2020 Goals & Predictions

10 months ago

CubeSkills News

Hi everyone, it’s that time of the year again where I do some reflecting, updating, and predicting.

To kick things off, a review of my predictions for 2019 which I posted a year ago on this blog!

Max Park defends his US Titles for 3x3-7x7 and OH, as well as adds a US podium for megaminx.
- My first prediction (what I thought was the safest) didn’t quite come off – despite Max being absolutely dominant in the big cubes and OH, Patrick Ponce was able to win 3x3 at the US Nationals 2019, and Max came in third, showing that nobody is immune to nerves 100% of the time. Still, I’d say winning 5 world championship titles and breaking another 7 world records was a pretty spectacular year for Max!
By the end of the year: 5 people will have sub 6 3x3 averages, 5 people will have sub 10 OH averages, and 5 people will have sub 20 3BLD means.
- For some context, this second prediction was made at a time when there were: 2 sub 6 averages, 2 sub 10 OH averages, and 0 sub 20 3BLD averages.
- The essence of the prediction was that people would continue to improve at cubing (duh), and these round number averages were similarly difficult barriers in the respective events. We ended up with just one new sub 6 average, and certainly not from someone anybody would have predicted at the start of the year. Sean Patrick Villanueva posted a 5.98 average in October, after bursting onto the scene earlier in the year at the Luzon Championship with 3 sub 7 averages, and then placing 2nd at the World Championships! Glad I was able to round out the 5 sub 10 OH averages before the year was over. The sub 20 BLD means certainly seemed to be the easiest barrier, with 7 people posting sub 20 means in 2019. (Actually, there remained zero sub 20 means until May, before the floodgates opened)
The difference between 1st and 4th place at Worlds will be less than 0.2 seconds.
- The essence of this final prediction was that the World Championship 3x3 title would be incredibly close – and I just wanted to put some concrete numbers to it, but it was considerably closer than I would have ever anticipated. Thrilling stuff, just 0.11 seconds from 1st (Philipp Weyer, 6.74), all the way to 6th (Seung Hyuk Nahm, 6.85).

(Also for reference, one of my 2018 predictions – Sebastian getting a 4x4 WR single with parity - came true!)

For 2020, here’s an assortment of less structured predictions, some are a lot safer than others.

Finally, 3x3x3 with feet will be removed as an official WCA event. Unfortunately, Clock will not.
I have a long standing bet with a cuber that a sub 20 4x4 average will not be achieved by Euros 2020. So, the prediction is that a sub 20 4x4 average will be achieved next year, after the European Championships.
The frequency of world records will slow down considerably, with less than 25 WRs being broken over the course of 2020. For reference, 87 records were broken in 2018 and 61 world records were broken (so far) in 2019.
Continental champion predictions - North America: Max Park, Europe: Tymon Kolasinski, Asia: Leo Borromeo.

Now to look back at the goals I set at the start of the year. Since 2015, I've now achieved just 4/10 of my quantifiable goals - these are definitely intended as stretch goals.

Given that it’s a World Championship year, I’d like to podium in 3x3-7x7 and OH.
- Yeah… didn’t even get close on this one. Unfortunately Worlds 2019 was probably my worst ever performance at a major cubing competition and I was unable to handle the pressure like on previous occasions. Not ideal, but not the end of the world.
Get the fastest official 3x3 average in competition for the calendar year of 2019. To complete this streak for the decade of 2010-2019 would be so sweet.
- Not to jinx it, but I think that this one is safe! My unintentionally high variance solving style yielded a 5.69 and 5.53 average, with just one other sub 6 average for the year.

Goals for 2020 are as follows:

Get 5 sub 6 official 3x3 averages in the calendar year. This requires a bit more consistency and perhaps slightly more competition attendance, but I think it’s a nice stretch goal for myself as I narrow my focus a little bit more on 3x3. Thankfully, Australian competitions are absolutely booming post world championships.
Not sure if I’ll go to Euros or Asians just yet, but my standard 3-7 + OH + Mega podiums goal will apply at these comps, depending on the mega psych sheet.
For something different, I’d like to post a sub 6 stackmat average of 100 on YouTube.

