Overall 3x3 tips

[cubersmith]

I know there is probably 100s of these threads, but I don't know what else to do. I haven't improved in ages and I need to know what areas to focus on practising. I made a walkthrough solves video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2kgrKKuqcQ

Any tips/help/advice?

Thanks

 

[David1994]

Just wondering is your lookahead good??And what do you average?

 

[Muesli]

Solve the cross properly. M2 U2 M2 is messy and there's always a better cross.

 

[cubersmith]

Just wondering is your lookahead good??And what do you average?

My lookahead is not very good, but on a good day it can get me ome sub 20's. I average 22-23

 

[cubersmith]

Solve the cross properly. M2 U2 M2 is messy and there's always a better cross.

I know, I really should, just a habit. Thanks

 

[Mayorkaman]

1. make the cross a "good cross" on the first try and dont do the cross and then M2 U2 M2
2.There are better algs for some of the F2L cases you did for instance the pair at 2:46 could have been done something like
U2 R U R' U2 R' U R
3.Learn full OLL and PLL

 

[cubersmith]

1. make the cross a "good cross" on the first try and dont do the cross and then M2 U2 M2
2.There are better algs for some of the F2L cases you did for instance the pair at 2:46 could have been done something like
U2 R U R' U2 R' U R
3.Learn full OLL and PLL

Thanks, I know full PLL and I will soon start full OLL. Thanks for the alg at 2:46

 

[cyoubx]

I like M2 U2 M2 <.<

Your solves seem fine. The only thing missing from walkthrough solves is lookahead. If you practice on lookahead, you may get sub-20 by the end of the week.

 

[MWilson]

You really need to fix the one at 1:48. Do this to set up what you had there: R U' R' U' R U R' U.

You have a corner/edge pair on the top layer. They're together, but not already a finished F2L pair so you can't just insert them. So, you need to separate them in such a way that they become an insertion case. First, do a U' to position it properly relative to an empty slot (last pair, so you only have the one free slot). Then, make use of that slot by hiding the corner and repositioning the edge, then bringing the corner back up: R U' R'. Now it's an insertion case, so just do a U to line it up and R U R' to insert it.

That's the intuitive way to learn it, but take it an extra step and get used repositioning the edge in using the most convenient empty slot. The simplest example is.. do this setup: R U' R' U' R U R' U2 L U R U R' U2 L'. Notice that the pair is now front left, "facing" you. Instead of solving it with a U2 then the previous "alg" (So, U2 R U' R' U R U R'), you can just use the back left free slot to do: L U' L' U' R U R'.

 

[cubersmith]

You really need to fix the one at 1:48. Do this to set up what you had there: R U' R' U' R U R' U.

You have a corner/edge pair on the top layer. They're together, but not already a finished F2L pair so you can't just insert them. So, you need to separate them in such a way that they become an insertion case. First, do a U' to position it properly relative to an empty slot (last pair, so you only have the one free slot). Then, make use of that slot by hiding the corner and repositioning the edge, then bringing the corner back up: R U' R'. Now it's an insertion case, so just do a U to line it up and R U R' to insert it.

That's the intuitive way to learn it, but take it an extra step and get used repositioning the edge in using the most convenient empty slot. The simplest example is.. do this setup: R U' R' U' R U R' U2 L U R U R' U2 L'. Notice that the pair is now front left, "facing" you. Instead of solving it with a U2 then the previous "alg" (So, U2 R U' R' U R U R'), you can just use the back left free slot to do: L U' L' U' R U R'.

Wow, thanks alot

 

[cubersmith]

for the case at 1:48, couldn't I just do L U' L' (y') R U R'

 

[MWilson]

Yes, that was my point with the last part of my post. You can use whatever empty slots you still have available to solve whatever case you're doing. That is a key idea in really mastering F2L, and will help you significantly when you start learning multi-slotting. Maybe I didn't remember right, but I thought you were on your last pair and only had the one free slot, so I gave you an explanation using that one. If you did have the front left one empty as well, then your solution is also accurate. However, that requires a cube rotation, so maybe try: d' L U' L' U L U L'

 

[cubersmith]

Yes, that was my point with the last part of my post. You can use whatever empty slots you still have available to solve whatever case you're doing. That is a key idea in really mastering F2L, and will help you significantly when you start learning multi-slotting. Maybe I didn't remember right, but I thought you were on your last pair and only had the one free slot, so I gave you an explanation using that one. If you did have the front left one empty as well, then your solution is also accurate. However, that requires a cube rotation, so maybe try: d' L U' L' U L U L'

Yes, d = U (y')

 

[antoineccantin]

Try to minimize cuberotations.

For example, at ~:29, you did y2 R U' R when you could have done L U' L'.

 

[cubersmith]

Try to minimize cuberotations.

For example, at ~:29, you did y2 R U' R when you could have done L U' L'.

Noted