# Justin Barker, Learning EG-1 in 10 Days, and the Quest to Somehow Podium at OKCubing



## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

I've noticed that for some reason I place well in 2x2 at competitions even though I practice way less 2x2 than 3x3. I looked at the psych sheet for OKCubing and it almost looked like I could podium. So, I thought, "What the heck! I'll learn EG-1 over the next 10 days (9, not counting today) left of my winter break, and try to get a sub 3.5 average! Seems perfectly legit...
http://99.120.214.171:443/img/eg-1.png <-- There I will update that each day



Spoiler



inb4 everyone posts about how stupid of a thread this is


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## sqAree (Dec 27, 2015)

Good luck!

I personally don't find threads like that stupid. However, I think in most cases challenging oneself like that is not successful.


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## kcl (Dec 27, 2015)

Dude just spam TPS with Ortega and you'll be fine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

sqAree said:


> Good luck!
> 
> I personally don't find threads like that stupid. However, I think in most cases challenging oneself like that is not successful.



Thanks! I got this...

What I DO find silly is when people post threads like "I'm learning ZBLL" (a huge accomplishment if completed) and then give up after a week. If you are going to learn a set that huge, you better be pretty determined. I do think that 43 algs is manageable. We will see.



kclejeune said:


> Dude just spam TPS with Ortega and you'll be fine
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



EG > CLL >>> Ortega ≈ LBL
just my opinion xD but you are fast so you might know what you are talking about... ahh whatever EG-1 is pro skilz


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## ottozing (Dec 27, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> EG-1 is pro skilz



Not really. 1 looking is skillz 

anyway gl try not to quit after 2 days


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

ottozing said:


> Not really. 1 looking is skillz
> 
> *anyway gl try not to quit after 2 days*



naw m8 i got dis


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## henrysavich (Dec 27, 2015)

ottozing said:


> Not really. 1 looking is skillz
> 
> anyway gl try not to quit after 2 days



True but EG-1 makes 1-looking so much easier, at least in my experience. I guess in theory 1-looking ortega should be equally as easy though if you can recognize CPLL at OLL (like recognizing the CLL case but using OLL/PLL)


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## Cale S (Dec 27, 2015)

The nice thing about EG-1 is that you can get an alg for a case's opposite by placing the bar on the opposite side and cancelling into R2 F2 R2 or F2 R2 F2 to, which adds at most 2 moves and is basically the same alg, so there are basically just 20 algs to learn.

Example: 
diagpi = R' F R2 U' R2 F R with bar in back
purepi = R' F R2 U' R2 F R' F2 R2 with bar in front


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

Cale S said:


> The nice thing about EG-1 is that you can get an alg for a case's opposite by placing the bar on the opposite side and cancelling into R2 F2 R2 or F2 R2 F2 to, which adds at most 2 moves and is basically the same alg, so there are basically just 20 algs to learn.
> 
> Example:
> diagpi = R' F R2 U' R2 F R with bar in back
> purepi = R' F R2 U' R2 F R' F2 R2 with bar in front



I might try this, but I've heard that it is especially nice for EG-2 because you can learn 0 algs; just do the corresponding CLL alg (A diag swap away from the EG-2 alg) and then cancel into R2 F2 R2. I think I can take on 43 algs though, 6 per day shouldn't be too hard, and if I forget an alg I can just look it up and drill it a few times. That is actually my general method of learning algs- I learn a lot of them, and if I forget one I relearn it and eventually if I use them in my solves enough they stay in my memory.


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## biscuit (Dec 27, 2015)

I'll be your good luck charm!... If I was going... Wish my parents were up to driving 5 hours for a comp. Almost convinced a family friend to take me.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

biscuit said:


> I'll be your good luck charm!... If I was going... Wish my parents were up to driving 5 hours for a comp. Almost convinced a family friend to take me.



I'm going as a Christmas gift  (I have relatives in OK City who paid for registration and for me to stay at the "Gifford Bed and Breakfast" (their house xD) and then my grandparents got me the airplane ticket.


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## KRAMIST (Dec 27, 2015)

Race to full EG-1?


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## Kudz (Dec 27, 2015)

I think that I will do same race for myself..
Good luck!


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## Sajwo (Dec 27, 2015)

Good luck!


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## Berd (Dec 27, 2015)

Good luck! I still need to review my sune/antisune CLLS!


