First Two Layers

F2L Information Proposer(s): John Conway, David Benson, and David Seal Proposed: 1979 Alt Names: First Two Layers Variants: ZZ F2L, ZBLS, VHF2L, WV, MGLS, possibly others Subgroup: <U,R,L,F,B,D> No. Algs: 0 Intuitive F2L; 41 Last slot F2L (up to symmetry); 167 First slot F2L (up to symmetry); hundreds more with Advanced F2L Avg Moves: 6.7 HTM per slot; ~26.8 HTM per four slots Purpose(s): Speedsolving, FMC

First Two Layers, or F2L refers to 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. Usually, it refers to the part of the CFOP and CFCE methods that solve the first two layers in pairs, excluding the cross step. Or it can refer to ZZ's F2L.

2-gen F2L, most pairs (30 of 41) have the edge sitting in the U-layer having two orientations, it shows R or F colour at the side. If it is the R colour you can solve the pair using only RU and if it is the F colour you can turn the cube (y') and solve the pair to the back slot using only R and U moves. The only pairs that needs both R and F turns are the six ones with the edge unoriented in the slot, if the edge is oriented in the slot both ways works.

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 (form pair), and then inserted into the correct slot (pair insertion). A total of four corner edge (or 'CE') pairs are made and inserted to solve the first two layers. This step of the cube should be done intuitively, even though there are algorithms for each case, algorithms should only be used for slower cases.

The concept of pairing up four corner/edge pairs was first proposed in 1979 by John Conway, David Benson, and David Seal in two separate publications.[1] The idea appeared in other publications starting in 1981.

ZZ F2L

ZZ F2L is very similar to CFOP F2L, but there are some differences in ways you can pair up pieces. ZZ is more blockbuilding centered, and in result, F2L can be completed using block building and is thus more efficient.

See also

• CFOP
• Petrus
• ZZ
• Megaminx F2L

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F2L edit

Basic Inserts Reposition Edge Reposition Edge and Flip Corner

Split Pair by Going Over Pair Made on Side Weird Cases

Corner in Place, Edge in U Face Edge in Place, Corner in U face Edge and Corner in Place

Basic Inserts

F2L 1 F2L U (R U' R') [2] F2L R' F R F' [3] F2L U2 (R U2 R') F2L M' U R U' Rw') F2L 2 F2L y' U' (R' U R) F2L U' (F' U F) F2L F R' F' R [4] F2L y U' (L' U L) F2L d' L' U L
F2L 3 F2L F' U' F [5] F2L y' (R' U' R) F2L y (L' U' L)	F2L 4 F2L (R U R') [6] F2L y F U F' F2L y' f R f'

Reposition Edge

F2L 5 F2L (U' R U R') U2 (R U' R') [7] F2L (U' R U R') U (R' F R F') F2L U' (R U R') U' R U2 R' If the front left slot is open: F2L U F' R' F' R F If the back right slot is open: F2L U R F R' F' R'	F2L 6 F2L d (R' U' R) U2' (R' U R) F2L y' (U R' U' R) U2 (R' U R) F2L U' (r U' R' U) (R U r') [8] F2L y F2 (R U R' U') F2 If the front left slot is open: F2L U' F' R' F R F If the back right slot is open: F2L U' R F R F' R'
F2L 7 F2L U' (R U2' R') U2 (R U' R') [9] F2L (U' R U2 R')2	F2L 8 F2L d (R' U2 R) U2' (R' U R) F2L y' U (R' U2 R) U2 (R' U R) F2L U (R' F R F')2 (R U' R') F2L (r' U2) (R2 U R2 U r) [10]

Reposition Edge and Flip Corner

F2L 9 F2L U' R U' R' d R' U' R F2L U' R U' R' U (F' U' F) [11] F2L d (R' U' R U') (R' U' R) F2L F (R U R' U') F' R U' R' F2L y F2 (U R U' R') F2 If the back right slot is open: F2L R' U' R F' U' F If the front left slot is open: F2L F U' F2' U' F	F2L 10 F2L U' (R U R' U)(R U R') [12] F2L R d' R U R' U2 F' F2L U F' U F U' R U R' F2L d R' U R d' R U R' F2L y2 B2 (U' R' U R) B2 If the front left slot is open: F2L F U F' R U R' If the back right slot is open: F2L R' U R2 U R'
F2L 11 F2L U' (R U2' R') d (R' U' R) F2L U' (R U2' R') U (F' U' F) [13] F2L (y') R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R' If the front left slot is open: F2L L U2 L2 U' L	F2L 12 F2L R U' R' U R U' R' U2 R U' R' [14] F2L R U2 R' U2' R U2' R' U2' R U' R' F2L R' U2 R2 U R2 U R [15] F2L (U R U' R') U' (R U R' U') (R U R') F2L R U R' U (R' F R F') (R U R') If the back right slot is open: F2L R' U2 R2 U R'
F2L 13 F2L d (R' U R U') (R' U' R) F2L y' U (R' U R U') (R' U' R) [16] F2L (R U' R') U (R' F R F') (R U' R') If the back right slot is open: F2L F U F' R' U' R	F2L 14 F2L U' (R U' R' U) (R U R') [17] If the front left slot is open: F2L F U' F' R U R'

