Rubik OLL

This page is dedicated to orienting correctly the last layer of the Rubik's cube.

Resources

• Guides from Andy Klise, including:

• 3x3x3 Speedcubing OLL - Single Page OLL Addition by Andy Klise (or direct link)
• badmephisto's 3x3x3 Speedcubing - All of badmephisto's algorithms by Andy Klise (or direct link)

• Orientation of Last Layer (OLL) by Badmephisto

Badmephisto is the king of video tutorials. Contains also a trainer program (also on Linux!)

• OLL on speedsolving.com
• Orientation of the Last Layer - Bob Burton, cubewhiz.com

The 57 OLL Cases

Source:

• cubewhiz.com Bob Burton, for the original pictures, algorithms and comments.
• BB: Bob Burton's, BM: Badmephisto's algo.

Moves in BOLD are my current favorites.

Corners Correct, Edges Flipped

Note: there is also case 20 (O8) in the section No edges flipped correctly.

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
28		(M' U M) U2 (M' U M)	The middle slices should be done with the left ring finger for M' and the left thumb for M. The (M' U M) group may take some getting used to.
57		(R U R' U') (M' U R U') Rw'	There's nothing too fancy here. The finger tricks used are pretty common. I do the slice turn as M' now because I think it's a little faster that way.

All Edges Flipped Correctly

For most of these cases, I instead use some COLL cases, which orients AND permutes the corners, so 1/12 of the time you will be left with a solved cube and the other 11/12 of the time you will be left with an easy (fast) cycle of edges.

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
23		(R2' D) (R' U2) (R D') (R' U2 R')	This is one of the most awkward OLLs with all correctly flipped edges. It's still pretty fast, though.
24		(Lw' U') (L U) (R U') (Rw' F)	This one is pretty fast. The only problem is that you have to alternate hands a couple times. I recommend being able to do the mirror of this case as well.
25		(R' F) (R B') (R' F') (R B)	This algorithm is ridiculously fast. Hold your thumb on the bottom of the cube and left middle finger holding the S layer on the upper face. It helps to use your wrist of your left hand to assist in some of the turns.
27		(R U R' U) (R U2 R')	This is the Sune. Your right hand should never come off of the cube during the execution at any time.
26		(R U2) (R' U' R U' R')	This is just the inverse of the Sune, called the Antisune.
22		(R U2') (R2' U') (R2 U') (R2' U2' R)	The execution of this algorithm is pretty neat. The R2 turns should alternate in direction so that they can be performed by the right hand without letting go of the cube. The left hand holds the cube and makes the U' turns.
21		(R U2) (R' U' R U R' U' R U' R')	This is a very easy case. This can be performed as a double Sune or double Antisune. I recommend learning the COLL cases for this one as well since there are only four cases.

No Edges Flipped Correctly

	O1 - 1 - p=1/108 - setup ? (R U2) (R2' F R F') U2' (R' F R F') (BB) BB:This is just (R U2 R') followed by a couple of sledgehammers. R U² R' (R' F R F') U² (R' F R F') (BM)		O2 - 2 - p=1/54 - setup O2 U² F (R U R' U') S (R U R' U') Fw' (BB) BB:This algorithm is just the easy T-orientation followed by the easy P-orientation.The S can take a little getting used to. [F (R U R' U') F'] [f (R U R' U') f'] (BM)
	O3 - 3 - p=1/54 - setup O4 U² Fw (R U R' U') Fw' U' F (R U R' U') F' (BB) BB:This is a clever combination of the two six move OLLs. [F (R U R' U') F'] U' [f (R U R' U') f'] (BM)		O4 - 4 - p=1/54 - setup O3 U² Fw (R U R' U') Fw' U F (R U R' U') F' (BB) This is another combination of the two six move OLLs. [F (R U R' U') F'] U [f (R U R' U') f'] (BM)
	O6 - 18 - p=1/54 - setup O5 U² F (R U R' U) y' (R' U2) (R' F R F') (BB) BB:This case has a couple of fast triggers in it. [F (R U R' U) F'] y' U² (R' F R F') (BM) [F (R U R' U) F'] d' U (R' F R F') My current variant just groups together y' U.		O7 - 19 - p=1/54 - setup ? Rw' (R U) (R U R' U' Rw) x (R2' U) (R U') (BB) BB:This alg is the same as the "X" orientation (#20) except with a slight modification. M U (R U R' U') M' (R' F R F') (BM) M U (R U R' U') r R' (R' F R F') Do M' as r R' seems easier here.
	O5 - 17 - p=1/54 - setup O6 U' or O7 U2 (R U R' U) (R' F R F') U2 (R' F R F') (BB) BB:This one is very fast. Each of the three triggers should be lightning fast. (R U R' U) (R' F R F') U² (R' F R F') (BM)		O8 - 20 - p=1/216 - setup O8 U' Rw' (R U) (R U R' U' Rw2) (R2' U) (R U') Rw' (BB) BB:Here, I use the slice as (Rw' R) because it flows a little nicer. This is the least common OLL case (1/216). The finger tricks here are pretty simple. M U (R U R' U') M² (U R U' r') (BM) M U (R U R' U') r'² R² (U R U' r') Here I do a standard RH regrip and perform the M² as r'² R².

"T" shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
33		(R U R' U') (R' F R F')	This orientation makes up the second half of the Y-permutation. Both triggers are lightning fast, so this should easily be sub-1 second.
45		F (R U R' U') F'	This is the quickest and shortest OLL case. I use the left index for the U' and the right thumb for the F'.

