# A Roux guide for beginners



## vince (Mar 5, 2013)

Hi,
I learned CFOP but since the first days I've been interested in Block Building Methods.
Recently I decided to learn Roux too and in order to memorise the steps of the method I collected images and simple algs in a document.
I want to share this pdf hoping someone else (a beginner like me) can switch to this method quickly and see its potential.
Let me know for errors or how to improve the document.
the doc is here

thanks to waffo and the donovan's video tutorials


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## pipkiksass (Mar 5, 2013)

Very nice doc, thanks. I'm a newbie to CFOP as well, and I've been dabbling in/mess Roux. I've tried a few Roux solves, it seems very easy, but I struggle with planning my blocks. I'm too used to planning cross + first pair with CFOP! 

Out of interest, how do your Roux averages compare to your CFOP averages?


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## Clarkeeyyy (Mar 5, 2013)

On a slightly more serious note, this is really helpful. Thanks a ton . The only thing I would say is step 4b seems to be made much more confusing than it should be. I think you should remove the algs for that step and describe it like Waffo: Put UL and UR edges in opposite positions of the cube (for example UF and DB), do M' U2 M' and then insert.


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## Snoutmol (Mar 6, 2013)

What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich? Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway. I tried this tutorial, but it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.


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## o2gulo (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich? Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway. I tried this tutorial, but it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.



It's always nice to learn and to explore other methods besides that CFOP.


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## cubingawsumness (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich?


Techniques from block building can improve your f2l and/or cross in CFOP, and it's fun!



Snoutmol said:


> Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway.


Mmmm... Depends on the person but "methods don't have speeds" and all that. You should give it a fair chance.



Snoutmol said:


> it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.


Intuitive may not be bad. It may seem difficult in the beginning but gets easier as you practice more. One reason people like this method because of its lower movecount, which can only be achieved if you block build intuitively well.


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## ottozing (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway.



Alex Lau has the UWR ao5/12/100 with Roux. So shut up.


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## qqwref (Mar 6, 2013)

To be fair, a super-unoptimized beginner's version of Roux *is* slower than Fridrich. But then again, it's slower than real Roux too. Don't consider this guide representative of what a good Roux solver would do.


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## MarcelP (Mar 6, 2013)

vince said:


> Hi,
> I learned CFOP but since the first days I've been interested in Block Building Methods.
> Recently I decided to learn Roux too and in order to memorise the steps of the method I collected images and simple algs in a document.
> I want to share this pdf hoping someone else (a beginner like me) can switch to this method quickly and see its potential.
> ...



Wow, very nice tutorial!! I will bookmark the link.


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## Smiles (Mar 6, 2013)

at sub-15 with CFOP, i started roux for a little over 2 months and managed to get to a sub-18 session with a PB single of 11.04. (CFOP PB at the time was 9.09)
"methods don't have speeds" i think is very accurate. if you can be sub-x with CFOP, you can be sub-x with Roux, since there seems to be a consensus that both are among the best of methods.

and this was only 2 months. my very first Roux solve was the day those 2 months began, and my first solve was 3:24, with a PB of 1:00 by the end of the day. that was a tiring day.

i'm still not 100% comfortable with roux like i am with CFOP, but after about 1.5 months i was able to get to a solid sub-20 level, and i have gained great respect for the method ever since. i love it. i love H perms and Z perms simply because it feels like Roux.

i have also discovered new inserts and new ways to look at the relationship between pieces in CFOP. also new finger tricks like quicker slice turns, and a better overall understanding and recognition habit of EO and LLCP.

/endrant


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## kunparekh18 (Mar 6, 2013)

Very nice guide, layout and presentation is excellent, and the content itself (which matters the most) is very informative.

I don't plan on switching to Roux though


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## arvind1999 (Mar 6, 2013)

Do some examples! Definitely not made for people who want to switch!


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## Bestsimple (Mar 6, 2013)

Wow it looks very good however i agree that some examples would be nice.


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## DNFphobia (Mar 6, 2013)

Great guide!
This might help me get back into Roux, but could you add some examples for blockbuilding and/or make add an example solve?


Sent from my Galaxy Note 2 using Tapatalk


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## Snoutmol (Mar 6, 2013)

cubingawsumness said:


> Intuitive may not be bad. It may seem difficult in the beginning but gets easier as you practice more. One reason people like this method because of its lower movecount, which can only be achieved if you block build intuitively well.



_Lower move count_? I must have been doing it wrong, I guess. It took my like 50 moves and tons of mistakes to get the first block.


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## arvind1999 (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> _Lower move count_? I must have been doing it wrong, I guess. It took my like 50 moves and tons of mistakes to get the first block.


WHAT?! First block is the most efficient part! An advanced roux solver's whole solve's movecount would be near 40!
Watch some example solves and you'll get it!


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## Kirjava (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> _Lower move count_? I must have been doing it wrong, I guess. It took my like 50 moves and tons of mistakes to get the first block.



It took you 50 moves to do the first block and you thought this was normal?


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## JonnyWhoopes (Mar 6, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> _Lower move count_? I must have been doing it wrong, I guess. It took my like 50 moves and tons of mistakes to get the first block.



wat

God's number for first block is 8. It can usually be done in 6 or 7.


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## Snoutmol (Mar 7, 2013)

JonnyWhoopes said:


> wat
> 
> God's number for first block is 8. It can usually be done in 6 or 7.


It was probably the only time I've ever done anything intuitive with a cube, other than F2L.


