CFOP? Roux? you forget ima noobie... im not down with the lingo
CFOP : Method for solving :
Cross
First 2 Layers
OLL(orientation of the last layer)
PLL (Permutation of the last layer) is the most known and used method with his variants.
Basically, Fridrich = CFOP and when people say CFOP they are often referring to Fridrich. Fridrich is the most widely used speedsolving method and is the method with which the current world record was set using. (Those two facts may be related, so read into that what you will.)
Roux : Another method that consists of blockbuilding and M slices (M moves) algoritms to fix the rest of the cube. ( I THINK)
There are some very fast
Roux solvers (Roux is the name of the creator) but it requires a very good understanding of block building and some skill with the M slice at the end. This means it can be quite tricky for a beginner to grasp, and it is very different from your beginners' method. A popular way to learn the Roux method is
Waffle's Roux Tutorial.
A basic Roux solve consists of constructing a 1x2x3 block on the cube, then an opposite 1x2x3 block, orienting and positioning the four remaining corners (either in one step or two) -Note: This step requires 24 algs if you want to get serious, or 9 if you want to do it in 2 steps- and then using the M slice to solve the remaining edges.
Perhaps the third most popular (Not "third-most popular" but third "most popular"...if you see what I mean) speedsolving method is
Petrus. Lars Petrus' method is another block building method, but the last layer is very similar (perhaps identical) to your current last layer. The method basically requires the user to create a 2x2x2 block, then extend that into a 2x2x3 block, orient the remaining edges and then extend the 2x2x3 block into a 2x3x3 block. This basically leaves you with the first two layers solved and a last layer with the edges already orientated. You could then go on to solve this step with your beginners method last layer, or use 2 Look OLL and then PLL. Whichever is easier/faster.
Personally, I believe you would be most comfortable with Fridrich (CFOP) as this method is probably the most similar to your beginners' method and you won't have to abandon all the algs you learnt for that. However, Roux and Petrus require fewer algs and are very interesting -and potentially fast, as well as underused- methods. Another advantage of these two methods is that they often lead the user to be colour neutral (ie, equally able to solve the cube from all sides, as opposed to "white on top" etc.) because the cuber looks to take advantage of cubies already randomly positioned next to each other after the scramble. I would strongly recommend that you end up learning them all at some point anyway, just out of general interest!
It's also worth noting that block building methods can be very helpful in Fewest Move Challenge (
FMC) or alternately can be helpful in building an extended cross (
X-Cross) in CFOP. There is, however, more easily accessible information on Fridrich, as it is the most widely used method.
(I hope I didn't go overkill on the info dump there...)
