Difference between revisions of "Fewest Moves Challenge"

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''FMC redirects here. This page is about the [[WCA]] official event. For the [[online contest]], see [[Fewest Moves Challenge]].''
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''FMC redirects here. This page is about the [[WCA]] official event. For the [[online contest]], see [[Fewest Moves Challenge (online contest)]].''
  
 
'''Fewest Moves''' (or '''F'''ewest '''M'''oves '''C'''hallenge, '''FMC''') is an event where competitors attempt to solve a puzzle (almost always the [[3x3x3]]) in as few moves as possible, starting from a given scramble. The usual turn metric is [[HTM]].
 
'''Fewest Moves''' (or '''F'''ewest '''M'''oves '''C'''hallenge, '''FMC''') is an event where competitors attempt to solve a puzzle (almost always the [[3x3x3]]) in as few moves as possible, starting from a given scramble. The usual turn metric is [[HTM]].
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==History==
 
==History==
  
Although it is very likely that fewest moves solving was first experimented with in the 1980s, the event was popularized by [http://www.cubestation.co.uk/ Dan's Cube Station] with its Fewest Moves Challenge (FMC), which began in April 2003 and was held nearly every week for many years. The event was also held at many competitions starting with the [[World Rubik's Games Championship 2003]], and recently it has become even more popular due to the weekly competitions at the [[Speedsolving.com]] forum.
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Although it is very likely that fewest moves solving was first experimented with in the 1980s, the event was popularized by [http://www.cubestation.co.uk/ Dan's Cube Station] with its Fewest Moves Challenge (FMC), which began in April 2003 and was held nearly every week for many years. The event was also held at many competitions starting with the [[World Rubik's Games Championship 2003]], and recently it has become even more popular due to the weekly competitions at the [[Speedsolving.com]] forum. Since 2009 this competition was taken over By Per K Fredlund on [http://fmc.mustcube.net/ FMC Challenge]
  
 
==Records==
 
==Records==
  
The first world record for the WCA event was set in 2003 and was 29 moves by [[Mirek Goljan]]. He improved this result to 28 moves in 2005, a record which stood for more than three years until it was broken by [[Guus Razoux Schultz]], 27 moves in 2008. The record then was brought down to 22 moves by Jimmy Coll and István Kocza. After over 3 years, the current record was set at the Czech Open 2012 with Tomoaki Okayama presenting a 20 move solution.
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The first world record for the WCA event was set in 2003 and was 29 moves by [[Mirek Goljan]]. He improved this result to 28 moves in 2005, a record which stood for more than three years until it was broken by [[Guus Razoux Schultz]], 27 moves in 2008. The record then was brought down to 22 moves by Jimmy Coll and István Kocza. After over 3 years, another record was set at the Czech Open 2012 with Tomoaki Okayama presenting a 20 move solution. Since then, the sub-21 barrier has been broken multiple times by various different people. Now, as of March 24, 2019, the world record currently stands at 17 moves by Harry Savage.
 
 
The best known unofficial result (using a properly scrambled cube) is 18 moves in Weekly Competition 2012-20  by [[Guus Razoux Schultz]][http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?36863-Weekly-competition-2012-20&p=745504&viewfull=1#post745504 .]
 
  
 
==Algorithms==
 
==Algorithms==
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The [[BH]] method is a nice complement for the advanced FMC competitor, learning how to deal with optimal [[commutator]]s helps a lot.
 
The [[BH]] method is a nice complement for the advanced FMC competitor, learning how to deal with optimal [[commutator]]s helps a lot.
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==Fewest Moves techniques==
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{{Main Article|Article=Fewest Moves techniques}}
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The best results can be obtained when all techniques are controlled. It is strongly advised not to follow a strict pattern, for example a [[3x3x3 speedsolving methods|speedsolving method]]. However some algorithms learned from a speedsolving method will give some advantages in some cases. The most useful [[Fewest Moves Methods|methods]] are [[Heise]], [[Petrus]], [[Fridrich]], [[Roux]] and [[ZB]].
  
 
== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==
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== External Links ==
 
== External Links ==
* [http://fmc.mustcube.net/ New FMC Website]
 
* [http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/fewestmoveschallenge/ FMC Yahoo Group]
 
* [http://www.cubestation.co.uk/cs2/index.php?page=fmc/fmcnewsystem Dan Harris's Fewest Moves Challenge Page] (now obsolete)
 
 
* Speedsolving.com [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?13599 The FMC thread]
 
* Speedsolving.com [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?13599 The FMC thread]
 
* Speedsolving.com [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?1566 Fewest Moves Tips and Techniques]
 
* Speedsolving.com [http://www.speedsolving.com/forum/showthread.php?1566 Fewest Moves Tips and Techniques]
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* [http://fmcsolves.cubing.net/fmc_tutorial_ENG.pdf FMC Tutorial] by Sebastiano Tronto
 
[[Category:Solving Variants]]
 
[[Category:Solving Variants]]

Revision as of 02:51, 25 March 2019

FMC redirects here. This page is about the WCA official event. For the online contest, see Fewest Moves Challenge (online contest).

Fewest Moves (or Fewest Moves Challenge, FMC) is an event where competitors attempt to solve a puzzle (almost always the 3x3x3) in as few moves as possible, starting from a given scramble. The usual turn metric is HTM.

There is one WCA-official Fewest Moves event: writing down the shortest possible solution to a 3x3x3 scramble, with a time limit of one hour. Other types of fewest move solving have been tried in the Fewest Moves Challenge, with the most popular other events being the Linear Fewest Moves event (solving the 3x3x3 with as few moves as possible, without being able to undo moves) and the event of writing down the shortest possible solution for the 3x3x3 with a time limit of one week.

The original Fewest Moves Challenge (FMC) was a challenge started by Dan Harris. It was the first online Fewest Moves competition and, although it is no longer run by Dan, it remains a good way to practice fewest moves solving. One scramble is given per event every week, and the results are typically up soon after the next round starts.

History

Although it is very likely that fewest moves solving was first experimented with in the 1980s, the event was popularized by Dan's Cube Station with its Fewest Moves Challenge (FMC), which began in April 2003 and was held nearly every week for many years. The event was also held at many competitions starting with the World Rubik's Games Championship 2003, and recently it has become even more popular due to the weekly competitions at the Speedsolving.com forum. Since 2009 this competition was taken over By Per K Fredlund on FMC Challenge

Records

The first world record for the WCA event was set in 2003 and was 29 moves by Mirek Goljan. He improved this result to 28 moves in 2005, a record which stood for more than three years until it was broken by Guus Razoux Schultz, 27 moves in 2008. The record then was brought down to 22 moves by Jimmy Coll and István Kocza. After over 3 years, another record was set at the Czech Open 2012 with Tomoaki Okayama presenting a 20 move solution. Since then, the sub-21 barrier has been broken multiple times by various different people. Now, as of March 24, 2019, the world record currently stands at 17 moves by Harry Savage.

Algorithms

Algorithms that may be used in FMC are at many pages in this wiki, se for example ELL, LLEF, L3C and L4C.

The BH method is a nice complement for the advanced FMC competitor, learning how to deal with optimal commutators helps a lot.

Fewest Moves techniques

Main Article : Fewest Moves techniques

The best results can be obtained when all techniques are controlled. It is strongly advised not to follow a strict pattern, for example a speedsolving method. However some algorithms learned from a speedsolving method will give some advantages in some cases. The most useful methods are Heise, Petrus, Fridrich, Roux and ZB.

See Also

External Links