# Blindfold Cubing -- The Beginning?



## abr71310 (Feb 5, 2009)

Scramble: B2 U L U B2 U2 L B2 R F L2 D2 L D' R B D' B L2 B2 L2 D' F D2 B2
I have a screwed up sticker thing (since Diansheng gave it to me that way!!! ), where Yellow is on top, Orange is in Front, and Green is on Right (where blue is supposed to be)...

Edges so far: RY, GW, (NEW CYCLE) YO, WR, RG, OG, YB, OW, *BR, OY*. = *11*? (Parity?!)
Attempt 2 of X
Note: Screwed up memo, evidently. Bolded is what I "forgot" when I broke into new cycle..

Corners: WO, BW, GR, BR, RG, RY (yep, im stuck -- where do i shoot this to, and how do I know to shoot it there?)
Note: -- done "blind", I did this "section" perfectly. I guess I understand how corners work better than corners, but the memo still isn't there. 

Times completed/attempted: 0/2

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I want to make this my first UNOFFICIAL (real) blindfold solve...
I know (finally) how the permutations work, understand how breaking into new cycles (I use classic pochmann, i guess you can say), and how and what setup moves to use in various situations.

My only problem is memory; how does one hone memory skills far enough to think about the ENTIRE solve (step-by-step, obviously) without using a story method? I've always been great with acronyms, but badmephisto's video outlined the "Story method" which I can't seem to get down...

I want to try a logical progression to a perfect blindfold solve, and I want to learn before TOW'09; at least so I don't humiliate myself if I were to sign up. 

I know memory methods were already posted, and presumably (since, as my average and PB singles imply), since I'm a "noob", those likely wouldn't stick on me very well (nor do I fully understand people's description of them).

I understand how the labelling of the corners/edges go (corners clockwise, edges top first, then the other "sticker"), I just need a way to remember them in the string, then decide if I need the parity fix or not (my other "solve" that I wrote down everything I got 8 edges moved, so that was... meh).

Using Google yielded me a bunch of methods that are sort of complicated and unintelligible for the average idiot like me... so how did you start learning? (I'm calling out all of the "pros" who can do it in sub-5!!! -- I just aim for 8 minutes, please...) 

What encouraged you to go on despite getting failed attempts ([email protected] the blindfold failure thread; I feel I shall soon be adding post after post in that thread )?? (and how many failed attempts did you have before succeeding?)

*FINAL NOTEs:
What the heck does "visual" mean?
Can anybody explain to me the concept of "cycling", or at least "breaking into new cycles"??? -- Why did I forget bolded*


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## happa95 (Feb 5, 2009)

I say you should start using visual right now. Though it sounds fallible, it really gets efficient after some practice. The was I do visual is by pretty much uh... visually memorizing the cycles. Haha! I just tap the sticker in groups of around four and look for patterns. Patterns are things like opposite stickers (LU and RU) or things like UR FR DR. Stuff like that. It really is fast. Though in the beginning it will be very slow, you will slowly get faster. Also, I actually gave up BLD just because my accuracy was so bad. Then, like a week ago, I picked it up again and now I have 90% accuracy.

BTW, there is no excuse for not getting good at BLD. I have about the same average as you for 3x3 speed: 31 seconds and yet I have a 3:00 BLD average that is getting lower everyday.


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## abr71310 (Feb 5, 2009)

happa95 said:


> I just tap the sticker in groups of around four and look for patterns. Patterns are things like opposite stickers (LU and RU) or things like UR FR DR. Stuff like that. It really is fast. Though in the beginning it will be very slow, you will slowly get faster. Also, I actually gave up BLD just because my accuracy was so bad. Then, like a week ago, I picked it up again and now I have 90% accuracy.



Is it easier to memorize positions rather than sticker colours? (I'm going on BM's video, again...)

and... How does the number system work that Tyson Mao was using on CNN?? -- can that be translated for use in Classic Pochmann?


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## happa95 (Feb 5, 2009)

abr71310 said:


> happa95 said:
> 
> 
> > I just tap the sticker in groups of around four and look for patterns. Patterns are things like opposite stickers (LU and RU) or things like UR FR DR. Stuff like that. It really is fast. Though in the beginning it will be very slow, you will slowly get faster. Also, I actually gave up BLD just because my accuracy was so bad. Then, like a week ago, I picked it up again and now I have 90% accuracy.
> ...



I don't memorize the sticker colors.... I've done BLD enough that I know instantly where each sticker belongs. Therefore, I just tap the sticker.


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## byu (Feb 5, 2009)

I just started getting successes today, after four days of REAL practice. I average about 4:30 when I don't mess up. Use visual that's what I use. Much easier to remember positions than colors. As for Tyson's system, just do assignments like UF - 1, UL-2 UB-3 and so on. But don't do that, use visual


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## Sa967St (Feb 5, 2009)

abr71310 said:


> I want to learn before TOW'09; at least so I don't humiliate myself if I were to sign up.


 nah, getting 3 DNF's wouldn't be humiliating, lots have people have done that. I've signed up for bld at tow'09 and I'm probably getting 3 DNF's since my success rate is low >_<


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## Ellis (Feb 5, 2009)

Don't listen to these guys [email protected]

If you want to do visual for corners, thats fine, but I really don't think you should start your edges with visual memo, or numbers, I suggest letters. Its ok if you want to switch your edges to visual after a while, but you want to get comfortable with memorizing and solving blindfold before you switch to full visual. Thats just my opinion though.

Welcome to blindfold solving by the way, its a lot of fun. I'd like to help you out with it and with this scramble, but unfortunately you've listed the edges and corners as colors rather than positions, and I use a different cube orientation so going through your example is a little difficult. I'll be sending you a message right now though to see if you want to chat regarding bld.


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