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OLL

OLL represents orientation of the pieces in the last layer. This process will align the stickers of the pieces in the top layer (last layer). There are 57 orientation cases for the last layer. Here are the algorithms I use for solving them. As you learn these algorithms, you will realize about their close relationship to each other, and also to the PLLs. There are two commonly occurred triggers: (R U R’ U’) and (R’ F R F’). Learn them well and you will be able to perform most of the algorithms fairly quickly. I separated the OLLs in different groups to signify their similarity in algorithm and finger tricks. Learn them in groups. It helps you to relate one OLL to another. Note that there are many other different algorithms used by other speedcubers, here is simply a set of compilation of algorithms that I find easiest to remember and perform. It is totally personal preference.

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Corners without edges
These three following orientation patterns have their corners correctly oriented save for the edges orientation. They share similar finger tricks as well.
01

1) Rw U R’ U’ R’w R U R U’ R’
2) (u2) M’ U M U2 M’ U M

 Flips two adjacent edges. I use both the algorithms depending on where the tip of the pattern is pointing at.
02 R U R’ U’ Rw R’ U R U’ R’w Flips two opposite edges. Inverse of OLL01 (#1).
03

R’w R U R U R’ U’ M’2 U R U’ R’w

 Flips all edges. Lowest probability of all OLL cases, but certainly one of the most interesting one.

2L-OLL: Edges without corners
The following 7 algorithms are the 7 basic OLLs that I first learnt when I was still using 2-look OLL method. All these 7 basic OLLs have the edges flipped correctly and the only thing that you need to work on is the corners. Memorize them well before you move on to others.
04

1) R’ U2 R U R’ U R
2) (u) R U R’ U R U’2 R’

 Inverse of each other, these two cases are known as the sune cases; aka fish pattern because of its close resemblance to a fish. The sign of R moves alternates. The algorithm aims to take out a F2L pair, move it over, and reinsert it back into the slot. Very quick and easily recognized OLL cases.
05

1) R’ U’ R U’ R’ U2 R
2) (u) R U’2 R’ U’ R U’ R’
06 R U’2 R’2 U’ R2 U’ R’2 U2 R Track the 2 F2L pair as you execute the algorithm to understand how it works to aid memorization.
07 R’ U’ R U’ R’ U R U’ R’ U2 R Derived by repeating the sune case twice.
08 F R' F' Rw U R U' R'w Inverse of each other. These two algorithms involve double layer Rw turn.
09 Rw U R’ U’ R’w F R F’
10

1) R2 D’ R U2 R’ D R U2 R
2) (u2) R2 D R’ U2 R D’ R’ U2 R’

 Hardest to remember algorithm in this group. Track the movement of the F2L pair to aid memorization.

Other shapes
Some other basic shapes that I find easy to memorize. They come in pairs. Learn these after you learnt the 7 basic OLLs.
11

1) F R U R’ U’ F
2) (u2) Fw U R U’ R’ F’w

 Fastest and simplest OLL algorithm.
12 R U R’ U’ R’ F R F’  
13 F R U’ R’ U’ R U R’ F’  
14 R U’2 R’2 F R F’ R U’2 R’  
15 R U R’ U R U’ R’ U’ R’ F R F’  
16

R’ U’ R U’ R’ U R U R B’ R’ B

  
17 R U R' D'w R' F' Rw U R’w R  
18 R’ U’ R’ F R F’ U R  

Dot orientation
The next 7 OLLs are all dots. The algorithms are related, some inverse of each other. First learn OLL19 and OLL20. Then OLL21, 22, 23. And lastly OLL24 and OLL25.
19

R'w R2 U R' U Rw U2 R'w U Rw R'

  
20

R’w R U' Rw U2' R'w U' R U' R’2 R

  
21 F R' F' R2 R’w U R U' R' U' Rw R’  
22 Rw U R’ U R U’2 R’w2 U’ R U’ R’ U2 Rw  
23 R’w R U R U R’ U’ Rw R’2 F R F’  
24 R U’2 R’2 F R F’ U’2 R’ F R F’  
25 F R U R’ U’ F' Fw R U R’ U’ F’w F' f can be replaced by S turn.