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## ryanj92 (Dec 27, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> I might try this, but I've heard that it is especially nice for EG-2 because you can learn 0 algs; just do the corresponding CLL alg (A diag swap away from the EG-2 alg) and then cancel into R2 F2 R2. I think I can take on 43 algs though, 6 per day shouldn't be too hard, and if I forget an alg I can just look it up and drill it a few times. That is actually my general method of learning algs- I learn a lot of them, and if I forget one I relearn it and eventually if I use them in my solves enough they stay in my memory.



surely you have to be able to 1-look pretty much all the time for that strategy to be worth it... otherwise so many y2's


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

ryanj92 said:


> surely you have to be able to 1-look pretty much all the time for that strategy to be worth it... otherwise so many y2's



or U2s (because diag swaps can be done from any angle)

Something that I have found hard already is practicing the recognition. What I've tried is using EG-1 scrambles and twisting corners so I get sune/antisune, but that is kinda impractical. Does anyone know of a better way?


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## PenguinsDontFly (Dec 27, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> or U2s (because diag swaps can be done from any angle)
> 
> Something that I have found hard already is practicing the recognition. What I've tried is using EG-1 scrambles and twisting corners so I get sune/antisune, but that is kinda impractical. Does anyone know of a better way?



I used to look at the pic of scramble and spam next til I get a case I know.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

PenguinsDontFly said:


> I used to look at the pic of scramble and spam next til I get a case I know.



Interesting idea. I might end up trying that.

btw your avatar is wrong it should be sideways


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## PenguinsDontFly (Dec 27, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> Interesting idea. I might end up trying that.
> 
> btw your avatar is wrong it should be sideways



twisting corners works too but spamming next is too fun xD

lol im on mobile so I cant rotate it (o crap I lost the old avatar...oops..looks like im stuck with this for now...)


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## CriticalCubing (Dec 27, 2015)

Good luck. 

Is 1 look with Ortega tough? In inspection you know the first face and PBL on the D layer. If you know how corners are permuted when you are doing your first face then you also know the OLL on top. Only pause is recognizing the PBL on U layer and then executing the alg however more experienced cubers will probably get that step in inspection as well.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

CriticalCubing said:


> Good luck.
> 
> Is 1 look with Ortega tough? In inspection you know the first face and PBL on the D layer. If you know how corners are permuted when you are doing your first face then you also know the OLL on top. Only pause is recognizing the PBL on U layer and then executing the alg however more experienced cubers will probably get that step in inspection as well.



I have never figured out how to one-look and it makes me so slow xD

also, on 3x3 I can't always see my first pair during inspection and it bugs me


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## PenguinsDontFly (Dec 27, 2015)

CriticalCubing said:


> Good luck.
> 
> Is 1 look with Ortega tough? In inspection you know the first face and PBL on the D layer. If you know how corners are permuted when you are doing your first face then you also know the OLL on top. Only pause is recognizing the PBL on U layer and then executing the alg however more experienced cubers will probably get that step in inspection as well.



its only a little harder than with full EG. Once you predict the OLL, all you have to do is find out whether U layer ends up solved, diag, or adj. so basically you have to know CLL recognition.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

PenguinsDontFly said:


> its only a little harder than with full EG. Once you predict the OLL, all you have to do is find out whether U layer ends up solved, diag, or adj. so basically you have to know CLL recognition.



Yeah, but the hard part for me is seeing the OLL case xD


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

I'm having trouble matching the algs with their case in my brain. Does anyone have any suggestions?


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## WACWCA (Dec 27, 2015)

EG-1 is 40 algs not 43 i dont know where yu got that. 6 sets have 6 and H has 4


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## WACWCA (Dec 27, 2015)

Are you using Chris Olson's website, that really helped me learn CLl and EG-1 because i match the case with its position on his site and it helps me a lot. the position doesnt change for other subsets either


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## WACWCA (Dec 27, 2015)

Do you even know CLL yet?


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 27, 2015)

WACWCA said:


> EG-1 is 40 algs not 43 i dont know where yu got that. 6 sets have 6 and H has 4


And the OLL skip set, I don't know Ortega


WACWCA said:


> Are you using Chris Olson's website, that really helped me learn CLl and EG-1 because i match the case with its position on his site and it helps me a lot. the position doesnt change for other subsets either


I was using AlgDB but I'll try.


WACWCA said:


> Do you even know CLL yet?


