Cube! » cube http://www.vanderblonk.com Rubik's cube tutorial and solution Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:01:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 Timer and updates http://www.vanderblonk.com/2010/04/06/timer-and-updates/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2010/04/06/timer-and-updates/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 19:01:25 +0000 admin http://www.vanderblonk.com/?p=432 I have removed the Meebo chat bar and the Facebook connect option on the site. Sorry if this is an inconvenience, but I noticed these scripts were interfering with several of my own scripts, and also they were slowing down the site tremendously. So, we have a fast site again, and you can of course still share this on facebook manually, please do!

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2010/04/06/timer-and-updates/feed/ 0 New Speedcubing World Champion http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/11/new-speedcubing-world-champion/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/11/new-speedcubing-world-champion/#comments Sun, 11 Oct 2009 22:49:57 +0000 admin http://www.vanderblonk.com/?p=346 I just got word that the new speedcubing world champion is Breandan Vallance of the UK. He managed to set an average time of 10.74 seconds.

It seems Breandan got better over time during the competition. First round he scored a best time of 11.47, then in the semi finals got a best time of 10.43 and in the finals scored a rocking 9.63.

Here's a video of him setting a national record (not at world championships this is):

Here are all of his results

Round Place Best Average Result Details
Final 1 9.63 10.74 10.19   11.78   11.80   10.25   9.63
Semi Final 10 10.43 12.2 15.97   10.43   12.06   12.90   11.65
First 19 11.47 12.8 14.40   12.34   12.34   11.47   13.71

Amazing, congratulations. Also to Dan Cohen for setting a world record on the Revenge (4x4), Michal Halczuk on 7x7, Piotr Michal Padlewski on Square-1, Bálint Bodor on MegaMinx, and Yumu Tabuchi for one-handed.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/11/new-speedcubing-world-champion/feed/ 0 New Advanced Tutorial http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/09/new-advanced-tutorial/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/09/new-advanced-tutorial/#comments Fri, 09 Oct 2009 04:42:36 +0000 admin http://www.vanderblonk.com/?p=342 Tada! I would like to announce the official publication of my new advanced tutorial. For the renowned speedcubers, this does not compare to an advanced method as Fridrich or Petrus, so in that sense it's more 'intermediate'. The method has some very nice characteristics that I'd like to mention:
  • it can easily end up in a solve of less then 50 moves HTM without much luck (however it could also lead to 70-80 moves when you're not so lucky)
  • it is an excellent follow-up on the beginners method
  • it is an excellent preparation for CFOP and COLL (see glossary)
  • it requires a limited set of algorithms (minimum 13), though the full method comprises much more than the beginners method.

If you are interested in learning it, I'd like to know about it, drop me a line. Make sure you know the beginners method before you start, that helps tremendously.

I have not seen a method like this published before, but if  you know of someone who has, please let me know.

Stay posted for updated material and a video.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/10/09/new-advanced-tutorial/feed/ 0 Online shop launched http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/08/16/online-shop-launched/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/08/16/online-shop-launched/#comments Sun, 16 Aug 2009 09:43:50 +0000 admin http://www.vanderblonk.com/?p=293 I have just launched the vanderblonk.com online shop. Here you can buy your very own personal training session with Michiel (that's me!). I am a certified trainer with a lot of experience, and of course also a renowned speedcuber.

You can expect a lot from a training session, however I would like people to realize that learning to solve a Rubik's cube is hardly feasible within one hour. You would need multiple sessions, or continue to study on your own.

But, most definitely I can help you get a head start, or help you finish where you're stuck.

And if the videos and tutorial helped you enough for your needs, and you'd like to show your gratitude, there's now a donate button, so please help me to support this website in the future.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/08/16/online-shop-launched/feed/ 0 New redesign launched today! http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/04/12/new-redesign-launched-today/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/04/12/new-redesign-launched-today/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:50:33 +0000 admin http://www.vanderblonk.com/?p=77 Yes, this was long overdue but the good news is it is finally launched. I have had the site in development for quite some time now, and here is the result.

Some new features include

  • animations on the page
  • videos
  • improved explanations
  • WordPress plugin to embed animations on your own site
  • much, much more!

Let me know what you think of it, especially if you have suggestions or corrections.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2009/04/12/new-redesign-launched-today/feed/ 2 Website update http://www.vanderblonk.com/2007/01/25/website-update/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2007/01/25/website-update/#comments Thu, 25 Jan 2007 14:04:23 +0000 michiel http://www.vanderblonk.com/2007/01/25/website-update/

The last couple of weeks I have been working hard updating my website www.vanderblonk.com. It's been fun, but I'm hardly ready, there is so much more to do. Let me give you a little breakdown of what has been done and what you can expect in the (near) future:

  • There is a new home page
  • The applet has already been greatly improved, e.g. you can now enter any parameters of the applet in the url.
  • I placed google ads. I know not everyone likes ads, but I think everyone mature enough in our field (speedcubing, programming) knows how to disable them. I get a lot of juice from wikipedia of which I am grateful.

And soon:

  • I will make some help text available for all the new awesome options (which I am not revealing yet)
  • Not very useful to you, but I will integrate the style of the home page in all of my pages, it's still a collection of pages, and not a real site this way. Let me know if you like it.
Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2007/01/25/website-update/feed/ 0 Average number of moves http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/12/21/average-number-of-moves/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/12/21/average-number-of-moves/#comments Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:50:13 +0000 michiel http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/12/21/average-number-of-moves/ I never measured my number of moves to solve a cube. In this attempt, I solved each cube in about 30s.
These are the results:

48,42,48,56,44,47,41,49,52,48,45,51

Average (10/12): 47.4

I use CFOP and the fact that the average is below fifty comes from a smart F2L mostly. I don't know advanced OLL or PLL. The F2L was usually done in 30 moves or less.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/12/21/average-number-of-moves/feed/ 1 I bet this guy could memorize all LL cube positions http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/11/i-bet-this-guy-could-memorize-all-ll-cube-positions/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/11/i-bet-this-guy-could-memorize-all-ll-cube-positions/#comments Mon, 11 Sep 2006 22:11:24 +0000 michiel http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/11/i-bet-this-guy-could-memorize-all-ll-cube-positions/

Watch it and remind yourself to close your mouth when you're done.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/11/i-bet-this-guy-could-memorize-all-ll-cube-positions/feed/ 2 Your own label maker http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/02/your-own-label-maker/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/02/your-own-label-maker/#comments Sat, 02 Sep 2006 00:35:38 +0000 michiel http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/02/your-own-label-maker/ Google label maker is a game for speed freaks who like to compete. Hey, that's us, speedcubers! Anyway, I advise you all to go there and try it out.

The aim of the game is to match the tags that you assign to a random image, together with your game partner. This is a nice way of google to get everyone who is crazy enough to play this game (us) to categorize their enormous image database. So in fact we're all working for Google here.

Unfortunately you can't see who you were racing with, only their nickname is shown. Getting into the highscore just requires a lot of stamina since the score is simply accumulated after each game.

update: my high sore is 10, see if you can beat it.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/09/02/your-own-label-maker/feed/ 2 Speedcubing tip http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/01/24/speedcubing-tip/ http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/01/24/speedcubing-tip/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2006 12:23:52 +0000 michiel http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/01/24/speedcubing-tip/ I've been learning a lot lately, basically I am trying to use my ring finger (actually both) more. One nice alg to use it on is this OLL. Perform B' with your ring finger. After a little practice it becomes easy.

Convert to PDF]]> http://www.vanderblonk.com/2006/01/24/speedcubing-tip/feed/ 1