Older cubers discussions

[JanW]

At the end of the day I've found it hard to beat a GTS2M or magnetic Valk if money is no object.

I did consider this option as well. In my last comp I failed 3 cube mbld, so it's not like I need 10 cubes right now. Also doubt I'll get to another comp until next fall. I could buy a GTS2M/month and most likely keep up with my mbld needs. And spending $19/month on a hobby is nothing really...

Only problem with that plan is that eventually I would have a very expensive collection of mbld cubes, which inevitably will be outdated before too long. Had I went an idea like this a couple of years ago, I probably would have went with Tanglongs, which back then I thought was in a league of it's own. Today my Tanglongs just feel so old and slow, even compared to the budget cubes I just received.

 

[mitja]

After long time I had an hour without somebody bothering me. My first 4BLD success ( second timed try) 24.44,22. I made a very long memo, don't know how long, (more then 16 minutes), just wanted to be sure. I can still remember it
Ok, I learned, I can do it. Now, I will go with faster memo and also try 3/3 MBLD. Want to get used for longer memos and get ready for 5BLD.
I was not careful with memo, it was not nicely in the rooms, just have to be more systematic.

 

[openseas]

After long time I had an hour without somebody bothering me. My first 4BLD success ( second timed try) 24.44,22. I made a very long memo, don't know how long, (more then 16 minutes), just wanted to be sure. I can still remember it
Ok, I learned, I can do it. Now, I will go with faster memo and also try 3/3 MBLD. Want to get used for longer memos and get ready for 5BLD.
I was not careful with memo, it was not nicely in the rooms, just have to be more systematic.
View attachment 9008

@mitja / congrats!!!!

 

[newtonbase]

After long time I had an hour without somebody bothering me. My first 4BLD success ( second timed try) 24.44,22. I made a very long memo, don't know how long, (more then 16 minutes), just wanted to be sure. I can still remember it
Ok, I learned, I can do it. Now, I will go with faster memo and also try 3/3 MBLD. Want to get used for longer memos and get ready for 5BLD.
I was not careful with memo, it was not nicely in the rooms, just have to be more systematic.
View attachment 9008

Well done. I found MBLD a great way of practicing for 4BLD and 5BLD. You get to build up your memo skills to the point where you don't have to worry about and you can focus on tracing and execution.

Also, well done to @openseas on his first silver today (4BLD at Berkeley).

 

[openseas]

Also, well done to @openseas on his first silver today (4BLD at Berkeley)

Thanks! Largely due to dnfs from top 3 guys.
Could have been a complete disaster if I've got 6 DNFs today.

 

[mark49152]

Congrats @openseas. Also saw Grzegorz @h2f got 6/9 in multi and some nice PBs in FMC.

 

[h2f]

Thanks Mark, @mark49152. First time, since back to mbld, I got result. 2DNFs were just flips and twists - I'm not sure if it was memo or execution.
2nd atttempt looked like this:

In FMC all scrambles were hard to me - I've found solutions in last 15minutes. Only 2nd was a little bit earlier. I'm happy I havent given up and finished 5th - lots of guys dnfed in last scramble which was nightmare.

 

[mark49152]

Some frustrating DNFs there, Grzegorz!

 

[mitja]

Rehearsing BLD, I totaly neglected my 5x5 training. I timed myself for next weekend nationals.
single
2:20.47
avg of 5
2:27.28
avg of 12
2:36.84
Still far away from 2:00 best of two limit, but much better then I expected.

 

[pglewis]

Thanks! Largely due to dnfs from top 3 guys.

A podium is a podium, good job!

Looks like @h2f landed silver in 3bld as well.

 

[mark49152]

Congrats Grzegorz!

 

[openseas]

Thaks! @mark49152 @pglewis

Congrats Grzegorz!

 

[h2f]

Congrats Jae, @openseas !

Silver medal is fine but the time is poor for me. Since I woke up I had a persistent thought it'll be 3 DNFs. I've slept only 5 hours and I got cold. In 1st round 1st solve was the safe solve. Next I got 59.xx and 1:19 with 3flips, 2 twists scramble. In a final after 2 DNFs I've made extra safe solve - it was just 10 algs - because I knew I can just be 2nd seeing other results. So I did it. We had 5 parity solves in a row and 6 with twists and flips during 2 rounds.

