Fingercross

Fingercross is defined as a position where 2 or more fingers are crossed or overlapping each other. This term is usually abbreviated with “FC”. The community sometimes refers fingercross that specifically involves the thumb as Thumbcross instead, which is abbreviated as “TC”. For the sake of the article, the term fingercross refers to all the fingers including thumbcross as well.

By crossing the fingers, more slots and finger positions can be derived which allows more possibilities. Basic tricks can be done in these positions which creates very unusual variations of mechanics and visual effect. However, as this concept is heavily flexibility dependant, not everyone can make use of it. It is also important to note that fingercross can also be mixed with other areas such as counters, isolations and wipers.

Variations

Fingercrossings forming an ‘X’

One finger is above another. As these are the most common, these are simply referred to as fingercrosses. Notation: -

There are 3 subcategories under this type:-

Crossing based mechanics (Normally referred to as fingercross)

Tricks or mechanics that has the fingers start from a neutral/uncrossed state and then followed by a motion that crosses those fingers. These are the mechanics discovered as of writing: -

Normal cross push

Pen is pushed around the finger as the fingers overlap each other. Examples would be FC arounds, FC twisted sonic, FC pass, FC triangle pass, FC square pass, FC bakarounds, Thumbcross pass etc. It can also be used to start a spin +0.5 or above in the fingercross position.

Stalls/Holds

Pen is being stalled while or after the fingers overlapped each other. There are various ways to hold the pen as seen in the notation section previously.

Cross Charges

The pen is being held in the slot of a fingercross position and then followed by a conical charge while still maintaining that cross. This can be also be hybridised with uncross as well.

Cross Aerials

The pen is launched into an aerial at the same time as the fingers are being crossed. This is usually done with a normal cross push but can also be done from other means as well such as releases. Examples will be FC around aerials, FC square pass aerials, FC Fxxk/Palm-up shadow, etc

Cross Seasick

A seasick motion is performed in a crossed position. Can be applied with various holds and slots.

Cross tipped charge

A tipped charge motion is performed in a crossed position. The motion can also be done while transitioning from an neutral/uncrossed position to a crossed one.

Cross fingerswitches

A fingerswitch performed in a crossed position. The motion can also be done while transitioning from a neutral/uncrossed position to a crossed one.

Cross wipers

A wiper done in a crossed position. There are a lot of interpretations that can be made with this mechanic.

Cross Rolls

A pen is first held in a neutral/uncrossed position, followed by a rolling motion that crosses the fingers involved.

Uncrossing based mechanics (Normally referred to as uncross)

Tricks and mechanics that has the fingers start in a crossed state followed by a motion that uncrosses those fingers. This motion is inevitable if the linkage goes from crossed state to a neutral/uncrossed state . A person can choose to uncross the fingers normally or to fully capitalize on the motion by adding a mechanic on top of the uncross. These are the discovered mechanics as of writing: -

Uncross push

The pen is pushed around the finger as the fingers uncross each other. The motion is a complete reverse of a normal cross push.

Uncross pinch

The pen is first gripped in the palm sections of the 2 crossed fingers. The finger that is being wrapped around is then pushed inwards until the fingers fully uncrosses. In the case of FC 12, the wrapped finger refers to the index finger. This mechanic is similar to a pinching motion. The pinching motion is usually followed by a spin as a result of that push but the motion can also be adjusted in a way that makes the pen merely launch off the fingers without any spin.

Uncross aerials

Similar to an uncross push, however the hand moves upwards slightly so the pen is launched into the air.

Uncross flick

Similar to an uncross aerial, however the pen is held very tightly before releasing the pressure causing it to launch into the air. An example would be in a FC T1 position where the pen is held between thumb and index. The index pushes down the thumb, creating pressure before moving the thumb slightly outwards to release the pen, causing it to launch upwards.

Uncross fingerswitches

A pen is held in a crossed position which is then followed by a fingerswitch while simultaneously uncrossing those fingers.

Uncross rolls

A pen is held in a crossed position which is then followed by a roll motion that uncrosses the fingers. Usually the motion is done at the center or the barrel of the pen but it is also possible for the motion to be done at the end of the pen.

Ineffective/Passive Fingercross

Tricks and mechanics that are done with already crossed fingers that aren’t uncross mechanics.

The most basic application of fingercross in this category include the fingers already being crossed but the tricks that's performed doesn't touch or utilize that cross directly. An example being FL TA Palmspin (FC 12).

Around tricks that do use those crossed fingers but the motion wasn't caused by a fingercross motion itself can also be considered to be in this category. An example being a RingMiddle Around (FC 23) or a Hai Tua (FC 43).

Since these tricks and mechanics doesn’t add much in terms of difficulty nor in depth, they usually serve as a way to show alternative/different visuals of the tricks instead.

Fingercrossings forming an ‘O’

One finger is outside another. O-fingercrosses have a peculiar shape to them, which can also be used to create displays and show off interesting structures.

Notation: -

We can also mix both X-fingercross and O-fingercross together to create more weird positions

As of writing, O-fingercrosses only has 3 main mechanics: -

Mechanics involving a static O-fingercross position

Motions derived from a static O-fingercross are pretty straightforward and have the least amount of depth to them

O-fingercross charges

The pen is placed inside the circle, before moving the hand in a circular motion that causes the pen to rotate inside that circle. These can also be referred to as Blaze Ring, popularized by Freeman, Neoknux_009, Ponkotu, and Lindor. A wiper version of the charge was also popularized recently by Fukrou in WC20

O-fingercross stalls/holds

The pen is held or stalled inside or outside the circle. This has multiple interpretations which are shown in the notations section. It can also be used as a catch after performing an aerial

O-fingercross seasick

A seasick motion is performed while the pen is inside the circle.

O-fingercross aerials

The pen is held inside the circle which is then followed by an aerial motion (usually done by jerking the hand up) that releases the pen outside of the circle.

Mechanics involving the movement of the O-fingercross

Collapse of the O-fingercross

The fingers are first made into an O shape, followed by closing or collapsing the circle. This can be combined with a push, where the pen is placed on top of the circle. It can also be combined with an aerial, where the pen is placed inside the circle before applying pressure onto the pen and collapsing the circle which causes the pen to be launched into the air.

The formation of the O-fingercross

The fingers starts from a straight/neutral position before pushing inwards to make a circle. No notable mechanics has been discovered as of writing

Merging O-fingercross

The fingers start in a double O-fingercross position. The 2 circles are then merged so that it becomes or atleast be close enough to 1 circle.

Threads

Application of the I-O concept together with O-Fingercross.

Applications of Fingercross in other areas

2 handed spinning

There are multiple ways for fingercross to be implemented in 2H. The most basic and straightforward ones are simply performing fingercross tricks with the non dominant hand or using transfers that utilizes those tricks. Another way is a concept called 2H Fingercross Fingerstuck which was popularised by Sirapob in WT17 R6. This concept involves sticking 1 or more fingers inside the 'hole' made by the cross.

If taken to another step further, 2 or more O-crosses and be joined together forming a 'link'. This can also be combined with threads to add more complexity as shown in Saltient's WT21 R5

Isolations

Application of isolation with fingercross can also be interpreted in multiple ways. One common application is using a fingercross trick together with hand motion to isolate one end of the pen. However, crossed/uncrossed rolls can also be used to isolate the entire pen.