As many of you who may have been following the website for a few years may have seen, my activity and content development for the site reduced over this time – in 2017 it was very strong and consistent, in 2018 it was in burst periods, and in 2019 I was just posting blogs and staying up to date with comments and emails. This basically coincided with the amount of time I was able to devote to the site, but was also a function of how ‘complete’ I felt the site was. There has been plenty of innovation in cubing methods over the 3 years since this site was created, so next year I intend to conduct a thorough review of algorithms, tutorial content, and hopefully film some new videos. For premium members, I will be sticking to a strict twice a month schedule of example solve live streams, so get excited! I've announced the first stream on the front page and the livestreams tab. In the meantime, I'll also be streaming some casual solves and chat for quite a while tomorrow over on my twitch channel, starting from around 10am Melbourne time (31st of Dec).

Thoughts on this blog

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Show 100 more comments

bhavagnya sharma Posted 10 months ago

great feliks

Sofia Nguyen Posted 10 months ago

"I have a long standing bet with a cuber that a sub 20 4x4 average will not be achieved by Euros 2020." Hum, I believe that the probability of it occurring has dropped significantly since you made that bet. ;)

Tom G Posted 9 months ago

Hey Feliks,

I have a few questions for you. Firstly, how do you lubricate and setup your Gan XS? Secondly, what percentage of a megaminx solve should be your last layer? I find that my megaminx last layer takes up around 35% of my solve which seems like a lot because there are 12 sides on a megaminx.

Paul Lee Posted 9 months ago

Hey Tom G,

As for setting up the Gan XS, LaZer0MonKey made a video on that featuring Feliks. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACugc5yGrE0&t=288s
As for megaminx, I don't know for sure, but 35% still seems like a lot. Depending on how fast you are, you might want to consider two-look pll at least, and maybe two look oll. Hope this helps

Ahmad Akasha Posted 9 months ago

I REALLY like cheese, to be honest.. Hey feliks what is your favourite cheese type! Mines is strawberry jam without bits.

Helphy Lieby Posted 9 months ago

Hi Feliks,

As I focus on square cubes,I wonder how to improve my hand speed.I think a good cube is also important.So can you introduce some good cubes to me?Thank you,Feliks

Tom Liew Posted 9 months ago

Sir what did you think about the Gan 460?

Nguyen Phung Dung Anh Posted 9 months ago

Hey Feliks,

In 2020, I want you to build a module about 2x2x2 and CLL.

Daniel MacMillan Posted 9 months ago

I Agree with Nguyen. A 2x2 module would be awesome and honestly, since you have 3x3-7x7, I think it's about time to have 2x2.

Surbhi Kumari Posted 9 months ago

Hey Feliks,

I have been cubing for a few years and can solve the cube in about 15 seconds on an average. I use CFOP and I am also colour neutral. I have been trying but I can't get faster. Can you please suggest me something by which I can solve it faster? I will be attending my first competition in about 40 days. So I can also try something new. Can you please suggest me some tips which will be the most effective in these 40 days?

Thomas Nguyen Posted 8 months ago

so when is "so next year I intend to conduct a thorough review of algorithms" going to happen? Does this mean that the algs are gonna change to better ones? if so i"m pretty excited for that

Zihan Jin Posted 8 months ago

Feliks, what cube do you like the most?

Ian Lim Posted 7 months ago

Probably the Gan Air

Foxcive op Posted 7 months ago

Hi,Feliks.I'm student.I like cube.thank you

Đoàn Dương Tuấn Anh Posted 7 months ago

Hey Feliks! How do you about Yu Shengdu's 3.47 WR single on the 3x3 recently? For me, I was super confusing that how on hell can he did that, tbh. His hands are super sick.

Nguyen Phung Dung Anh Posted 7 months ago

Because the scramble are super easy, 8 moves for double-x cross and a PLL skip

ji liu Posted 7 months ago

You are so handsome !One of your fans from China.

Jarvis Zhu Posted 7 months ago

Fei God, what about the Rubik's cube you used to record the tutorial?

bob bill Posted 6 months ago

what do you think the best cube is that is not that expensive, like under $20

Louis Virlombier Posted 6 months ago

I Felixs your my favourite cuber and I go to St Kevins

Michael Do Posted 6 months ago

Feliks is da best!!!

Jeongwon Park Posted 6 months ago

Feliks is the best!!! He still have the 3x3 world record average.

