# Those Darned Setup Moves! +Possible Solution



## speedcuber50 (Jun 13, 2013)

Hi!

Have you ever given up blindfold cubing because you keep forgetting to do/undo setup moves? I've done it twice, and now I have a solution (although I haven't tried it yet).

I thought that rather than doing a setup move, then a fixed alg (I use T-perm), then undoing the setup move, it might be better to have a unique alg for each target position. Sure, for edges alone that requires 23 algs and takes longer to learn, but it could still be worthwhile.

In total, one would need 46 algs. This is calculated as follows:

Edges: 11 locations * 2 orientations + 1 more (that's the buffer location with opposite orientation) = 23
Corners: 7 locations * 3 orientations + 2 more (that's the buffer location with other orientations) = 23
Total: Edges + Corners = 23 + 23 = 46

Even so, it's just a thought...

speedcuber50


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## MaeLSTRoM (Jun 13, 2013)

For what you are suggesting you need either 2 buffers, or always do a 2 edge swap but swap the same corners, which means that for some cases the algs will be terrible, or you're just doing comms.


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## qqwref (Jun 13, 2013)

speedcuber50 said:


> I thought that rather than doing a setup move, then a fixed alg (I use T-perm), then undoing the setup move, it might be better to have a unique alg for each target position.


Actually, this is what almost all of the fastest BLD cubers do.


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## Noahaha (Jun 13, 2013)

Are you saying you'd rather learn 40-something new algorithms than 40-something INTUITIVE setup moves? You're crazy.

How about you practice each one 10 times and then you'll know them.



qqwref said:


> Actually, this is what almost all of the fastest BLD cubers do.



Except with 3-cycles.


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## sneaklyfox (Jun 13, 2013)

Just count the setup and undo-setup moves as part of the alg for any piece. Problem solved.


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## speedcuber50 (Jun 13, 2013)

The problem is that I do different setup and unsetup moves! (i.e. the setup move does not get reversed properly.)


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## ryanj92 (Jun 13, 2013)

Well practise them like algs - you'll work up a consistent set of setup moves


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## qqwref (Jun 13, 2013)

Noahaha said:


> Except with 3-cycles.


Well yeah, I was focusing on the "different alg for each position" thing.


And speedcuber50, you should work out a specific and similar way to do each possible position, so you can easily do the same thing every time. For instance a lot of positions can be setup by [some Dw move] [some L move] (assuming a UL buffer). Then if you ever forget the actual setup moves you did (which you should make sure doesn't happen, but if it does...) you can figure out what setup moves you'd do for a case, and if you do it the same way every time you'll undo it correctly.


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## cmhardw (Jun 18, 2013)

The memory sports community has a word that you need to be "mindful" when memorizing. If you're having trouble with setup moves, which I have had trouble with before too, then you're not being mindful of your setup moves as you do them.

This is only a guess, but I would venture to say that when you need to use a setup move, you're focusing on which algorithm you need to use to solve that case more than you are focusing on the setup move. You might picture two corners, know they need a setup move, then focus on the fact that this is a case that uses the T-perm.

Being mindful of your setup turns means taking time to focus on the fact that you did a setup turn, and which one. It may help you to say the setup moves you did either out loud or softly under your breath. Then while you execute the alg to solve the pieces, your auditory loop (phonological loop) will remember the setup moves you said for you since you'll hear them "echo" in your mind for a few seconds after you say them.

One thing that helps me when I forget which setup moves I did is to picture the case again (before setup moves). If you picture the case, then the pieces come to mind again and you can re-figure out how to solve that case, which will lead you to the setup moves you did.

Don't learn new algs for every case. Be more mindful of your setup turns. That's all it takes.


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