Yes.


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## Rubiks560 (Dec 28, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> And the OLL skip set, I don't know Ortega
> 
> I was using AlgDB but I'll try.
> 
> Yes.



My site should be quite a bit better than what algdb has. I haven't checked algdb for 2x2 in a while, but last I checked it was missing a lot of good 2x2 algs. There's very few good algs mine is missing. Especially in EG-1.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 28, 2015)

Rubiks560 said:


> My site should be quite a bit better than what algdb has. I haven't checked algdb for 2x2 in a while, but last I checked it was missing a lot of good 2x2 algs. There's very few good algs mine is missing. Especially in EG-1.



*recommends own site*

That's a good point, and besides AlgDB bugs me because algs that should be together are separated; all of the EG algs on AlgDB are classified into separate pages by OLL case and it's rather annoying.


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## joshsailscga (Dec 28, 2015)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> *recommends own site*



To my knowledge Chris generated pretty much all of the EG algs used today so yeah I could see him recommending his own site.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 28, 2015)

joshsailscga said:


> To my knowledge Chris generated pretty much all of the EG algs used today so yeah I could see him recommending his own site.



I was joking


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## FastCubeMaster (Dec 28, 2015)

Yeah, you can get sub 3 with CLL, so my recommendation is to not learn EG -1 a few days before a comp. You need a lot of practice (talking weeks) to get used to those algs and use them fast. So practising CLL can get you faster, changing CLL algs if you need to is not a bad idea. I use CLL and am sub 3.5. Not sub 3 yet tho...


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## WACWCA (Dec 28, 2015)

You might learnthem all in time but you should probably only use EG-1 in the comp if you can 1 look the solve, that lets you prepare. You probably wont be as fast with EG-1 as CLL by then


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 28, 2015)

WACWCA said:


> You might learnthem all in time but you should probably only use EG-1 in the comp if you can 1 look the solve, that lets you prepare. You probably wont be as fast with EG-1 as CLL by then



yeah, I was thinking about that. It's only 3 weeks. Maybe this isn't exactly the greatest idea... lol


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## JustinTimeCuber (Dec 29, 2015)

Alright, a bit of an update: I have the S and S' sets memorized, but 3 of my S' cases are a bit questionable (I have a hard time remembering which alg to use.) By the way, here's the code I use to create my super fancy images. It should be pretty self-explanatory, especially if you know how to code. It's in Processing. Processing is for nubs. Go ahead, use it (you won't probably no one will xD) I won't get mad just tell people I made it


Spoiler





```
static final String SET_NAME = "EG-1";
int[][] bySubset = { // { total, mastered, in-progress (number of algs learned but not well; it takes some thinking to remember which alg) }
  {6,6,0}, //S
  {6,3,3}, //S'
  {6,0,0}, //π
  {6,0,0}, //T
  {6,0,0}, //U
  {6,0,0}, //L
  {4,0,0}, //H
  {3,1,0} //O
};
String[] subsetNames = {
  "S",
  "S'",
  "π",
  "T",
  "U",
  "L",
  "H",
  "O"
};
int algsTotal = 0;
int algsMastered = 0;
int algsInProgress = 0;
void setup() {
  size(500, 500);
  for(int i = 0; i < bySubset.length; i++) {
    algsTotal += bySubset[i][0];
    algsMastered += bySubset[i][1];
    algsInProgress += bySubset[i][2];
  }
}
void draw() {
  background(0);
  noStroke();
  fill(255);
  textAlign(LEFT, TOP);
  textSize(20);
  text("Algs total: " + algsTotal, 2, 52);
  fill(255, 0, 0);
  rect(0, 0, width, 50);
  text("Algs left to learn: " + (algsTotal - algsMastered - algsInProgress), 2, 72);
  fill(255, 255, 0);
  rect(0, 0, map(algsMastered+algsInProgress, 0, algsTotal, 0, width), 50);
  text("Algs in-progress: " + algsInProgress, 2, 92);
  fill(0, 255, 0);
  rect(0, 0, map(algsMastered, 0, algsTotal, 0, width), 50);
  text("Algs mastered: " + algsMastered, 2, 112);
  fill(255);
  text("By Subset:", 2, 142);
  for(int i = 0; i < bySubset.length; i++) {
    fill(255);
    text(subsetNames[i] + ": " + bySubset[i][0] + " total, " + bySubset[i][1] + " mastered, " + bySubset[i][2] + " in-progress", 2, 162 + 20*i);
    fill(255, 0, 0);
    rect(370, 165 + 20*i, 100, 15);
    fill(255, 255, 0);
    rect(370, 165 + 20*i, map(bySubset[i][1]+bySubset[i][2], 0, bySubset[i][0], 0, 100), 15);
    fill(0, 255, 0);
    rect(370, 165 + 20*i, map(bySubset[i][1], 0, bySubset[i][0], 0, 100), 15);
  }
  fill(255);
  textSize(15);
  text("In-progress means learned but not learned very well.", 2, 182 + 20*bySubset.length);
  fill(0);
  textSize(40);
  text(SET_NAME + ": " + (float)round(1000*((float)(algsInProgress+algsMastered)/algsTotal))/10 + "% learned", 2, 5);
  save(SET_NAME + ".png");
}
```


