David, I was about right where you are a month ago :). Get ready for some major improvements in speed when you take this next step. Basically you want the F2L right? What it does is it lets you insert a corner and its corresponding edge piece at the same time, allowing you to essentially do 2 layers at once.
It depends on where you want the cross. Like the 1st step is always just to solve the cross. I choose to solve the cross on the bottom because then I'm looking for the F2L pairs on the top which is easier to see. Some people choose to hold the cross in the left hand but I don't really like that. I'm not saying you have to solve it on the bottom but whatever you prefer, the F2L methods vary depending on that. Anyways, F2L for beginners, I started with the algorithms on Speedcubing.com: http://www.speedcubing.com/f2l.html that page allows you to choose the method for whatever side you prefer to solve the cross. The site's nice because it gives you a printable page of the algorithms with all of them on 1 single page so you can put it in your pocket and what not. Don't worry about the 3 look and 4 look yet until you've somewhat mastered the F2L. Those are methods to solving the last layer. I'm assuming that you learned how to do the last layer by first flipping the edges of the last layer up, moving them to their right places, then moving the corners to their right places and then individually flipping those up. Basically what these methods do is save you a lot of time and a lot of moves. Basically you can just flip all the pieces face up with 1 or 2 steps, and then move all the pieces to their right places with the last step. Learning this is essential if you want to cube in under 60 seconds although since there is much to memorize, I would first learn the F2L. The next step after you learn the F2L, is learning how to look ahead. Basically to become efficient at the F2L you must be able to find the next corner/edge pair while you're solving the 1st one. Like while you're doing the cross you find the 1st corner/edge pair and the moment you finish the cross you can go right into the F2L without delay. While you're putting that pair in place, look for the next pair, and the moment you're done with the 1st pair you can go right into the 2nd pair without delay. To do this you must slow down your F2L to give yourself time. Once you are able to look ahead, you can start to speed up. I don't know how to do it myself and I'm starting to try it just a few days ago but it's really hard. Does anyone have any tips for Matt and I? I just can't seem to do it. I'm slowing down but I'm still struggling to keep track of the pieces. Usually I've found either an edge or a corner, but I don't see the 2nd piece until after I finish inserting the current pair, which ruins the entire point really. Usually I see the pair but because of the nature of the F2L method I use, I think I know where it is but after I finish inserting the current pair, I find that the piece is actually somewhere on the bottom layer somewhere else. Phew that was long. Hope this helps you Matt and hope someone can help me! --- In [email protected], David Pritts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Jasmine/Matt -- at the moment, I solve the first layer and second layer seperately. I took a look at a couple sites, but I'm not sure which one to use... they seem a little difficult to follow. Any suggestions for what sites I should visit for learning how to solve F2L pairs? Please provide links beacuse I am not familiar with any of the names of sites. > > Also, what is meant by a "4 look method" or a "3 look method", etc? > > Thanks! > > David > Matt Moberly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Right on. F2L pairs is your definite next step. I was using your method > and picked up Fridrich in manageable chunks using the following steps: > > I learned F2L pairs from Fridrich's site and stuck to the 4LLL until I had a > consistent sub 30 time on F2L. F2L pairs is easy to learn on its own > because you can set each algorithm up to practice quickly. I didn't move on > from each algorithm until I really understood how it worked. That helps a > ton in reducing your decision making time for each pair. > > Then I created a sort of 3 look LL method by orienting edges first using my > old method and using Fridrich to orient the corners and permute the LL. > There are only 6 Fridrich LL orientation algorithms where all edges are > already oriented, so it seemed like a good small chunk to learn, instead of > trying to memorize all 41 or w/e at once. I had to break the Fridrich > method into reasonable chunks to keep from giving up. :-) But I went from 3 > min. solves using your method to sub 60 very quickly. > > - Matt > > > On 1/6/06, Jasmine Lee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Sub-60s is definitely possible with a 4-look LL. I used to solve with a > > 4-look LL and didn't really bother learning more LL algorithms until I > > got my average under 60s. > > > > It's possible to go much faster than 60s with 4-look LL. I've seen > > people do 30s solves with a 4-look LL! > > > > Are you solving with F2L pairs? If not then I'd advise that would be a > > very valuable next step. F2L pairs are not that difficult to work out on > > your own and they'll really improve your solve times once you get the > > hang of them. > > > > BTW, re working stuff out on your own (just referring to another > > discussion string on the group), I feel pretty strongly about this with > > regard to the F2L. Even now I never use an F2L trick unless I understand > > exactly how it works. :) > > > > Jasmine > > http://speedcuber.blogspot.com > > > > > > On Thu, 5 Jan 2006 21:06:50 -0800 (PST), "David Pritts" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > > > > > > Are you sure? It seems like it would be absolutely ridiculous to > > > cut down the time that much. Even if I did no thinking or > > > looking at the cube at all, but instead just always knew exactly > > > which algorithm to use instantly, I think the way I'm doing it > > > now would still take over a minute... > > > > > > any other thoughts? > > > > > > And even so, I'll eventually want to start getting more > > > advanced and using some of the methods that you guys use... the > > > methods which allow you to do cubes in 20 seconds. > > > > > > For the time being, I'm looking for any methods which are > > > slightly faster than my current method, but I'd rather not try > > > to learn any of the hardest methods first. > > > > > > Let me know.. thanks! > > > > > > David > > > > > > ----------------------- > > > > > > thebunze wrote: > > > with that method you use now, you could get less than 60 seconds > > > > > > David Pritts <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hey -- Jason, you > > > said that I should learn the ROUx method... so you recommend > > > just going to [1]http://grrroux.free.fr/method/Intro.html and > > > learning the method there? > > > > > > I am just getting to the point where I can solve the cube > > > consistently without having to look at any references (thanks to > > > the help provided by many of you who have answered my questions > > > in the past few days). My method is: > > > -Solve first 2 layers > > > -Solve the cross of the bottom layer > > > -Get the LL corners in the right place > > > -Get the LL corners rotated correctly > > > -Switch any incorrect corners > > > > > > I am starting to get pretty good at this, but I know there is > > > little I can do besides getting faster with my algorithms and > > > cutting down time doing the first layer. I can do it in about 4 > > > minutes usually, but I want to start learning more advanced > > > methods. > > > > > > I'm not looking to be the best cuber ever or anything, but I > > > would like to at least get my average down to 90 seconds or 2 > > > minutes. > > > > > > What are the most common methods that you guys use, how > > > difficult are they to learn and use, and how fast are they? > > > > > > thanks!! > > > > > > -David > > > __________________________________________________ > > > Do You Yahoo!? > > > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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