Older cubers discussions

[MarcelP]

You kinda contradicted yourself I'll get the AoLong, thanks.

Also, LSLL scrambles can be found in qqTimer; go to SPECIALITY SCRAMBLES -> 3x3x3 subsets.

No, no contradiction.. The cornercutting is the best. 'Could not be better'. And speed is fast (not per ce a good thing). I hope you understand it.

 

[TDM]

No, no contradiction.. The cornercutting is the best. 'Could not be better'. And speed is fast (not per ce a good thing). I hope you understand it.

Yeah, I get what you mean now

 

[MarcelP]

Yeah, I get what you mean now

Ok, that qqtimer is wicked btw! Very cool site.

 

[mark49152]

Yeah, me too ofcourse. But I think, looking back at how I got from 30 to where I am, to go on from here will be very slow progression. I think, just cubing for years will make you faster. So maybe in a while I will be comfertable sub 20 or sub 19 or so. But I do not expect any growth spurts in the near future

Btw, where do you get the LS + LL scrambles.. I think I will work on that for a while..

qqtimer, under 3x3 substeps.

Yeah I don't expect any spurts in progress, but am determined to continue being systematic about identifying weaknesses and potential gains, and targeting my practice at those.

Actually 2-look OLL also slows me down so I will also finish off those. There are about 15 cases I still use 2-look for, and those solves are never sub-20.

 

[sk8erman41]

Im glad to hear that 22ish was a plateau for many people because that's where I currently am. I really enjoy the substep thread because it points out how horrible my cross times are. I think that if I work on that I may be able to break through. I agree that I don't know how much faster I will be able to get past sub-20. I feel like my solves are pretty smooth without as many pauses, but my TPS will be my limiting factor.

 

[pipkiksass]

Im glad to hear that 22ish was a plateau for many people because that's where I currently am. I really enjoy the substep thread because it points out how horrible my cross times are. I think that if I work on that I may be able to break through. I agree that I don't know how much faster I will be able to get past sub-20. I feel like my solves are pretty smooth without as many pauses, but my TPS will be my limiting factor.

I was stuck there for AAAaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAges! I went straight from the race to sub-30 to the race to sub-25, but then took a few months off before even trying the race to sub-20.

I've managed to get sub-20 with a poor cross+1 and about 60% full OLL. This means I have room for improvement (wahoo!).

I also fall into the trap of thinking my solves are smooth. They're actually surprisingly start-stop if I watch them back, but you're absolutely right about TPS - the fastest cubers can do some F2L cases that take me a few seconds in 1/2 a second. That's a much bigger discrepancy than between (for example) my PLLs and theirs. I've watched yours (as you know!!!), and yeah you are pretty smooth. Probably smoother than me, but can still work on working out the next F2L case. Mark does BLD pair + tracking, where he BLD inserts while also trying to track the next pair - that might help? I need to do it myself if I get a chance!

While I think there is some speed gain in TPS, the vast majority is lookahead - being able to predict not only the position but case of your next pair. The better you get at this, the smoother your solves become, and the more F2L becomes like one long algorithm. Or so I hear!

 

[TDM]

I've managed to get sub-20 with a poor cross+1 and about 60% full OLL. This means I have room for improvement (wahoo!).

I've somehow reached sub-15 with a very bad cross, an even worse transition to F2L and only 50% of OLL... my life would be easier than yours if I could be bothered to try and improve them

I also fall into the trap of thinking my solves are smooth. They're actually surprisingly start-stop if I watch them back, but you're absolutely right about TPS - the fastest cubers can do some F2L cases that take me a few seconds in 1/2 a second. That's a much bigger discrepancy than between (for example) my PLLs and theirs.

Same for me too, and I think my recog for LL is decent but actually I have no idea. Last time I filmed solves it wasn't.

The better you get at this, the smoother your solves become, and the more F2L becomes like one long algorithm.

I actually get that sometimes! Not often though My fast solves don't come from luck (I don't even know what luck is, never happened to me) but from when I suddenly get good lookahead. It happens once in a while, usually enough for an Ao5/Ao12, but then my lookahead starts to suck again. I really am not consistent with my times/splits.

If I really practised my lookahead and never paused during F2L, I could be averaging 13 by now. And if I practised Cross+1, I could possibly take 2 seconds off that too. And learning full OLL might get my times down half a second. And if I get a cube that doesn't lock up during PLL and drill my slower algs... 0.5-1 seconds from that too. I'd guess (although just like thinking my solves were smooth before, I could be completely wrong here) I could get sub-10 before August if I really tried. But I don't have the motivation to. I haven't focused on improving since PLL, and if I ever have done it's ended with me giving up quickly. Even a set of 30 algs was too many. And then 27 for WV... I learned 8 of those and have forgotten 2.

 

[sneaklyfox]

My youngest is a natural (Feliks watch out):
[video=youtube_share;RaG6DS4IhVQ]http://youtu.be/RaG6DS4IhVQ[/video]

Wait... how did I miss this?? So awesome.