P orientations and Big lightning bolt.
OLL26 and OLL27 are very fast and simple algorithms and are mirror image of each other. The next four following OLLs are related (OLL28 to OLL31). Learn them in groups.
26 Fw R U R’ U’ F’w P orientation type 1. Inverse of OLL11 plus a U2 turn. Very similar finger tricks with OLL11. Instead of doing F, now do double layer f instead.
27 R’ U’ (u’) R’ U R B P orientation type 2: Mirror image of OLL19.
28 R’ U’ F U R U’ R’ F’ R P orientation type 3. Inverse of OLL30. Mirror image of OLL29.
29 L U F’ U’ L’ U L F L’ P orientation type 4. Mirror image of OLL28. Inverse of OLL31. Good practice for left hand.
30 R’ F R U R’ U’ F’ U R Inverse of OLL28. Mirror image of OLL 31. In brackets is the very fast T orientation type 1 (OLL11).
31 L F’ L’ U’ L U F U’ L’ Inverse of OLL29. Mirror image of OLL30. Heavy left hand moves as well.

The L Shape orientation
The next 6 OLLs are the L shape orientation. Learn them in pairs, ie: OLL32 with OLL33, OLL34 with OLL35 etc. Don't get confused with the recognition of the shapes.
32 Rw U R’ U R U’ R’ U R U’2 R’w  
33 R'w U’ R U’ R’ U R U’ R’ U2 Rw  
34 Lw U’ L’w2 U Lw2 U L’w2 U’ Lw  
35 Rw’ U Rw2 U’ R’w2 U’ Rw2 U Rw  
36 F R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ F’  
37 R' U' (r) R' U R U' R' U R U' (r') U R  

Squares and lightning bolts.
OLL38 to OLL41 are related. Learn them together. All of them have similar finger tricks and algorithm. When the r is performed as R, the algorithm becomes the fish OLL, ie: variation of OLL04 and OLL05. OLL42 and OLL43 are two more lightning bolts executed in a different algorithm then the other 4.
38 R'w U2 R U R’ U R’w  
39 Rw U’2 R’ U’ R U’ R’w  
40 R'w U’ R U’ R’ U2 Rw  
41 Rw U R’ U R U’2 R’w  
42 R'w R2 U R’ U R U2’ R’ U Rw R’  
43 Rw R’2 U’ R U’ R’ U2 R U’ R’w R  

4 cases of straight Line orientation.
If there is a bar of three stickers, place it on the right side of the cube.  If there is a second bar of three stickers, then you know which case you have immediately.  If there is no bar of three stickers, then there is either a bar of two stickers or no bar of stickers at all.
44

1) Fw R U R’ U’ R U R’ U’ F’w
2) (u2) F U R U’ R’ U R U’ R’ F’

  
45

F R U R’ U’ R F’ Rw U R’ U’ R’w

  
46

R U2’ R2’ U’ R U’ R’ U2 F R F’

  
47 R ‘ U’ R U’ R’ Dw R’ U R B  

L shape plus dot & Straight line plus dot
Notice that OLL48 to OLL51 are related to each other. OLL52 and OLL53 are just mirror image of each other. Learn these in groups.
48 R U R' (u) R' F R U' R' F' R Inverse of OLL50
49  R U R' U' R' F R2 U R' U' F' Inverse of OLL51.
50 R’ F R U R’ F’ R F U’ F’ Inverse of OLL48.
51 F U R U’ R2 F’ R U R U’ R’ Inverse of OLL49.
52 Rw U R’w R U R’ U’ Rw U’ R’w Mirror of OLL53.
53 R’ F’ R L’ U’ L U L’w U Lw Mirror of OLL52.

Small lightning plus dot
Put the lightning horizontally like case of OLL56 and OLL57. If you can’t put it that way, then it would be orientation of case 54 and 55. Next determine if the side stickers are all separated, or there is a pair of them, and decide which case it is.
54

R U R’ U R U2’ R’ F R U R’ U’ F’

  
55 F R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F2  
56 R' F R F' R' F R F' R U R’ U’ R U R’  
57 R U R’ U’ R U’ R’ F’ U’ F R U R’  


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2009 | ccymie@malaysiancube