Intuitive F2L

F2L (first two layers) is the biggest step in CFOP. Instead of putting the white corners in and then the middle edges, you pair each corner with its edge and put them in together. Most fast solvers learn it by understanding, not by memorising 41 algorithms.

The idea

Start with the white cross on the bottom. Each of the four gaps between the cross and the top is called a slot. To fill a slot you need its corner (white plus two colours) and its edge (the same two colours). Get them next to each other in the top layer, the right way round, then drop them in as a pair.

The secret: you can turn the slot’s side face up, move the top freely, then turn it back. The top layer is your free workspace, and the empty slot is where you join pieces.

The three basic inserts

Almost every case ends with one of these. In each picture the pair belongs in the front-right slot.

F2L case 1: the white corner and its edge to put into the front-right slot

Pair ready, rightR U R'

F2L case 2: the white corner and its edge to put into the front-right slot

Pair ready, frontF' U' F

F2L case 3: the white corner and its edge to put into the front-right slot

Split pairU R U' R'

R U R'

The simplest case: R U R’ drops the joined pair into the slot.

Making the pair

Get both pieces into the top layer. If one is stuck in a wrong slot, lift it out with R U R' on that slot.
Look at the white sticker on the corner. If it faces sideways, you can usually make the pair in three moves: hide the corner (turn the slot face up), move the edge next to it with U, and bring it back down.
If the white faces up, first turn it sideways: put the corner above the slot and do R U2 R' or R U' R', then pair it.
Insert with one of the three basic moves.

U' R U' R' U R U R'

A common case: set up the pair, then insert it.

Tips

Solve the slots at the back too. Turning the whole cube (y) wastes time; mirror the moves on the left with L and F instead.
Look ahead: while you finish one pair, find the next.
When a case keeps coming up, look it up in our 41 F2L cases: knowing the best answer for the awkward ones makes a big difference.

Still using layer by layer? Our CFOP guide shows where F2L fits.

Questions people ask

Is intuitive F2L better than algorithm F2L?

Start intuitive. You understand the cube better, can handle any case, and can learn the best algorithms for the tricky cases later.

How long does it take to learn intuitive F2L?

Most people get the hang of it in a week or two of regular practice, though it takes longer to make it fast.