Zihan Jin Posted 5 months ago

I know that you are the best cuber in the world and you use GAN. Do you think that MOYU is as good as GAN. Plz reply. :D

Shuichi Madina Posted 5 months ago

Zihan, GAN's better :)

Jamie A Posted 5 months ago

moyu is pretty good though

Zihan Jin Posted 5 months ago

True, :D GAN IS THE BEST.

Han Mecartin Posted 5 months ago

Which is better mfjs meilong or yuxin little magic or mf3rs

Jamie A Posted 5 months ago

little magic is the best budget, but I think meilong is the best

A SpeedCuber Posted 5 months ago

Gan is good, but I like MoYu and Dayan better

Kavish Sethi Posted 5 months ago

Gan is the best i thin felicks might have been doing a lot of practice

Shah Haq Posted 5 months ago

Oooooooooœòôöóōøõ

Can't Stop Cubing Posted 5 months ago

I think gan is the best cubing brand out there

Andrew Da Boi Posted 5 months ago

I really like moyu and dayan though

A SpeedCuber Posted 5 months ago

ADB is right

Abhijeet Ghodgaonkar Posted 5 months ago

Nice nice predictions, I think there will be more WRs in the year 2020, >>20.

Aarnav Katru Posted 4 months ago

GAN IS THE BEST

Shuichi Madina Posted 4 months ago

YES!

Alex Davison Posted 4 months ago

R.I.P 2020

Gitam Ghosh Posted 2 months ago

I am YJ cuber

Anvay Vaidya Posted 1 month ago

MONSTER GO is BEST

Austin Xiao Posted 1 month ago

no GAN is the best or yuxin little magic or qiyi ms

Mateo Switzer Posted 1 month ago

Gah is the best. I like Moyu too but gah is definitely better

Mateo Switzer Posted 1 month ago

**Gan

Mateo Switzer Posted 1 month ago

Autocorrect. Lol

Aryan Gunjal Posted 1 month ago

CHIADIKA ONONYE Posted 1 month ago

Bui Long Posted 1 month ago

Hi!!

Surrya Sivakumar Posted 1 month ago

Can anyone recommend a speed cube

Al S Posted 1 month ago

Gan is a good brand.

Noah Wright Posted 1 month ago

A good speed cube at the currnt moment probably is the rs3m 2020 or if you straight up flagship/expensively worth it, maybe the wrm 2020 or GAN 356 xs

Al S Posted 1 month ago

@ Noah Wright- You are absolutely right

Preston Le Posted 1 month ago

@NoahWright Same exact thing came to my mind. I'm thinking right now fo getting a rs3m 2020 with n50 magnets what do u guys think?

Preston Le Posted 1 month ago

I agree with everyone else a 2x2 section with intermediate (ortega) and advanced would be AWESOME (cll and eg1 don't really need eg1 but would be nice) ;)

bob bill Posted 1 month ago

I would love to see a blindfolded module as well but I don't know if that will ever happen. Does Feliks even do blindfolded?

Preston Le Posted 1 month ago

@bob bill there's a blindfolded section just look closer

bob bill Posted 1 month ago

wait what

bob bill Posted 1 month ago

wait where is it

Jamie A Posted 1 month ago

there isnt one @preston le

Lewis potts Posted 1 month ago

full oll is so hard

Preston Le Posted 1 month ago

yea my bad i mistook the one handed for the blindfolded :l

If you want one, id suggest going to jperm.net, they have a really detailed tutorial.

Jamie A Posted 1 month ago

Full OLL isn't that hard, its just a lot of algs

Preston Le Posted 1 month ago

@Jamie A What do u think would be the best way to learn full oll I haven't started yet

bob bill Posted 1 month ago

start by looking through them and get a few easy ones memorised and move on from there learn them at a good pace though don't go too fast just like with learning pll

Kayden Reynolds Posted 1 month ago

I would also love a module on ever official wca event that would be great.

Lewis potts Posted 1 month ago

Jamie who showed you how to do full oll

Jamie A Posted 1 month ago

Preston and Lewis,

I just learnt from J Perm, the sheet that came with my 356 Air SM (link to that sheet on the gan website: https://www.gancube.com/3x3x3-cfop-guide-of-gancube ) but not that many from there, and from playing around with my cube.