Split Pair by Going Over

F2L 15 F2L R' D' R U' R' D R U (R U' R') [18] F2L (F' U F) U2 (R U R') F2L U (R' F R F') U (R U R') F2L R U2 R' U R U R' U R U' R' F2L R U R' U2 R U' R' U R U' R' F2L R U' R U2' R2' U' R2 U' R2' F2L U' R2 U2 R U' R' U R' U2 R2 F2L U2 (R U R' U') R U2 R' U R U R' F2L U' R' U2 R' U R' U' R U2 R F2L R U' R U2 R2 U' R2 U' R2 If the back right slot is open: F2L U' (R' U R U') (R U R') If the front left slot is open: F2L U (R U' R') D (R U' R') D' F2L R F U F' U' R'

F2L 16 F2L (R U' R' U) d (R' U' R) F2L (R U' R') U2 (F' U' F) [19] F2L (U) R (F R U R' U' F') R' F2L y' U R U2 R U' R U R' U2 R' If the back right slot is open: F2L F' R' U' R U F

F2L 17 F2L (R U2 R') U' (R U R') [20]

F2L 18 F2L y' (R' U2 R) U (R' U' R) [21] F2L y (L' U2 L) U (L' U' L) F2L (R U R' U') (R U R' U') F R' F' R F2L (R' F R F') (R U' R' U) (R U' R') [22]

Pair Made on Side

F2L 19 F2L U (R U2 R') U (R U' R') [23] F2L (R U' R' U)2 R U R'	F2L 20 F2L y' U' (R' U2 R) U' (R' U R) [24] F2L U' (R U' R2' F R F') (R U' R') F2L y' (R' U R U')2 R' U' R
F2L 21 F2L (R U' R') U2 (R U R') [25] F2L U2 (R U R' U)(R U' R') [26]	F2L 22 F2L y' (R' U R) U2 (R' U' R) F2L y' U2 (R' U' R U') (R' U R) F2L r U' r' U2 r U r' [27] F2L U (F R U R' U' F') R U R' U2'

Weird

F2L 23 F2L U2 R2 U2 (R' U' R U') R2 F2L U (F R' F' R) U (R U R') [28] F2L U R U' R' U' R U' R' U R U' R' [29] F2L (R U R' U') U' (R U R' U')(R U R') F2L R U' R' U' (R U R') U2 (R U R') F2L R2 U R' U R U2 R' U' R'

F2L 24 F2L (R U R') d (R' U R U') (R' U R) F2L y' (R' U' R U) U (R' U' R U)(R' U' R) F2L y' U2 R2 U2 (R U R' U) R2 F2L U' (R U) (R2' F R F') (R U' R') F2L F U (R U' R' F')(R U' R') [30] F2L (R U R' U) (R U R' U') (F R' F' R) F2L (R U R' U) (R U2 R') F' U2 F

Corner in Place, Edge in U Face

F2L 25 F2L U' (R' F R F') (R U R') [31] F2L R' U' R' U' R' U R U R F2L U' (F' U F) U (R U' R') F2L R' F' R U R U' R' F F2L (U') F' R U R' U' R' F R [32] F2L (R U' R' U') (R U' R' U) (R U R') F2L (U) (R' U' R' U') R2 (U R U R) F2L (U2) (R' U' R' U' R U R U R) If the back right slot is open: F2L R2 U' R' U R2 F2L U D' R U' R' D	F2L 26 F2L y' R U R U R U' R' U' R' F2L U (R U' R') U' (F' U F) F2L U (R U' R') (F R' F' R) [33] F2L y' (U') R U R U R2 U' R' U' R' F2L y' (U2) R U R U R' U' R' U' R' F2L r U r' U2 r U r' U2 r U' r' F2L U (l F' l') (F R' F' R) F2L d (R B' R' B) (R' U' R)
F2L 27 F2L (R U' R' U)(R U' R') [34] F2L (R U' R2)(F R F') [35]	F2L 28 F2L (R U R' U') F R' F' R F2L (R U R') d (R' U2 R) F2L y (L' U L U') (L' U L) [36] F2L y' (R' U R U')(R' U R) F2L (R U R') U (F' U2 F)
F2L 29 F2L y' (R' U' R U)(R' U' R) F2L U2 (R U' R') y' (R' U' R) F2L (R' F R F')2 F2L (R' F R F') (U R U' R') [37]	F2L 30 F2L (R U R' U')(R U R') [38] F2L U2 (F' U F)(R U R') F2L U' (R U2 R')U2 (R U R')

