# About to start attempting BLD but...



## bananapoopking (Sep 5, 2017)

I know the basics of OP
I am still stuck on 2 things that I couldn't find good explanations/resources for.
1. Cycles (when buffer is solved and I have to swap with an unsolved piece)
2. Parity (How do I know when I have it... Is it just an r-perm?)

Could someone explain? or link me some good information?
Any tips before I start making Only edges/corners and eventually full attempts?


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## greentgoatgal (Sep 5, 2017)

Following


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## Benjamin Warry (Sep 5, 2017)

Parity is just an R perm. you can tell that you have parity when you have an odd number of edge targets. As for breaking cycles I recommend Zane Carney's Old Pochman tutorial. As for tips just try a few solves without a blindfold. Good luck!


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## biscuit (Sep 5, 2017)

You need to break into a new cycle when your buffer piece is solved (unless it's the last piece of course). Shoot to any unsolved piece, and continue as normal. When you get back to the piece you shot to, you'll solve the buffer piece again. You then either have to shoot to another solved piece, or you'll be done. 

As for Parity, that happens when you have an odd number of targets in edges/corners (note: You can NOT have a even number of edge targets and an odd number of corner targets, or visa versa. You'll either have an odd number of both edge and corner targets, or you'll have an even number of edge and corner targets). Assuming you're using letter pairs, it makes it really easy to recognize, because you'll have a letter without a pair. Also assuming you're doing edges first, all you have to do is an R-perm to fix it. Make sure you remember to rotate before and after the R-perm. I've DNF'd multiple attempts because of this.


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## oneshot (Sep 5, 2017)

bananapoopking said:


> 1. Cycles (when buffer is solved and I have to swap with an unsolved piece)
> 2. Parity (How do I know when I have it...
> 
> Could someone explain? or link me some good information?
> Any tips before I start making Only edges/corners and eventually full attempts?


So, I'm sure that more experienced silvers will jump in, but coming from an advanced beginner that is just getting over those problems, I'll explain what I can. 

Parity. You have parity if there's an odd number of targets. It's easy to see if you're doing letter pairs (which I assume you are). If there's a letter all by itself at the end of memo, not in a pair, then you have parity. For example if your pairs are BC HT LP D, that lone D means you have parity. If you solve edges first, you just do the parity alg between edges and corners. You may also know tha if you have parity for edges, you will also have it for corners, which is useful at the beginning because let's say you memo corners and have parity, then if when you memo edges and have an even number of targets, your know you made a mistake somewhere. 

Cycles, you will just get used to them. I remember getting mad when I had to break into a new cycle, lol. But if in your memo, you come to the buffer, just pick another piece that you know isn't solved and start there, just remember to get back to that piece at the end of that cycle. 

Sometimes it's frustrating when you pick a new piece to start a new cycle and it is only a two piece cycle. Right now, I just let it go and do a third cycle. There may be a better way to choose what letter to start with to try and avoid cycle breaks, but I don't know what it is, and at the beginning you should just be learning what's happening to the pieces while you solve and not be worried about optimization. 

As far as making attempts, just start. Most will say to do lots of sighted solves first, but I learned with my eyes closed, I don't know why I chose that, but I have a hard time doing it with my eyes open so that may have been a bad thing.


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