 

[SpartanSailor]

Been a little busy—new job—but wanted to say congrats to @openseas for his recent competition! Well done.

And congrats to @h2f as well!! Looks like the old guys are representing well!!

 

[h2f]

I feel a little bit ashamed with this video because my global average now is sub 1:05. But it was a concious decision to make a very safe solve. So it is.

 

[SpartanSailor]

I feel a little bit ashamed with this video because my global average now is sub 1:05. But it was a concious decision to make a very safe solve. So it is.

Nothing to be ashamed of!!


I just did a little 3BLD practice. Got 3 success and a DNF:
5:11, 5:18(DNF), 5:05 and 5:25.

My PB is 4:56, but four in a row in the low 5 min range was great for me today... even if one was a DNF.

I feel like my execution is much more confident at this point. And I’m FINALLY getting better (at least today... probably just jinx’d Myself) at tracing to make sure I get all the pieces. Or... it was just easier today for whatever reason. Either way, fun practice and encouraging.

 

[pglewis]

Nothing to be ashamed of!!

I just did a little 3BLD practice. Got 3 success and a DNF:
5:11, 5:18(DNF), 5:05 and 5:25.

My PB is 4:56, but four in a row in the low 5 min range was great for me today... even if one was a DNF.

I feel like my execution is much more confident at this point. And I’m FINALLY getting better (at least today... probably just jinx’d Myself) at tracing to make sure I get all the pieces. Or... it was just easier today for whatever reason. Either way, fun practice and encouraging.

We're very close yet again. I haven't timed much but I'm getting a good success rate now at what feels like between 5-6 mins. I timed a pushed memo solve last week at 3:45, DNF but encouragingly close.

 

[newtonbase]

Nothing to be ashamed of!!


I just did a little 3BLD practice. Got 3 success and a DNF:
5:11, 5:18(DNF), 5:05 and 5:25.

My PB is 4:56, but four in a row in the low 5 min range was great for me today... even if one was a DNF.

I feel like my execution is much more confident at this point. And I’m FINALLY getting better (at least today... probably just jinx’d Myself) at tracing to make sure I get all the pieces. Or... it was just easier today for whatever reason. Either way, fun practice and encouraging.

We're very close yet again. I haven't timed much but I'm getting a good success rate now at what feels like between 5-6 mins. I timed a pushed memo solve last week at 3:45, DNF but encouragingly close.

it looks like you would both benefit from pushed memo at this stage. As you've seen @pglewis you can drop your times significantly. Your success rate will catch up soon. It did wonders for me.

 

[SpartanSailor]

it looks like you would both benefit from pushed memo at this stage. As you've seen @pglewis you can drop your times significantly. Your success rate will catch up soon. It did wonders for me.

Now that I KNOW I can do it, and had a competition success, I do hope to push my memo a little.

Any recommendations? For instance, set a time for inspection and begin the solve no matter what after that time period?

I know I take my time getting started to look generally for any ridge orncorner that is in the correct position. I note if it’s twisted and/or solved before I begin my memo. If it’s twisted, I just remember to add that “twist” to the end of my memo for edge or corner.

I also do LOTS of review.

 

[newtonbase]

Now that I KNOW I can do it, and had a competition success, I do hope to push my memo a little.

Any recommendations? For instance, set a time for inspection and begin the solve no matter what after that time period?

I know I take my time getting started to look generally for any ridge orncorner that is in the correct position. I note if it’s twisted and/or solved before I begin my memo. If it’s twisted, I just remember to add that “twist” to the end of my memo for edge or corner.

I also do LOTS of review.

To start with I'd just review less and trust your recall. Setting a maximum time for memo works well but that might be the next step. Also, if you are too tired for memo you could just practice tracing.

My 2nd to last 4BLD practice before comp went terribly. First solve had to be abandoned after screwing up the first letter in wings. Screwed up centre execution on 2nd but carried on ending up with a scrambled cube. Solve 3 was my 2nd slowest since I started recording and I still got 2 centres wrong. Confidence is low.