Edge in Place, Corner in U face

F2L 31 F2L (R U' R') d (R' U R) F2L (R U' R' U)(F' U F) F2L U' (R' F R F') (R U' R') [39] F2L R U2 R' U' F R' F' R	F2L 32 F2L (R U R' U')2 (R U R') F2L (U R U' R')3 [40] F2L U' (R U R' U') (R U R' U) (R U' R')
F2L 33 F2L U' (R U' R') U2' (R U' R') [41] F2L (U' R U' R') U2 (R U' R') F2L y U' (L' U' L) U2 (L' U' L) If the back right slot is open: F2L u R U' R' u' If the front left slot is open: F2L E F' U' F u	F2L 34 F2L U (F' U F) U2 (F' U F) F2L U' (R U2' R') U (R U R') [42] F2L U (R U R') U2 (R U R') [43] F2L d (R' U R) U2 (R' U R) F2L y (U L' U L) U2 (L' U L) F2L U y F U2 R U2 R' F' If the back right slot is open: F2L E' R U R' E If the front left slot is open: F2L u' F' U F u
F2L 35 F2L U' R U R' U (F' U' F) [44] F2L (U' R U R') d (R' U' R) F2L U2 (R U' R') U' (F' U' F)	F2L 36 F2L U F' U' F U' (R U R') [45] F2L U2 (R' F R F') U2 (R U R') [46] F2L y' U (R' U' R U') y (R U R')

Edge and Corner in Place

F2L 37 Solved	F2L 38 F2L (R' F R F') (R U' R' U) (R U' R' U2) (R U' R') [47] F2L (R U' R') d (R' U2 R) U2' (R' U R) F2L (R U R') U2 (R U2 R') d (R' U' R) F2L (R2 U2) (F R2 F') (U2 R' U R') [48] F2L (R U R' U')(R U2 R' d)(R' U' R U' R' U R) If the back right slot is open: F2L R U' R2 U2 R U' F' U F F2L R U' R2 U2 R F R' F' R F2L R U' R2 U2 R U2 F' U2 F
F2L 39 F2L (R U' R') U' (R U R') U2 (R U' R') [49] F2L y' (R' U' R) U2 (R' U R U') (R' U' R) F2L (R U R' U') (R U2 R') U' (R U R')	F2L 40 F2L (R U' R' U)(R U2' R') U (R U' R') [50] F2L (R U R') U2 (R U' R' U)(R U R') F2L (R U2) (R U R' U) (R U2 R2') F2L y' R2 U2 R U R' U R U2 R
F2L 41 F2L (r U' r') U2 (r U r') (R U R') [51] F2L (R U' R') d (R' U' R U') (R' U' R) F2L R U' R' U' R U' R' d R' U' R F2L R (F U R U' R' F') U' R' If the back right slot is open: F2L R U' R2 U' R y' R' U' R y	F2L 42 F2L (R U' R') (r U' r') U2 (r U r') [52] F2L (R U' R' U) d (R' U' R U') (R' U R) F2L (R U' R' U2) y' (R' U' R U' R' U R) F2L (R U R' U') (R U' R') U2 (F' U' F) F2L R U (F R U R' U' F') R' If the front left slot is open: F2L y' R' U R2 U R' y R U R'

See also

• Keyhole First Two Layers
• Intuitive solving
• Advanced F2L
• ZZ F2L
• ZBLS
• Fridrich Method
• Petrus Method

External Resources

Beginner

• RiDo's Hunting Story Uses a simple analogy method for F2L, but not comprehensive
• Beginner's F2L: 3 steps for every case Excellent F2L guide covering every scenario

Standard

• CubeRoot F2L algs
• Speedcubedb F2L List
• Full execution and alternatives for all F2L cases
• (VIDEO) Learn F2L in 6 minutes (Full Intuitive F2L Tutorial)
• Erik Akkersdijk's F2L Cases (from his old site)
• Dan Harris's F2L Cases
• Opticubes.com Optimal F2L Cases
• Jason Baum's F2L Cases
• Andy Klise's Printable F2L PDF
• CubeLoop F2L Algs
• Bob Burton's F2L Cases
• F2L algs for every case from all angles by Shotaro Makisumi
• Youtube: How to get faster at the 3x3 Rubik's cube - F2L - by Feliks Zemdegs
• Youtube: Rubik's Cube: Fridrich F2L explained - by Badmephisto
• Speedcubingtips.eu F2L algs
• Speedcubingtips.eu F2L algs animated version

Advanced

• F2L Speffz Naming
• CubeRoot advanced F2L algs
• Youtube: Viktor Danilov Expert F2L (Russian language)
• Database: Website for Viktor Danilov F2L series
• Erik Expert F2L tutorial
• Cubefreak Advanced F2L
• Multislotting Tutorial
• Speedcubingtips.eu multislotting algs
• Speedcubingtips.eu F2L - use of empty slot algs
• Speedcubingtips.eu F2L and stuck pieces cases
• F2L time attack

F2L Trainers

SpeedCubeDB trainer - for all sets and orientations

ExpertCuber.by