First Two Layers

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First Two Layers, or F2L are normally the first two bottom layers of the 3x3x3 cube, or essentially all layers up until the last layer on larger cubes.

The definition is a little different depending on the subject or who you are talking to. Normally it is as above but it may also refer to the part of the Fridrich method that solves the pairs without counting the cross part.

Approaches

Petrus F2L

Another way to solve the 'F2L' is by building blocks, common during the first two layers of the Petrus method.

Fridrich F2L

There are many ways to solve the 'F2L' on a cube. A common system is using the Fridrich method first two layer approach. After solving the cross, a corner-edge pair is paired up, and then inserted into the correct slot. A total of four corner edge (or 'CE') pairs are made and inserted to solve the first two layers.

The concept of pairing up four corner/edge pairs was first proposed by Ren Schoof in 1981.

Most people agree that the Fridrich F2L should be done intuitively, but when you are starting out it can be instructive to see some optimal solutions for each F2L pair. Below is a collection of such optimal solutions

Easy Cases

F2L 1 F2L U (R U' R') [X] F2L R' F R F' [X]	F2L 2 F2L y' U' (R' U R) [X] F2L F R' F' R [X]
F2L 3 F2L y' (R' U' R) [X]	F2L 4 F2L (R U R') [X]

Reposition Edge

F2L 5 F2L (U' R U R') U2 (R U' R') [X]	F2L 6 F2L d (R' U' R) U2' (R' U R) [X] F2L y' (U R' U' R) U2 (R' U R) [X]
F2L 7 F2L U' (R U2' R') U2 (R U' R') [X]	F2L 8 F2L d (R' U2 R) U2' (R' U R) [X] F2L y' U (R' U2 R) U2 (R' U R) [X]

Reposition Edge and Flip Corner

F2L 9 F2L d (R' U' R U')(R' U' R) [X] F2L y2 U' (L U') d' (L' U' L) [X]	F2L 10 F2L U' (R U R' U)(R U R') [X]
F2L 11 F2L U' (R U2' R') d (R' U' R) [X]	F2L 12 F2L d (R' U2 R) d' (R U R') [X]
F2L 13 F2L d (R' U R U')(R' U' R) [X] F2L y' U (R' U R U')(R' U' R) [X]	F2L 14 F2L U' (R U' R' U)(R U R') [X]

Split Pair by Going Over

F2L 15 F2L y' (R' U R U') d' (R U R') [X] F2L y (L' U L) U2 y (R U R') [X]	F2L 16 F2L (R U' R' U) d (R' U' R) [X] F2L (R U' R') U2 (F' U' F) [X]
F2L 17 F2L (R U2 R') U' (R U R') [X]	F2L 18 F2L y' (R' U2 R) U (R' U' R) [X]

Pair Made on Side

F2L 19 F2L U (R U2 R') U (R U' R') [X]	F2L 20 F2L y' U' (R' U2 R) U' (R' U R) [X]
F2L 21 F2L U2 (R U R' U)(R U' R') [X]	F2L 22 F2L y' U2 (R' U' R U')(R' U R) [X]

Weird

F2L 23 F2L (R U R' U') U' (R U R' U')(R U R') [X] F2L U2 R2 U2 (R' U' R U') R2 [X]

F2L 24 F2L y' (R' U' R U) U (R' U' R U)(R' U' R) [X] F2L y' U2 R2 U2 (R U R' U) R2 [X]

Corner in Place, Edge in U Face

F2L 25 F2L d' (L' U L) d (R U' R') [X] F2L y U' (L' U' L) U (F U F') [X] F2L U' (F' U F) U (R U' R') [X]	F2L 26 F2L U (R U' R') d' (L' U L) [X] F2L U (R U' R') U' (F' U F) [X]
F2L 27 F2L (R U' R' U)(R U' R') [X]	F2L 28 F2L y' (R' U R U')(R' U R) [X] F2L (R U' R') U2 (F' U F) [X]
F2L 29 F2L y' (R' U' R U)(R' U' R) [X]	F2L 30 F2L (R U R' U')(R U R') [X]

Edge in Place, Corner in U face

F2L 31 F2L (R U' R') d (R' U R) [X] F2L (R U' R' U)(F' U F) [X]	F2L 32 F2L (R U R' U')(R U R' U')(R U R') [X]
F2L 33 F2L (U' R U' R') U2 (R U' R') [X] F2L y U' (L U' L') U2 (L U' L) [X]	F2L 34 F2L U' (R U2' R') U (R U R') [X] F2L U (R U R') U2 (R U R') [X] F2L d (R' U R) U2 (R' U R) [X]
F2L 35 F2L (U' R U R') d (R' U' R) [X] F2L U2 (R U' R') U' (F' U' F) [X]	F2L 36 F2L d (R' U' R) d' (R U R') [X] F2L y U2 (L' U L) U (F U F') [X]

Edge and Corner in Place

F2L 37 Solved	F2L 38 F2L (R U' R') d (R' U2 R) U2' (R' U R) [X] F2L (R U R') U2 (R U2 R') d (R' U' R) [X]
F2L 39 F2L (R U' R') U' (R U R') U2 (R U' R') [X] F2L y (L' U' L) U2 (L' U L U')(L' U' L) [X]	F2L 40 F2L (R U' R' U)(R U2' R') U (R U' R') [X] F2L (R U R') U2 (R U' R' U)(R U R') [X]
F2L 41 F2L (R U' R') d (R' U' R U')(R' U' R) [X] F2L y (L' U' L U)(L' U L) U2 (F U F') [X]	F2L 42 F2L (R U' R') d2 y (R' U' R U')(R' U R) [X] F2L (R U R' U')(R U' R') U2 (F' U' F) [X]

See Also

• Keyhole First Two Layers
• Last Layer
• F2B
• F2LL
• ZBF2L
• First Layer
• Fridrich Method
• Petrus Method

External Resources

• Opticubes.com Optimal F2L Cases
• Erik Akkersdijk's F2L Cases (from his old site)
• Dan Harris's F2L Cases
• Jason Baum's F2L Cases
• Andy Klise's Printable F2L PDF