'm sure I could do at least 7 in the hour at a careful pace and more once my pairs are embedded a little better.

 

[newtonbase]

Also, keeping your eyes closed tight for over 10 mins is really uncomfortable.

 

[mark49152]

Also, keeping your eyes closed tight for over 10 mins is really uncomfortable.

Yeah MBLD is the only event where I do always use a blindfold in practice.

 

[newtonbase]

Yeah MBLD is the only event where I do always use a blindfold in practice.

I would at home but don't fancy it in the work kitchen. I look weird enough already.

 

[phreaker]

BLD update: My execution is finally solidifying. I really like using the Gans AIR UM for this work. Still over-memoing. Soon it will be time to push on memo...

OH Update: PB down to 44.025. Starting to see more sub 50 solves... Getting to where I can ALMOST call myself sub 60. The variance in my solves right now is astounding, But I'm trying to work on why.. and get it under control.

Still need more practice with OLL/PLL and to fix some of my OLLs. (I've only got 7! One would think I'd get them right.) I may also have to replace my G perms... we'll see.

My time breakdowns are about right, from what I can tell. Just need more practice.

 

[Logiqx]

Who was asking about OH Y-Perm a little while ago?

Antoine has created a new video -

 

[newtonbase]

BLD update: My execution is finally solidifying. I really like using the Gans AIR UM for this work. Still over-memoing. Soon it will be time to push on memo...

No time like the present.

 

[phreaker]

No time like the present.

Indeed. And it will speed up practice, just more DNFs.

 

[Shaky Hands]

A few notes on my progress to update on:

1. I've done some experimentation with solving on Yellow Cross. This is going well with a 25.58 Ao12 this week, which is only 2-3 seconds off what I get with White Cross, so I think I can aim to get dual colour-neutral with a bit more practice.

2. Since the previous comp, I've managed to get another 5 OLL cases to a familiarity level that I can confidently use in speedsolves. I'm going to try to do this with another 2 OLL algs before the next comp.

3. I've been doing a steady amount of Megaminx practice; making good improvements and so am likely to get a couple of solves in at the next comp if I change my registration. I'm a long way off being able to record an average in it though.

4. I went through all the F2L cases and compared my move-count to a set of algs online (badmephisto's algs, so possible out-of-date but a fair place to start from.) For some cases I'm doing 4-5 more moves than I need to and this has made me realise I really need to embed better F2L skills into my solves. For example for the case (R U2 R') U' (R U R') I usually solve with U' (R U' R') U2 (R U2 R') (U R U' R') and for the case (R U' R') U' (R U R') U2 (R U' R') I usually solve with (R U R') d2 (L U2 L') U' (L U L') U (L U' L')! Plenty of scope to improve times if I can embed some better algs into my solves and if nothing else it proves the value of reviewing F2L solutions periodically.

Unfortunately, my work has got in the way of me being able to make it to FMC Europe this coming weekend, so have had to let the delegates know I can't attend anymore and will miss seeing @bubbagrub there. Hope you do well though buddy.

 

[Logiqx]

@Shaky Hands - I don't think it's uncommon to miss the first alg you mentioned. Definitely good to be experimenting and reviewing online resources to avoid these oversights. Feliks has uploaded an F2L cheat sheet in the intermediate section of cubeskills btw. Probably worth a look.

 

[bubbagrub]

Unfortunately, my work has got in the way of me being able to make it to FMC Europe this coming weekend, so have had to let the delegates know I can't attend anymore and will miss seeing @bubbagrub there. Hope you do well though buddy.

Ah -- thanks Andy. Sorry to miss you this coming weekend. I'll be flying back from California on Friday, so I'll be doing an interesting experiment to see how my FMC skills are affected by jet-lag...