REDUCED FRIDRICH METHOD
If you entered here it must be because you already know how to solve the cube with the beginner method, if not, perimer visit the beginner method.
It is also essential that you know the notation for the 3x3x3 cube, if you don't know it you can check it by clicking on the following button.
You can download the brochures with all the algorithms of the Fridrich method reduced to the download page.
The CFOP method, also known as the Fridrich method, in honor of its creator, Jessica Fridrich , is the most widely used method. for speedcubers to solve the cube the fastest way. The complete Fridrich or CFOP method requires learning many different algorithms and a lot of practice, so we can start with the reduced method that does not require memorizing so many algorithms and later we will learn new ones.
It consists of 4 different steps:
- Cross : As in the beginner method we will cross first.
- F2L : From the English, First Two Layers, in this step we will solve the first two layers at once.
- OLL : From the English, Orient Last Layer, we will orient the pieces of the last layer so that the whole yellow face is resolved but no matter if the pieces are in place.
- PL : Permute Last Layer, in this last step we will dedicate ourselves to permuting the pieces of the last layer to leave the cube solved.
Since I will explain the reduced method here, we will subdivide one of the 4 cases into several steps.
THE CROSS
Since you already know how to solve the cube with the beginner method and you know how to cross the envelopes, we will not stop here to explain it again, make the cross as you already know and move on.
F2L: THE FIRST TWO LAYERS
To solve the first two layers at once we can memorize many algorithms, 42 specifically in full F2L, but the best way to do it is intuitively.
Unlike the beginner method, we will now take the cube with the cross in the bottom layer, if we started solving the white cross, the white layer will now always be looking down.
Since we are not doing full F2L, but the reduced one, I leave you with the 24 simplest cases of F2L, these are the cases where the edge and the corner are in the top layer. If you do not come across this case, try to put the corner and the edge on the top layer intuitively, then you can use one of the 24 algorithms.
As I mentioned before, try to understand and find the logic of the different algorithms, this way you will be able to do F2L intuitively and you will not be able to memorize all the cases.
EDGE AND CORNER IN THE UPPER LAYER
BASICS
U' F' U F
U R U' R'
F' U' F
R U R'
CORNER POINTING WITH WHITE ON ONE SIDE
R U' R' U R U' R' U2 R U' R'
U' R U2' R' d R' U' R
R U' R' U2 F' U' F
F' U F U2 R U R'
U' R U' R' U R U R'
d R' U R U' R' U' R
U F' U' F U2 F' U F
U' R U R' U' R U2 R
U' R U R' U R U R'
U' R U' R' U F' U' F
y' U R' U2 R U2 R' U R
U' R U2 R' U2 R U' R'
CORNER POINTING WITH WHITE UP
R U R' U2 R U R' U' R U R'
R U R' U R U2 R' F' U2 F
F' U2 F U F' U' F
R U2 R' U' R U R'
U' F' U2 F U' F' U F
U R U2 R' U R U' R'
U2 R U R' U R U' R'
U2 F' U' F U' F' U F
REDUCED EYE: ORIENTATION OF THE LAST LAYER
OLL consists of orienting all the pieces of the last layer so that they all have the yellow facing up, regardless of whether they are in place or not.
In complete OLL there are 58 different algorithms to orient the pieces of the last layer with a single algorithm, but we are learning the reduced method and we will not need to learn the 58 algorithms, we will reduce it to 9, dividing OLL into two steps. Yellow cross and corner orientation.
YELLOW CROSS
To make the yellow cross we will learn a new algorithm to try to speed up this step. Knowing this algorithm and what we already used in the beginner method will allow us to move from the L-position and the I-position directly to the cross. In the event that we have the point we will have to combine the two algorithms.
Remember that we do not use the yellow face as the front face, the image is shown in this way to see the layout of the upper face.
1
F U R U' R' F'
2
F R U R' U' F'
3
Algorithm 1+2
4
Solved
CORNER ORIENTATION
To orient the corners and make the whole face yellow, there are 7 different cases, each with its own algorithm to achieve this.
Just like to make the cross, the yellow face must stay at the top.
R U2 R’ U’ R U R’ U’ R U’ R’
R U2 R2 U’ R2 U’ R2 U2 R
L’ U R U’ L U R’
R U’ L’ U R’ U’ L
R2 D’ R U2 R’ D R U2 R
r U R’ U’ r’ F R F’
R’ F’ L’ F R F’ L F
Solved
REDUCED PLL: PERMUTATION OF THE LAST LAYER
PLL consists of exchanging the pieces of the last layer without changing their orientation. The complete PLL consists of 21 different algorithms, as we are learning successful CFOP we will divide PLL into two steps to learn 6 algorithms instead of 21. The two steps are, corner swapping and edge swapping.
PERMUTATION OF CORNERS
We can find 2 different cases and each has its own algorithm to solve them.
By moving the top layer of the cube we will always be able to put two corners in place, once placed we must see if these two well-placed corners are on the side or are opposite corners.
Side corners: If they are sideways, orient the cube so that these two pieces are at the back and the yellow face is facing up. We can now apply the No. 1 algorithm so that all the corners are well located and oriented.
Opposite corners: We will orient the cube so that the yellow face is facing up and one of the well-placed corners is at the top right of the front face. We can now apply algorithm # 2 to solve the corners.
1
l' U R' D2 R U' R' D2 R2
2
R U' R U X U F' U F U2 R U R' U' R'
PERMUTATION OF EDGES
In the permutation of edges we can find 4 different cases, we must use one of the following 4 algorithms according to the case we are in and we will have the cube solved.
M2 U M2 U2 M2 U M2
M2 U' M2 U' M' U2 M2 U2 M' U2
R' U R' U' R' U' R' U R U R2
R U R' U R' U' R2 U' R' U R' U R U2