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

thanks Jamie i will copy the link

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

J perm.net is good website to

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

Jamie A Posted 3 weeks ago

np lewis

Preston Le Posted 3 weeks ago

bob and jamie thx for the tips I'm going to try it out right now! :)

Jamie A Posted 3 weeks ago

Ok np

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

what dose np mean

bob bill Posted 3 weeks ago

No problem

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

cool thanks

Lewis potts Posted 3 weeks ago

i bored so bored

Lewis potts Posted 2 weeks ago

i got 57 seconds today at school not my best but still good for me

Jamie A Posted 2 weeks ago

Nice!

Lewis potts Posted 2 weeks ago

got 52 seconds 1 hour ago

Lewis potts Posted 2 weeks ago

change my name to non-cuber

Lewis potts Posted 2 weeks ago

hope you like it

Li Random Posted 2 weeks ago

Chino Gumabon Posted 2 weeks ago

I Got 57.45 Last Time.

bob bill Posted 2 weeks ago

I am on my bad cube and I’m getting used to it again I got a few sub 20s earlier

bob bill Posted 2 weeks ago

So really the vibe doesn’t make all the difference

bob bill Posted 2 weeks ago

Do you guys use full cfop

Jamie A Posted 2 weeks ago

Yes

bob bill Posted 2 weeks ago

Luis and Chino? if not you should learn to greatly improve those times

Lewis potts Posted 2 weeks ago

ok i need to but i just gan not improve my times!

help me

Lewis potts Posted 1 week ago

http://127.0.0.1:5500/

Lewis potts Posted 1 week ago

hop you like my website its not done yet

bob bill Posted 1 week ago

i can't get to it :(

bob bill Posted 1 week ago

but wow i don't know how to make a website

Lewis potts Posted 1 week ago

thanks hopefully it will go live soon i have got a lot of bugs though i am fixing them now

Lewis potts Posted 1 week ago

Felix is in it to hope he will like it . it like cubeskills

bob bill Posted 1 week ago

Wow

bob bill Posted 1 week ago

Let me know when it’s ready I would like to see it

Jamie A Posted 1 week ago

ok me too!

Lewis potts Posted 1 week ago

i got this new cube and it feels like cardboard

Jamie A Posted 1 week ago

What cube is it Lewis?

Preston Le Posted 1 week ago

hey guys, i'm looking 4 a new cube that's decent, my main rn is a rs3m 2020 (budget cube ik). any suggestions for a good cube? ( around $20-40 ish plz, I can't afford something like s 356 XS or a 11 m pro)

Preston Le Posted 1 week ago

Also, i need a new 2x2 and I cant pick between the MGC 2x2 or the Dayan Tengyun M

Jamie A Posted 1 week ago

the rs3m is decent, but if you really want something better, the 356M?

Preston Le Posted 1 week ago

you kinda just read my mind! the 356m was 1st on my list, good price, good cube. I was a bit hesitant to get it, since I wanted to see how other people thought toward it. thanks :)

Jamie A Posted 6 days ago

OK. My friend has it and it can get a bit dry, maybe also get some lube with it?

Lewis potts Posted 3 days ago

the cube i got was two pounds. i know what you are thinking two pounds i had the choice of a cube or nothing it is calld the magic cube/the ultimate puzzle

it is so bad !!!!

דור ביט Posted 1 day ago

Say you have recommendations for good and fast dice?

bob bill Posted 18 hours ago

if you are looking for some to quality dice I would recommend the DND Metal Game Dice Set Cream Pink with Rainbow Edge 7pcs Set for Dungeons and Dragons RPG MTG Table Games D4 D6 D8 D10 D12 D20 from amazon for only $20

here is the link

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WNBYP6W/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B07WNBYP6W&pd_rd_w=SInFW&pf_rd_p=c83c55b0-5d97-454a-a592-a891098a9709&pd_rd_wg=vx2uT&pf_rd_r=N5KX9NSDQSSMJGS9EJ2K&pd_rd_r=d708d1ed-685d-45cb-a434-5948a9664b73&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNU45Vk5YWTFJNk9SJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNDg3NDEyMjNKWEZZMzdYQVJGTCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjQ4MTEwM0o4NVFaNzQwTjlNQSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU%3D&tag=imoreb-20&ascsubtag=UUimUdUnU67069YYwYb

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