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Rubik's Cube 3x3 Books?

dabest2500

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Are there any books that are worth a read on the 3x3 that will help you in your solves?
Thanks.
 

Selkie

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Selkie

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The Dan Harris one is mainly solutions, giving beginner and advanced for 3x3x3 and solutions for 2x, 3x, 4x and 5x but a lot of discussion on advanced techniques like ZBF2L.

The other one is probably 1/2 history of twisty puzzles, with information on key people like Erno Rubik and Tony Fisher et al. The remainder of the book is beginner solutions for 2x up to 7x, but be warned the notation is in no way standard in this book and can look quite confusing.

They are both good in their own way. Well worth a read when you do not have PC access IMO.
 
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dabest2500

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I already know Fridrich with 2Look OLL and 2Look PLL.
What would this teach me?
And which one should I buy if you had to choose between the two?
And what is ZBF2L?
Thanks.
 

Selkie

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I have to be brutally honest, whilst they make for a good read, the information within can be pretty much eclipsed by a google search but thats the case on most subjects. You won't really find a book with the quality of information as some of the guides here. But if you take them for what they are they are worth a read.

I suspect some of the group theory ones will be more informative, but there again there is a great puzzle theory section here.
 

dabest2500

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Yeah, obviously the Internet will be better but I don't always have access to it.
I'm leaning more towards the Dan Harris book as the other is about history of the cube and the beginner's method which I'm not interested in.
Thanks :)
 

Selkie

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Heh, you're welcome. There may be other good books that more experienced cubers could recommend, but those just happen to be the two I have bought. Best of luck in your search :)
 

dabest2500

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Doubt you'll ever learn it
It's kinda a dumb method, because IMO it won't cut your time much anyway.

Thanks, don't think I want to learn it now.

I correct myself, Dan's book covers VHF2L, not ZBF2L but they are similar things. Orienting the LL edges on the final F2L pair. Thereby giving an algotithm set to orient and permutate the LL with one (large) set of algorithms.

Here is a link to the section on the wiki http://www.speedsolving.com/wiki/index.php?title=VHF2L

Does Dan Harris cover Fridrich standard CFOP?
 

Selkie

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He does indeed, including algorithms for PLL and OLL, the discussions on influencing LL orientation come after a full guide on CFOP. Some good concise dialog on that section.
 
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qwr

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There is also a good book written by David Singmaster. Its an old book published in the 1980s.
The original book was more in cubing theory and math than speed solving though it included a full method. I believe it's typeset using a typewriter. I skimmed the book and I notice that unlike in modern algs that favor RUFM moves for ergonomics, the book treats all moves including L and B about equally. (For crappy turning cubes, keeping movecount low is more important)
 
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