# Is it better to go near the first or last in a competition? Or does it matter?



## CarlBrannen (Apr 27, 2013)

Would you prefer to be one of the first to start cubing or towards the last, or does it matter?

One of the advantages of going first is that you don't have any pressure. If you don't do well under pressure that might be a good idea.

On the other hand, if you go last, you can watch the other competitors and know exactly how fast you need to go. So if you need to be a little faster than average you can take some risks, and maybe risk a pop.

So which is better, near the first or near the last? Or does it matter?


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## emolover (Apr 27, 2013)

I like being first. Before I was know in the mid-west competitions and the cubing world I would always be near last having my name being Trevor.


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## Rubiks560 (Apr 27, 2013)

Doesn't matter to me. I'd take first just so I can get it over with.


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## Coolster01 (Apr 27, 2013)

I voted for last because you know what times to beat. But after thinking about it, being first is probably better because you never know if you are going to get a ridiculous scramble. It is a complete surprise!


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## kunparekh18 (Apr 27, 2013)

Names are called in alphabetical order so it doesn't matter.


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## CarlBrannen (Apr 27, 2013)

Another thing that comes to mind is that if you go later, you might get an idea what the scrambles look like. The only advantage I could see to it would be that if you were color neutral you might remember that one of the colors is going to be better.


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## JianhanC (Apr 27, 2013)

Doesn't matter, not allowed to discuss scrambles anyway.


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## Kirjava (Apr 27, 2013)

JianhanC said:


> Doesn't matter, not allowed to discuss scrambles anyway.



If many people appear to be getting abnormally good times, you can get an idea of what the scrambles are like.


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## JianhanC (Apr 27, 2013)

Kirjava said:


> If many people appear to be getting abnormally good times, you can get an idea of what the scrambles are like.



Yes, but some people use a different coloured cross, and the solutions can differ greatly between cubers.


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## applemobile (Apr 27, 2013)

Kirjava said:


> If many people appear to be getting abnormally good times, you can get an idea of what the scrambles are like.



Nothing screws up an 'easy' solve than knowing that its an easy solve.


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## Kirjava (Apr 27, 2013)

applemobile said:


> Nothing screws up an 'easy' solve than knowing that its an easy solve.



This isn't true for everyone.



JianhanC said:


> Yes, but some people use a different coloured cross, and the solutions can differ greatly between cubers.



So you know that if the CN cubers are getting good times there's probably a good start on something other than white. If the CN and white people are getting good times there's probably something on white.

Are you honestly trying to argue that you can't gleam information this way?


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## JianhanC (Apr 27, 2013)

Kirjava said:


> This isn't true for everyone.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ok, maybe I concede that a cuber comes back to the waiting area with the crowd applauding is a good sign that the scramble is a pretty easy one, without him telling the other cubers that that was an easy scramble. But for a non w/y cross to be easy does not necessarily mean that the w/y is as easy. It's actually pretty uncommon, probably a scramble with an easy block or something. But even if there's an easy, say, white cross, the F2L solution might be very different and can change the entire outcome for the rest of the solve. There was once I had a scramble that I got 10.xx on, and Amos who is a lot faster than me got 14.xx iirc. Totally different solution, albeit pretty easy start. I'm just trying to prove my point that it doesn't matter at all who goes first in a competition  In fact I've never even thought about it till I saw this thread.


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## Kirjava (Apr 27, 2013)

JianhanC said:


> But for a non w/y cross to be easy does not necessarily mean that the w/y is as easy.



I didn't say it was.



JianhanC said:


> It's actually pretty uncommon, probably a scramble with an easy block or something. But even if there's an easy, say, white cross, the F2L solution might be very different and can change the entire outcome for the rest of the solve. There was once I had a scramble that I got 10.xx on, and Amos who is a lot faster than me got 14.xx iirc. Totally different solution, albeit pretty easy start. I'm just trying to prove my point that it doesn't matter at all who goes first in a competition  In fact I've never even thought about it till I saw this thread.



Actually, it does matter - as you can gain information about the scramble if you solve later. Your point is invalid.


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## Ross The Boss (Apr 27, 2013)

CarlBrannen said:


> Another thing that comes to mind is that if you go later, you might get an idea what the scrambles look like. The only advantage I could see to it would be that if you were color neutral you might remember that one of the colors is going to be better.


i hate doing things like that. for some reason i will feel almost sick to my stomach if i try to gain an advantage that way, even though it really isnt all that bad of a thing to do.


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## MaeLSTRoM (Apr 27, 2013)

For most things, I'm not bothered. For events I care about however, I prefer to go nearer to the start, otherwise I get myself worked up over what times other people have got and start getting really nervous. Overall, I'd say it doesn't matter really.


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## guythatlikesOH (Apr 27, 2013)

If you go near last, you know exactly what your competition and what expectations to live up to, which most of the time can be threatening. If you go near the first, you don't have to "live up to" any standards yet because there are none. So at least for me, I'm less nervous going near first.


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## avgdi (Apr 27, 2013)

I prefer going towards the beginning because A. it seems that less spectators are paying attention towards the beginning of a round, and B. I get more nervous the longer I stand around waiting to solve.


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## DaveyCow (Apr 28, 2013)

I'm slower than a cow and never get into even the second round, so for me it really doesn't matter. It might start mattering for faster people only because of the "information gathering" strategies mentioed above. But I wouldn't think that would affect someone too terribly much, as far as their average goes anyway.


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## CarlBrannen (Apr 28, 2013)

Ross The Boss said:


> i hate doing things like that. for some reason i will feel almost sick to my stomach if i try to gain an advantage that way, even though it really isnt all that bad of a thing to do.



Turns out it's not allowed in the regulations, competitors aren't supposed to be near other competitors solving cubes that they're also going to solve. So better organized competitions have a separate solving area.

And I wouldn't do it myself, I would feel guilty.


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## ErikJ (Apr 28, 2013)

2nd place is first place losing.

"I hate losing more than I even wanna win" - Brad Pitt, Moneyball


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