Table abuse

In one-handed speedsolving, table abuse is the technique of making use of the table during a solve. Roux OH solvers are especially known for using the table for making M-slice turns, and have turned this into a real style; Thom Barlow is believed to be the first to popularise this.

The concept of "table abuse" was originally negative, as some people thought it went against the spirit of one-handed solving to be so reliant on the surface. Indeed, the WCA regulations between 2004 and 2007 [1][2][3][4] actually forbade the use of the table to assist with turning in OH (although it is now allowed):

Article C: One-handed Solving

...

During the solve no other body part or the table or any other available object may touch the puzzle. Once a competitor touches the puzzle with one hand, he may not touch the puzzle with the other hand.

If the competitor drops the puzzle unintentionally during a solve, the competitor may start doing moves again when the puzzle has no contact with the surface anymore.

The mention of table was removed in the 2008 regulations [5], thus legalising any amount of table use in official solves. However, until 2010 many people still asked if table use was allowed. Some, like Thom Barlow, dispute the term "abuse" and think there should be no stigma about using the table as much as necessary. [6]

Angles

Most Roux practitioners of table abuse press on the cube's DR edges at a 45 degree angle onto the table. Another method is to lean on the FR edge at a 45 degree angle (see Alex Lau's video in External Links).

See Also

• Roux
• OH

External Links

• Dan Cohen's 21.42 OH avg12 (Fridrich)
• Waffo's Table Abuse aka RouxOH - Avg of 5 25.05
• Alex Lau 24.25 avg5 OH (Roux)
• Thom Barlow 19.86 avg5 (One Handed) (Roux)
• 1.62 OH H Perm