"P" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
44		Fw (R U R' U') Fw'	This is very similar to the easy T orientation (#45) except with a double layer turn instead of just F. It is helpful to know the inverse to avoid a U2 before the alg.
43		Fw' (L' U' L U) Fw	This is just the mirror of OLL #44. I also recommend being able to perform this alg from a U2.
32		(R Dw) (L' Dw') (R' U) (Lw U Lw')	There should be a nice balance between both hands in performing this algorithm.
31		(R' U') F (U R U' R') F' R	This is just the mirror of OLL #32, but I don't perform it as such. Instead, I do an algorithm that contains the inverse of the easy T orienation in it.

"W" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
38		(R U R' U) (R U' R' U') (R' F R F')	There's nothing difficult about any of these three triggers.
36		(L' U' L U') (L' U L U) (L F' L' F)	This is just the mirror of OLL #38. You could also do U2 and perform a right handed version of this algorithm.

"L" shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
54		(Rw U) (R' U) (R U') (R' U) (R U2' Rw')	The left hand only holds the cube while the right does everything else. This is sort of like a fat double Sune.
53		(Rw' U') (R U') (R' U) (R U') (R' U2 Rw)	This is similar to OLL #54, but the first U' is done with the left index finger.
50		(R B' R B R2') U2 (F R' F' R)	Use the right hand to do the first set of moves all in one motion. The second trigger should be very fast.
49		(R' F R' F' R2) U2 y (R' F R F')	This algorithm is very similar to OLL #50 with an added cube rotation to make the second trigger easier to perform.
48		F (R U R' U') (R U R' U') F'	This is just the easy T-orientation performed twice in a row.
47		F' (L' U' L U) (L' U' L U) F	This is just the mirror of OLL #48.

Big Lightning Bolts

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
39		(L F') (L' U' L U) F U' L'	The right thumb gets a lot of work done at the end of this algorithm.The first trigger can be a little tricky if you don't grip the cube properly. The end can be a bit tricky, too.
40		(R' F) (R U R' U') F' U R	This is just the mirror of OLL #39.

"C" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
34		(R U R2' U') (R' F) (R U) (R U') F'	This case is fast. It takes a little while to get used to the R2' not being just R', but the algorithm flows very nicely. I make the last F' turn with my right index finger.
46		(R' U') (R' F R F') (U R)	There's nothing fancy here. This is just a sledgehammer with a setup move.

Squares

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
5		(Rw' U2) (R U R' U Rw)	This is just a fat Antisune performed from the back of the cube.
6		(Rw U2) (R' U' R U' Rw')	This is just a fat Antisune.

Small Lightning Bolts

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
7		(Rw U R' U) (R U2 Rw')	This case is just the inverse of one of the squares (OLL #6).
12		(M U2) (R' U' R U') (R' U2 R) U M'	This is just a Sune from the back right except with a setup move.
8		(Rw' U' R U') (R' U2 Rw)	Like OLL #7, this is just the inverse of one of the squares (OLL #5).
11		Rw' (R2 U R' U R U2 R') U M'	Like OLL #12, this is just a Sune with a setup move.

Fish Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
37		F (R U') (R' U' R U) (R' F')	This is one of the fastest orientations. It's the first half of the Y-permutation. The last six moves are EXTREMELY FAST.
35		(R U2) (R2 F) (R F' R U2 R')	This is just the sledgehammer with a setup move.
10		(R U R' U) (R' F R F') (R U2 R')	This is kind of like a Sune with a sledgehammer mixed in.
9		(R U R' U' R' F) (R2 U R' U' F')	This is a pretty fast algorithm that flows very nicely.

"I" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
51		Fw (R U R' U') (R U R' U') Fw'	This is just the easy P-orientation repeated twice.
52		(R U R' U R Dw') (R U' R' F')	The Dw' turn eliminates the need for a rotation, so this algorithm can be done very quickly.
56		Fw (R U R' U') Fw' F (R U R' U') (R U R' U') F'	I do this algorithm as the easy P-orientation followed by the easy T-orientation repeated twice.
55		(R U2) (R2 U' R U' R' U2) (F R F')	This is just a Sune performed from the back right with a setup at the beginning and a sledgehammer at the end.

"Knight Move" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
13		(Rw U' Rw' U' Rw U Rw' y' (R' U R)	I like this algorithm. I just wish it didn't have a rotation.
16		(Rw U Rw') (R U R' U') (Rw U' Rw')	This is just a fast trigger with a fast setup before and after.
14		(R' F) (R U R' F' R) y' (R U' R')	This case is pretty nice, but like OLL #13, I don't like the rotation.
15		(Lw' U' Lw) (L' U' L U) (Lw' U Lw)	This is just the mirror of OLL #16.

The "Awkward" Shapes

#	Diagram	Algorithm	Comments
41		(R U') (R' U2) (R U) y (R U') (R' U' F')	This case looks difficult, but it's actually pretty easy and flows kind of nicely.
30		(R2' U R' B') (R U') (R2' U) (Lw U Lw')	After the first set of moves, everything picks up a bit and it's easy to finish the algorithm.
42		(L' U) (L U2') (L' U') y' (L' U) (L U F)	This is just the mirror of OLL #41.
29		(L2 U' L B) (L' U) (L2 U') (Rw' U' Rw)	This is just the mirror of OLL #30.

Partial Edge Control

• Use R' F R F' (SL), instead of U R U' R' if no edge are correctly oriented.
• For F2L case #35, use R U R' U2 R U' R' U R U' R' instead of usual F' U F U2' R U R' to keep edge orientation.

Rules of thumb:

• Edges on U face always keep their orientation when doing only U and R moves.