Some advice on LG

[chike_eze]

Hello,

I'm pretty new to taking timed LG. So far, I've done relative and numbered ordering practice sets. 5-6 games total.

I'm noticing a trend (if you can call it that). I spend 8-9 minutes diagramming and answering the questions. But I consistently time out and have to guess the last 1 or 2 questions.

After completing the first round, my second round (no time constraint) is much better. I'm relaxed and I seem to better understand the game and questions. However, it takes me considerably longer to complete all questions (15-20 minutes).

Result:
1st round, timed: 2 out of 6 right
2nd round, no time: 5 out of 6 right

I want to move on to doing all four games at once, but I feel I need to improve my timing and accuracy on completing 1 game.

Thoughts please...!

[bbirdwell]

Why is it taking so long to diagram the game? Are you being methodical or skipping around all over the place? Do you have trouble identifying the game? Are you reading and re-reading and re-reading? Are you making inferences when you work the questions, or writing out scenarios for every choice?

Streamline the process and do the same games you've already done over and over again until you feel more comfortable.

Step 1: Identify the game type
Step 2: Notate the constraints
Step 3: Make inferences, one constraint at time.
Step 4: Repeat step 3

Note that on most relative ordering games, you only need to do steps 1 and 2, and this should take less than 2 minutes. Get more and more familiar with these things without worrying too much about time, and then put on the pressure of the clock to push yourself to perform.

First understand, then practice, then perform.

[chike_eze]

Why is it taking so long to diagram the game? Are you being methodical or skipping around all over the place? Do you have trouble identifying the game? Are you reading and re-reading and re-reading?

You may have misunderstood my question, or I did not make myself clear, or maybe both (O.. gosh, it's happening). I meant it was taking me 8-9 minutes to complete the entire game -- not sure how long it's taking me to diagram specifically, maybe 3 minutes.

Based on your advice and comments from other instructors, I focused on solving the "Swimmers" numbered ordering game (see Getting familiar, LG strategy guide, page 48). I used frames this time and was able to answer all questions correctly, but then I went further to derive all possible arrangements (see below).

Question: Do you think this helps at all? especially when reviewing questions with no time restrictions (I know this would not be an option under time constraints).

NJMHPLK
NJMHPKL
NLMHPJK
NJKHMLP
NLJHMKP
JKMHPLN
LJMHPKN
JLMHPKN (question 1)
MJPHKLN
MJPHLKN

[bbirdwell]

Ah, I see. It may very well take 8-9 minutes to complete some games. That's totally ok. Some games will take that long. Some may take a little more time, and others a little less.

Just focus on doing a given game as fast as YOU can, and give it the context of the entire section to evaluate the quality of the performance, meaning that it's ok for two games in a section to take you 12 minutes each to do as long as the other two games only take 5.)

Question: Do you think this helps at all?

Not really.