June 6, 2017
Speedcubing solves –
Everyone would love to solve the Rubik’s Cube but even more desire to solve it very fast. Extremely fast cube solvers are known as speed cubers. Speed cubers have lots of finger skills. I also takes plenty of patience and practice to produce fast solves of the cube.
There are various techniques involved in speed cubing. Speed cubing is impossible to carry out on a stiff Rubik’s Cube. The cube must be flexible in order to speed cube it.
There are many Rubik’s cubes that are specially designed for speed cubing. Some of them aren’t all that expensive.
Today a world class speed cuber can solve the cube within 13 seconds. Seven years ago it was 15 seconds. You can notice that the standard is getting higher. This is because cube solving times have become a lot faster. Speed cubing techniques can be carried out by using all the Rubik’s Cube solving methods.
Speedcubing using Fridrich Method
However they are best carried out by using the Fridrich Method. This is because this method consists of a lot of algorithms, which are very easy to carry out joining up the moves. Most of the World’s best speed cubers solve the cube by this method. The 3 stages of this method are as follows.
1)The first 2 layers
2)Orientate the last layer
3)Permute the last layer
After solving the first 2 layers you may be lucky enough to find the cube has also been orientated. This will save you time from having to complete this step thus having a much faster solving time.
Very rarely the cube is both orientated and permuted after solving the first 2 layers. This will result in a massively faster solving time.
Speedcubing competitions
Today there are records and results of thousands of Rubik’s Cube competitions. These competitions include ones at both National and Inter National level. These competitions comprise of all kinds of speed cubing events. There are cash prizes for the top three finalists in the major competitions.
These competitions are attended mostly by males. They are held in very quiet locations. They usually last for about two hours.
Not everyone like these competitions. Not even all speed cubers like competitions. There are a lot of them that don’t attend competitions.
Speedcubing Performances
You could be an extremely fast speed cuber and attend a speed cubing competition and still feel bad afterwards. This is because you got nervous at the time you had to speed solve the cube. This then harmed your clear thinking and resulted in a much slower solving time to your usual time.
In 2009 I was averaging about 22 seconds for each speed solve of the cube whilst at home. Later that same year I attended the UK Rubik’s Cube championships.
Speedcubing solves
At the time I sat down to solve the cube, I suddenly felt nervous about how I would perform. I ended up producing a 45 second solve of the cube. All that previous practice for nothing I thought. The person that timed me told me that these competitions also made him nervous and slowed down his performances.
He told me that his usual solving time was twenty five seconds outside of competitions and 50 seconds at competitions.
If you aren’t able to perform well in competitions then there isn’t much point attending them. Practicing is good but unfortunately you can’t recreate that same pressure whilst practicing that you can experience in competitions.
Speedcubing solves
Fortunately most speed cubers don’t get this problem to a level which holds back their performance a lot.
Becoming a Speed Cuber
You must first learn to solve the Cube before you learn how to solve it fast.There are many good Rubik’s Cube tutorials to learn the Cube.
Speedcubing solves
What is a Speed-Cuber? one may ask themselves. The simple answer to this question is different to different people. For some people a Speed-Cuber is someone who can solve the cube under one minute.
There are extremely few people who can solve the Rubik’s cube under one minute. Therefore, I would consider them very good. A lot more people would consider a Speed-Cuber to be able to solve the cube under 30 seconds.
Speedcubing solves
Everyone would agree that any person who can solve the cube under 20 seconds is definitely a Speed-Cuber. I would expect a Speed-Cuber to be able to at least solve a cube at 3 moves per second. This speed is very fast.
There was no such thing as speed cubing when I first learnt the cube.I first learned to solve the cube in 1982. After 3 months of practice I could solve the cube in 27 seconds. At that time the fastest Speed-Cubers in the world were solving the cube in this same time as me.
Speed cubing progression
I at that time would have been considered a world class Speed-Cuber. The Rubik’s cube solving method used in 1982 was called The long Layer Method. This method consisted of about 10 algorithms. The moves of the cube were carried out by hand turns.
Using this method it would take a maximum of 120 quarter turns to solve the cube. As time progressed better solving methods were introduced enabling a cuber to solve the cube in less moves. This led to faster solving times.
Speedcubing solves
These faster solving times were improved further by using finger pushes. Finger pushes are carried out solely by the use of your fingers. World class Speed-Cubers of today average about 5-6 turns per second when carrying out moves by finger pushes.
Speed cubing solving methods
Finger pushes are carried out on the Upper, Downer,Front and Back files. The Left and Right files need to be moved by hand turns. Finger pushes are carried out by using every finger excluding the smallest one. Even the thumbs can be used in finger pushing.
Finger pushes are carried out by holding the cube with your thumbs and middle and wedding fingers. You must now make quick pushes with your index finger to carry out moves on the Upper, Front and Back files.
Speedcubing solves
To carry out moves on the Downer file you must hold the cube with your thumbs, middle and index fingers and push the Downer file with your wedding fingers. Apart from producing much faster solves by finger finger pushes it also looks a lot more cooler.
Speedcubing solves
The development of these Speed-Cubing skills has led to world class Speed-Cubers averaging solves under 15 seconds. If you’re serious about becoming a Speed-Cuber you must be dedicated to learning. You must practice a lot and I would advise you to do some research on the subject.
Speedcubing solves
Once a person has learnt to solve the Rubik’s cube it is only natural for them to want to solve it faster. The average person after lots of practice will normally solve a cube between 5 and 10 minutes. Top Speed-Cubers will solve the Rubik’s cube under 20 seconds.
Some speed cubing world records are well below 10 seconds.
Under 10 second solves
These fast solves require very good finger skills with lots of practice. The Fridrich method and the Lars Petrus method are commonly used by the world’s top Speed-Cubers to solve the cube. The reason for this is that these methods take between on average 60 – 75 quarter turns to solve the cube.
Speedcubing solves
The world record for solving the Rubik’s cube is held by Matts Valk at 5.55 seconds. Although the world’s fastest Speed-Cubers may have personal best times ranging from 5.55 to 7.5 seconds, their average solving times will range between 8 – 9 seconds.
A very flexible and lubricated Rubik’s cube is needed for fast Rubik’s cube solves. Today the W C A (World Cube Association) hold official tournaments for Speed-Cubing.
Speedcubing solves
Conclusion
Speed cubing is the major event in Rubik’s Cube competitions. Solving times are always getting faster due to faster solving methods being introduced. It is also improved by more people taking part in competitions.