 

[sneaklyfox]

Oh yeah, and I was in the zone today. Here are my last 65 solves:

Spoiler

14.03, 13.67, 16.46, 12.34, 16.13, 16.71, 13.56, 12.45, 13.25, 13.97, 15.96, 14.10, 12.85, 13.57, 14.44, 14.62, 15.29, 14.53, 13.74, 18.34, 12.22, 15.12, 12.68, 14.03, 14.37, 18.22, 15.73, 18.10, 14.68, 15.40, 14.52, 13.19, 15.48, 14.77, 15.70, 15.39, 13.66, 13.49, 11.87, 17.15, 15.12, 14.05, 18.81, 14.46, 14.29, 12.48, 13.66, 14.90, 15.23, 13.26, 12.22, 13.38, 14.66, 17.75, 13.20, 15.61, 11.71, 14.00, 14.68, 14.77, 12.48, 15.33, 17.40, 17.26, 15.08, 12.67

Spoiler: Time Distribution

11+: 2
12+: 9
13+: 13
14+: 17
15+: 13
16+: 3
17+: 4
18+: 4

When I think that some months ago I would rarely get a sub-13... then I got to the point of one sub-13 a day, then a few a day. Now this... about 1/6 solves sub-13. Whoop!

 

[kcl]

Hi, Marcel from Holland here

Reading through this, I'm realizing my solves USED to be smooth. My turning is pretty choppy and ew now. I still feel like my week point is LL, it's mid 3 range.

Oh yeah, and I was in the zone today. Here are my last 65 solves:

Spoiler

14.03, 13.67, 16.46, 12.34, 16.13, 16.71, 13.56, 12.45, 13.25, 13.97, 15.96, 14.10, 12.85, 13.57, 14.44, 14.62, 15.29, 14.53, 13.74, 18.34, 12.22, 15.12, 12.68, 14.03, 14.37, 18.22, 15.73, 18.10, 14.68, 15.40, 14.52, 13.19, 15.48, 14.77, 15.70, 15.39, 13.66, 13.49, 11.87, 17.15, 15.12, 14.05, 18.81, 14.46, 14.29, 12.48, 13.66, 14.90, 15.23, 13.26, 12.22, 13.38, 14.66, 17.75, 13.20, 15.61, 11.71, 14.00, 14.68, 14.77, 12.48, 15.33, 17.40, 17.26, 15.08, 12.67

Spoiler: Time Distribution

11+: 2
12+: 9
13+: 13
14+: 17
15+: 13
16+: 3
17+: 4
18+: 4

When I think that some months ago I would rarely get a sub-13... then I got to the point of one sub-13 a day, then a few a day. Now this... about 1/6 solves sub-13. Whoop!

Edit: yay improvement! I suspect you'll have a spurt of improvement soon.

 

[MarcelP]

Wait... how did I miss this?? So awesome.

Yes, he wants to learn how to solve badly. He asks me every day. But when I sit down and start teahcing he litterally loses attention in 5 seconds. LOL

Oh yeah, and I was in the zone today. Here are my last 65 solves:

11+: 2
12+: 9
13+: 13
14+: 17
15+: 13
16+: 3
17+: 4
18+: 4


When I think that some months ago I would rarely get a sub-13... then I got to the point of one sub-13 a day, then a few a day. Now this... about 1/6 solves sub-13. Whoop!

I clearly remember saying here in the topic I had one sub 20 every 100 solves or so.. And I thought that was cool. Now every Ao12 has a few. Seeing you have two 11's there... in a while you will avaerage sub 12. I am sure

Reading through this, I'm realizing my solves USED to be smooth. My turning is pretty choppy and ew now. I still feel like my week point is LL, it's mid 3 range.

Yeah your LL is so slow.. If TPS is your best feature, how come F2L is the best part? I think your LL is just fine. Smoothness is the key for you to get better.

 

[kcl]

Yes, he wants to learn how to solve badly. He asks me every day. But when I sit down and start teahcing he litterally loses attention in 5 seconds. LOL



I clearly remember saying here in the topic I had one sub 20 every 100 solves or so.. And I thought that was cool. Now every Ao12 has a few. Seeing you have two 11's there... in a while you will avaerage sub 12. I am sure



Yeah your LL is so slow.. If TPS is your best feature, how come F2L is the best part? I think your LL is just fine. Smoothness is the key for you to get better.

I feel like two things hold back my LL. One is that I don't remember to gogogogo turn. The other is that I'm petty sure a bunch of my OLL algs suck, there's like half of them not sub 1 consistently. That being said I do need to try and get smoother.

 

[MarcelP]

Yeah! New Ao100 PB again.. Today I feel awesome. Something is changing in my solves.

