# Really need some help with FMC after F2L-1



## goodatthis (Jun 15, 2014)

So I'm getting into FMC and I'm getting pretty good at the blockbuilding aspect of it, I can usually get to 2x2x3 in under 12 moves (give or take) but after it gets restricted to F2L-1 I have some trouble. I can usually create another 2x2x1, but it takes too many moves and after that I just don't know where to go. I understand 3 cycle corner comms, but orienting and permitting the last few edges is something I have trouble with. Let's take this partial example solve:

B2 L F2 L F2 R2 B2 L U2 R2 U2 F' D2 R' U F' U2 B' F2 U' 

2x2x3// B R D2 R' U L2 D' B' R2 (9)
2x2x1// D B' D2 L' D2 L D2 L' D' L (10/19)
2x2x1// x2 F' U F R U' R' F' U' F (9/28)
Now what? Is there something I should have been doing that I didn't when I was creating the tripod?

I really want to be able to average sub 40, do you guys think I have the basic blockbuilding skills to accomplish this? Thanks for the feedback.


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## tx789 (Jun 15, 2014)

You can do so many things. Just messing around can help. Why not watch the videos on FMC from cubingworld? They could be helpful for you if you hadn't see them.


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## whauk (Jun 15, 2014)

I think your problem is to expect FMC to be a linear string of problem solving. This means you split your problem (solving the cube) up in several problem parts (such as solve 223, solve F2l-1,...) and try to solve every of these seperately. In the end you don't find a finish and are upset. The key is to think not linear but something like in a "tree"-shape. What you found so far is one branch that doesn't have a good continuation (At least I don't see one). So instead of looking for things that aren't there, go back and wonder where you could have made something differently. Maybe the biggest inspiration for you might be this line:
after: B R D2 R' U L2 D' B' 
instead of doing R2 you can get a very nice bunch of blocks with: F' R' F2 D2 F' R'
So before even finishing the first step I already cared about some other pieces. Note that I don't know whether there are any good continuations from there. I only know that i would spend some minutes looking on this line and maybe then go and find some better branch.
So in general if you don't see a good continuation after F2l-1 that leads to 3 corners (or something else) you should find an other branch before bothering yourself too much. Even if your start looks very nice, there may be no good finish and you should find a different start. Once you have exmained enough branches one will eventually has an easy-to-see last step (F2L-1 to 3 corners). That's what FMC is all about.


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## goodatthis (Jun 16, 2014)

whauk said:


> I think your problem is to expect FMC to be a linear string of problem solving. This means you split your problem (solving the cube) up in several problem parts (such as solve 223, solve F2l-1,...) and try to solve every of these seperately. In the end you don't find a finish and are upset. The key is to think not linear but something like in a "tree"-shape. What you found so far is one branch that doesn't have a good continuation (At least I don't see one). So instead of looking for things that aren't there, go back and wonder where you could have made something differently. Maybe the biggest inspiration for you might be this line:
> after: B R D2 R' U L2 D' B'
> instead of doing R2 you can get a very nice bunch of blocks with: F' R' F2 D2 F' R'
> So before even finishing the first step I already cared about some other pieces. Note that I don't know whether there are any good continuations from there. I only know that i would spend some minutes looking on this line and maybe then go and find some better branch.
> So in general if you don't see a good continuation after F2l-1 that leads to 3 corners (or something else) you should find an other branch before bothering yourself too much. Even if your start looks very nice, there may be no good finish and you should find a different start. Once you have exmained enough branches one will eventually has an easy-to-see last step (F2L-1 to 3 corners). That's what FMC is all about.



That actually really helped. A lot. I definitely see what you are saying, because when I first started FMC, I would often just find one solution that I thought "worked" and I would be done with it. Now I understand how I really should be going about many different ways to do certain things, thank you!


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## cmhardw (Jun 29, 2014)

Are you using a skeleton plus insertion style approach?


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## goodatthis (Jun 29, 2014)

cmhardw said:


> Are you using a skeleton plus insertion style approach?



For the most part, if I can get to L3C.


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## cmhardw (Jun 29, 2014)

goodatthis said:


> For the most part, if I can get to L3C.



That helps a lot. The only other thing I can think to add is NISS (Normal Inverse Scramble Switch). You can check if the F2L-1 on the inverse scramble has a good continuation.


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