Advanced CFOP

The same four steps as Beginner CFOP (cross, F2L, OLL, PLL), done the way speedcubers do them: the cross planned during inspection, F2L with lookahead, and the last layer in just two algorithms, one for OLL and one for PLL.

Pictures use the same colours as the beginner set (white bottom, yellow top, blue front, red right), and the same notation.

Step 1: The cross, planned in inspection

Competitions give you 15 seconds of inspection. Use them to plan the whole cross before you start, and solve it straight onto the bottom rather than making a daisy first. Every cross can be solved in 8 moves or fewer, and most take 5–7.

How to get there:

• Find the four white edges first, then plan them one or two at a time. Edges that are already next to each other in the right order can go down together.
• Solve edges relative to each other, not the centres. Build the cross pieces around the white centre in the right order, then line the whole cross up with a single D turn at the end if needed.
• Keep the plan in your head as moves, and track where the first F2L pair will be once the cross is done. That's the start of lookahead.
• Look at the cross from the top. Solving with white on the bottom means you rarely see the white face, so practise recognising where edges will go from the side colours. Some solvers become colour neutral later, choosing whichever colour's cross is easiest, but white works fine.

Step 2: F2L

Solve the four corner–edge pairs. Unlike the beginner approach, you're expected to recognise all 41 cases and to keep looking ahead: while one pair goes in, find the next.

• Recognise by the corner. Where is its white sticker facing (up, front or right), and where is the edge relative to it? The case groups on the F2L page follow the positions of the corner and edge.
• Every case is shown for the front-right slot. Most algorithms have mirror versions for the front-left slot, and a y rotation brings any slot to the front. With practice you'll also use d turns and back-slot inserts to avoid rotating.
• Use empty slots. Hiding a piece in an unsolved slot, or pairing pieces using a free slot, often beats a long algorithm.
• Don't rush the pairs. Smooth, slower turning that lets you see the next pair is faster overall than stopping to search.

F2L41 cases →

Step 3: OLL in one look

Orient the whole last layer with one of 57 algorithms. Recognise the case by the yellow stickers on top and the pattern around the sides.

The OLL page groups cases by the edges on top: a cross (these are the seven two-look corner cases you already know), a line, an L shape, or a dot. A good learning order is the cross group first, then the line and L groups, leaving the dot cases for last. Until you know them all, fall back on two-look OLL.

OLL57 cases →

Step 4: PLL in one look

Permute the last layer with one of 21 algorithms. Recognise the case from the colours on two adjacent sides: look for headlights (matching corners), bars (a corner and edge that match) and which colours sit opposite each other.

You already know six of them from Beginner CFOP: Ua, Ub, H, Z, T and Y. Add the rest a group at a time: the A perms, then J, R, V, F and N, and the four G perms last. The PLL page groups cases by whether they move only edges, swap adjacent corners, or swap diagonal corners.

PLL21 cases →

Putting it together

• AUF. Before OLL and PLL, and at the very end, turn the top layer to match. On this site an algorithm needing a turn first is written U then ….
• Learn gradually. Keep using two-look for any case you don't know yet. Each new algorithm saves a look.
• Drill with the player. Tap an algorithm to load it, step through it slowly, then practise it on a cube until it runs without thinking.