Spoiler

Mean: 21.38
Average: 21.36
Best time: 13.72
Median: 21.06
Worst time: 30.21
Standard deviation: 3.06

Best average of 5: 18.64
2-6 - (16.18) 19.79 16.32 19.81 (28.80)

Best average of 12: 20.04
86-97 - 19.94 22.41 17.93 21.76 19.60 (16.60) 19.96 22.53 18.25 (22.92) 18.43 19.55

I filmed a few. This 20.26 Ao12 was nice. But my battery was exhausted and with the next solve (an 18 secs solve) it was even a better Ao12


[video=youtube_share;nffGHDNSfx4]http://youtu.be/nffGHDNSfx4[/video]

Spoiler

40. 21.18 R2 B2 U2 B2 F2 R2 U B2 U R2 D' F R' F U' F2 L B R' U' B2 U'
41. 19.27 U2 B2 U' R2 U2 F2 U' R2 D2 L2 F' L' B2 F' U2 F2 R D' B D'
42. 17.11 U R2 F2 L2 U2 F2 U F2 U2 L2 D F U' R U' L2 D' B L2 B
43. 21.90 F2 R2 B2 L2 D2 U R2 B2 D2 F2 U B L F U R' B' F' U2 R D' U'
44. 20.17 F2 D' B2 L2 U2 B2 D B2 D B2 U2 R' L F D B2 L2 U2 B L U
45. 17.92 D L2 U' F2 U F2 L2 F2 R2 U F2 L' B' L D L F D' B' F2 R'
46. 30.20 R2 D B2 L2 D2 F2 L2 F2 U L2 U' R B L2 F D' B' D2 F U L D
47. 23.28 L2 U2 B2 U' B2 D' F2 L2 D' F2 U L U2 L2 B2 F R2 B2 L' B R
48. 19.06 D' R2 U' B2 F2 U F2 D' B2 D2 U' L' B' R F U2 F L2 F R' D
49. 19.65 B2 F2 U L2 D' L2 D' F2 D F2 U' R B' F L2 U R2 D2 R F' L U2
50. 23.31 R2 F2 D' B2 R2 D' R2 F2 R2 U L2 F U' B' L F U2 F L' D2 B
51. 18.74 U F2 L2 B2 U F2 D L2 U' R2 D2 L' U' R L' B' F R2 F R2 U'
52. 19.28 D2 B2 L2 U2 F2 D B2 U2 B2 F2 L' B' F L' D L' U2 B U' F2 U

 

[sneaklyfox]

Wow, Marcel, nice! Your F2L part is quite nice actually. I think your PLL recognition and TPS could use work though. I know you'll be sub-20 soon. As for me being sub-12... well, I think that is still awhile away yet, but more and more often I feel like I'm in the zone.

 

[MarcelP]

Wow, Marcel, nice! Your F2L part is quite nice actually.

Thanks! I really like hearing that.

I think your PLL recognition and TPS could use work though.

Yes, that is what I have been trying to say to Mark. I feel like Cross and F2L are very good (for me that is). And I feel that I suck major at PLL. I will focus on PLL for a while. I think sub 20 is in reach. If I could improve my PLL a lot it will be easy to get there.

 

[mark49152]

Yes, that is what I have been trying to say to Mark. I feel like Cross and F2L are very good (for me that is). And I feel that I suck major at PLL. I will focus on PLL for a while. I think sub 20 is in reach. If I could improve my PLL a lot it will be easy to get there.

Hmmm, well, your PLL is 3 and your F2L is 14 seconds, so which would you rather achieve a 10% improvement at? Plus, to get sub-20 by improving your PLL wouldn't you need to get your PLL sub-1? Good luck dude

But hey, it's only a hobby, we can do whatever floats our boats. I have been practising belt method this week.

I agree PLL recognition is low-hanging fruit though. Somehow bad recognition bugs me more than other forms of crappiness, because I'm not actually turning at all, so it feels like wasted time, ripe for elimination. I started trying to improve my PLL recognition cheat sheet - if you have any feedback to help improve it, let me know: http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?41108-Two-sided-PLL-recognition-guide

 

[MarcelP]

Hmmm, well, your PLL is 3 and your F2L is 14 seconds, so which would you rather achieve a 10% improvement at? Plus, to get sub-20 by improving your PLL wouldn't you need to get your PLL sub-1? Good luck dude

But hey, it's only a hobby, we can do whatever floats our boats. I have been practising belt method this week.

I agree PLL recognition is low-hanging fruit though. Somehow bad recognition bugs me more than other forms of crappiness, because I'm not actually turning at all, so it feels like wasted time, ripe for elimination. I started trying to improve my PLL recognition cheat sheet - if you have any feedback to help improve it, let me know: http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?41108-Two-sided-PLL-recognition-guide

Yeah, I totally get what you mean. But it is that it took me 2 years hard work to make the F2L like it is today and I doubt there is a lot of room for improvement. And PLL on the other hand is too slow and I need to work on recognition. I have been thinking about making an Android app for the 2 sided recognition. Full color neutral. I can make an app like that without any problem, the only thing is it goes from my cubing time. And that time is precious

 

[DeeDubb]

Marcel, do you ever use http://twisttheweb.com/? It's fun for racing with people all around the world. It might be fun to meet on there and race sometime, though you are considerably faster than me.

 

[Schmidt]

We do have B.O.O.M meetings from time to time on TTW. If your age is 40+ you can apply.

 

[DeeDubb]

We do have B.O.O.M meetings from time to time on TTW. If your age is 40+ you can apply.

nah, I'm 30.