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## AlexMaass (Jan 2, 2016)

that didn't work out well...


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## JustinTimeCuber (Jan 2, 2016)

AlexMaass said:


> that didn't work out well...



I'm gonna learn later I decided it was stupid


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## AlexMaass (Jan 2, 2016)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> I'm gonna learn later I decided it was stupid



I mean with the podium part : p


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## Rubiks560 (Jan 2, 2016)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> Thanks! I got this...
> 
> What I DO find silly is when people post threads like "I'm learning ZBLL" (a huge accomplishment if completed)* and then give up after a week.* If you are going to learn a set that huge, you better be pretty determined. I do think that 43 algs is manageable. We will see.





JustinTimeCuber said:


> I'm gonna learn later I decided it was stupid



lol xD


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## joshsailscga (Jan 2, 2016)

Rubiks560 said:


> lol xD



LOL I was going to post that same quote XD


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## ottozing (Jan 3, 2016)

ottozing said:


> anyway gl try not to quit after 2 days



You literally quit after 2 days

Wow


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## biscuit (Jan 3, 2016)

Rubiks560 said:


> lol xD


#savage


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## Hssandwich (Jan 3, 2016)

biscuit said:


> #savage



Yeeeees


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## henrysavich (Jan 3, 2016)

biscuit said:


> #savage





Hssandwich said:


> Yeeeees



Yea??


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## biscuit (Jan 3, 2016)

henrysavich said:


> Yea??



Maybe I should have said #savich


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## WACWCA (Jan 3, 2016)

LolFail
Didn't even get average at music city because he missed cutoff


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## Jaysammey777 (Jan 3, 2016)

Honest, why is this thread still a thing?


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## FastCubeMaster (Jan 3, 2016)

I remember through my CLL jurney, I wanted to quit a few times, I thought it just made me slower.

But after lots of practice.... SUB 3.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## JustinTimeCuber (Jan 3, 2016)

WACWCA said:


> LolFail
> Didn't even get average at music city because he missed cutoff



first solve was fail and second solve was a +2, give me a break D: besides, I know we were way behind schedule, but...

honestly though I'm gonna still learn eg1 soon ok?

I'm not as much "giving up" as I am "being smart and deciding that I don't want to cram an entire algset in 10 days"

I'll be finished by the end of January. Happy?


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## asacuber (Jan 3, 2016)

FastCubeMaster said:


> I remember through my CLL jurney, I wanted to quit a few times, I thought it just made me slower.
> 
> But after lots of practice.... SUB 3.5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Wat you know full cll? I need to step up my game (I have got like 8 left)


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## Bindedsa (Jan 3, 2016)

JustinTimeCuber said:


> 'm not as much "giving up" as I am "being smart and deciding that I don't want to cram an entire algset in 10 days"



Sounds like you gave up. No one really cares, but making a thread for learning 4 algs a day for 10 days, then quitting is silly.


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## OLLiver (Jan 3, 2016)

Bindedsa said:


> Sounds like you gave up. No one really cares, but making a thread for learning 4 algs a day for 10 days, then quitting is silly.



yes. Please tell me this won't become a regular thing. I wish people would just use the accomplishment thread.


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## JustinTimeCuber (Jan 3, 2016)

Honestly, I had 2 comps to practice for and still 1 left now. I will finish by January 31. I just don't want to learn a ton of algs in 10 days and then have just a few to practice for my next comp. This thread *is* dumb. If you think it's dumb, stop replying lol


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