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## jayefbe (Mar 7, 2013)

The first two layers using F2L is generally ~35 moves in a speedsolve. So even if you applied the same F2L techniques for making the first block, which is very inefficient, it should still require only a fraction of that number.


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## RubiXer (Mar 7, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich? Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway. I tried this tutorial, but it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.


That has got to be the most ignorant comment I've read in a while. There is no such thing as a, "better" or, "best" method.


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## Snoutmol (Mar 11, 2013)

RubiXer said:


> That has got to be the most ignorant comment I've read in a while. There is no such thing as a, "better" or, "best" method.


If all the methods are the same then, what's the point of learning more than one?


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## Noahaha (Mar 11, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> If all the methods are the same then, what's the point of learning more than one?



Not all methods are the same. There just isn't a best method. Different people are better with or like different methods. It's like saying an apple is better than an orange.


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## dharkmatter017 (Mar 11, 2013)

yeah right


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## CheesecakeCuber (Mar 11, 2013)

Snoutmol said:


> What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich? Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway. I tried this tutorial, but it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.



You should check out 5BLD before putting down Roux


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## Shiv3r (Apr 5, 2016)

vince said:


> Hi,
> I learned CFOP but since the first days I've been interested in Block Building Methods.
> Recently I decided to learn Roux too and in order to memorise the steps of the method I collected images and simple algs in a document.
> I want to share this pdf hoping someone else (a beginner like me) can switch to this method quickly and see its potential.
> ...



I would teach the people EO like Gilles roux teaches you to, and the L&R edges in LSE the way waffle teaches you, there are less scary-looking alg sheets(things like that scare noobs.)


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## DoctorKilgrave (Apr 7, 2016)

Nice. I'm learning a beginner's Roux variation. The link's below. You guys probably know about it already, since someone on the forums pointed me towards it.

Planning on moving to a more pure Roux method once I'm comfortable with it. Right now I'm REALLY struggling with the last 6 edges. Especailly permutating the last edges.

I know eventually, I'll have to learn more algorithms, but I enjoy how intuitive Roux feels. The 30ish algorithms in this guide don't seem too bad. I'll go through it in the near future. Thanks.

( 



 )


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## timelord111 (Mar 5, 2017)

Snoutmol said:


> What's the point of Roux if you're already good with Fridrich? Seems like Fridrich is better, anyway. I tried this tutorial, but it seemed like most of the moves were _way_ to tedious and intuitive.


Roux is very good for FMC because of the low move count. It can also be okay for OH because you can put one side of the cube on the mat and press down on the cube in order to do M and M' moves, but ZZ (especially ZZ-CT) is better for OH, using mostly R and U moves for f2l.


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## obelisk477 (Mar 5, 2017)

timelord111 said:


> Roux is very good for FMC because of the low move count. It can also be okay for OH because you can put one side of the cube on the mat and press down on the cube in order to do M and M' moves, but ZZ (especially ZZ-CT) is better for OH, using mostly R and U moves for f2l.



Erm, first of all, I think he probably has since forgotten about this question in the 4 years since he has asked it.

Secondly, Roux is horrible for FMC, because any M move counts as 2 moves in OBTM, which is the metric used by the WCA for counting moves. As the last 13 or so moves of the solve are LSE, any efficiency you gain in the beginning of the solve is demolished at the end.


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## shadowslice e (Mar 5, 2017)

obelisk477 said:


> Erm, first of all, I think he probably has since forgotten about this question in the 4 years since he has asked it.
> 
> Secondly, Roux is horrible for FMC, because any M move counts as 2 moves in OBTM, which is the metric used by the WCA for counting moves. As the last 13 or so moves of the solve are LSE, any efficiency you gain in the beginning of the solve is demolished at the end.


Roux isn't actually completely horrible for FMC. For a start you can actually use insertions which often mean that a Roux solve can be lower movecount than quite a few others.


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## obelisk477 (Mar 5, 2017)

shadowslice e said:


> Roux isn't actually completely horrible for FMC. For a start you can actually use insertions which often mean that a Roux solve can be lower movecount than quite a few others.


Well *I* know that, for example especially if you get 2 3cycles, but I'm pretty sure he didn't have edge insertions in mind

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk


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## shadowslice e (Mar 5, 2017)

obelisk477 said:


> Well *I* know that, for example especially if you get 2 3cycles, but I'm pretty sure he didn't have edge insertions in mind
> 
> Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk


Oh well. Pretty sure alex has a 28 or something with pure roux though.


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## Zerksies (Aug 19, 2017)

I have been looking for something like this


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## AbsoRuud (Jul 8, 2018)

This is great. I get Roux now, even though I throw in a little CFOP for the four corners.


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## abunickabhi (Jul 29, 2018)

I think , the part where beginners struggle the most is in the first block stage:

So this video might be of some help:





There is one better tutorial in English by OH WR#2 holder Kian:





Hope it helps!


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## N3xus (Aug 13, 2018)

Very good tutorial helped me with learning roux so much but i noticed that in the 4 bad edges on top alg the m should be an m'.


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## AMCuber (Aug 15, 2018)

dharkmatter017 said:


> yeah right


Assuming you are sarcastic, some people like blockbuilding better than others. Some people who can memorize 5 algorithms a day easily should choose CFOP, because there are more algorithms.


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## abunickabhi (Aug 15, 2018)

Nice , make more video linked to this tutorial, keep going , Rouxvolution!


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## abunickabhi (Sep 30, 2018)




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