How to hit sub 20 in speedcubing

How to get faster🚅using the CFOP method

I read Dan Knights’ blog, especially this post and couldn’t sleep!

I curated the below resources from speed cubing comment forum

Here it goes

Welcome! This thread will be a guide to help you get faster at solving the Rubik’s Cube using the popular Fridrich/CFOP method. Please read this thread and do some forum searching prior to asking questions about becoming faster

First off, the most important factor is practice. No matter what method you use, or how many algorithms you know, you need to practice a lot to progress. With practice, you will be able to turn the cube faster, recognize cases ore quickly, and just in general gain a better understanding of the cube. You can even get sub 20 averages with a beginner ’s method - but only if you practice a lot. No other factor is more important. So if you’re getting stuck, chances are you aren’t practicing enough

Of course, we want to know to know how to practice to find the most efficient way to improve. Here are some basics steps to help you get faster

Step 1️⃣

Current Average: 1:30+ or don’t know how to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Goal Average: Solve around 1 minute

Learn how to solve the cube from here: Badmephisto’s Youtube Video Tutorial. He teaches you a simplified version of CFOP that will help you easily progress later on

NOTE: It is possible to achieve below one minute with this method, just by practicing. If you are still stuck, follow these tips

I fell off my chair the day I realised badmephisto was none other than Andrej Karpathy 🤯

Get a better cube. Cubes like the Dayan ZhanChi and Dayan GuHong v2 are great, they allow for effortless turning and corner cutting. Lubricate your cube too – a decent method is using silicone spray, but using silicone oil is better
Use finger tricks (this will speed up your times A LOT). You can become better at finger tricks by practicing
Decrease your last layer time (to about 25 seconds or less). You can do this by improving your recognition and execution for each case (to do this you must practice)
Try to reduce pauses. Try to never stop turning during your solve. This can be done by practicing a lot!
Work on the cross. Try to do the cross in 12 moves or less, and under 12 seconds. Here is a link that will help you achieve/learn this (and then practice it a lot) http://cubefreak.net/speed/cfop/cross.php 🔗
Practice - The more you practice, the faster you’ll become 🐢 ➡️ 🐰
Once you get a little used to the beginner method, you can also try inserting the first layer/side corners from different angles. See Macky’s guide
Use a timer to see your progression: You can use web based timers or PC timers⏲️

Estimated Time: 2-4 weeks

Step 2️⃣

Current Average: Around 1 minute. Goal Average: 40-49 seconds

Learning 4 Look Last Layer (4LLL). This means solving the last layer in 4 steps – consisting of Orienting the Last Layer in 2 steps (2 Look OLL), and Permuting the Last Layer in 2 steps (2 Look PLL)

2 Look OLL

Edge Orientation - 3 algorithms (technically 2)
Corner Orientation - 7 algorithms

2 Look PLL

Corner Permutation - 2 Algorithms Aa/Ab and E/V/Y/Na/Nb
Edge Permutation - 4 algorithms - Ua, Ub, Z, H

Here are some links explaining how to use the 4LLL (2 Look OLL + 2 Look PLL) algorithms for your last layer

4 Look Last Layer Guide

2 Look OLL

2 Look PLL

Estimated Time: 2-4 weeks

Step 3️⃣

Current Average: 40-49 seconds. Goal Average: 30-39 seconds

Now learn intuitive First Two Layers (F2L).
Your times will temporarily worsen, but after a few days of practicing, they will significantly become better!
Practice your F2L A LOT, and never give up!
Estimated Time: 2-4 weeks

Step 4️⃣

Current Average: 30-39 seconds. Goal Average: 20-29 seconds

Now, learn the rest of the PLL algorithms. Full PLL is 21 Algorithms (you have already learned 7 algorithms for 2-Look PLL)
Learn how to look ahead during F2L. This will TREMENDOUSLY help your times. Looking ahead is one of the most important aspects of improving

Estimated Time: 2-6 weeks

Step 5️⃣

Current Average: 20-29 seconds. Goal Average: 15-19 seconds

Practice your F2L, learn/make up your own techniques, and possibly learn some of the algorithms for odd cases. (Links where to learn the F2L algorithms are at the bottom of this guide) Also, remember to look ahead (this is EXTREMELY important)! Try to complete your cross and F2L in 12 seconds or less on average
Work on improving your speed for your OLLs and PLLs. Use triggers, and try to get all of the algorithms under 3 seconds for recognition and execution.
Get your cross below 4 seconds consistently (make sure you solve the cross on the bottom of the cube)
Estimated Time: 1-2 months

Step 6️⃣

Current Average: Sub 20 Seconds. **Goal Average: **Below 15 seconds

Get your cross and F2L done in under 10 seconds
Get your cross done in ~2 seconds on average
Learn how to do Extended Cross (x-cross)
Learn the rest of the OLL algorithms - 57 algorithms (Note that learning the OLLs will only help you by 2 second or less)
To learn/memorize the OLL’s easier look at Badmephisto’s video
Practice, practice, and keep on practicing!!!

Estimated Time: 4+ months

Step 7️⃣ - (written by PoHos1)

Current Average: Below 15 Seconds Goal Average: Sub10 or around 10

Practice a lot f2l try to always see first pair in F2L (inspection time)
Get your cross done in about 1.5 seconds
Practice yours Extended Cross (x-cross)
learn all PLL and OLL about 1.5 seconds like your cross
also you can learn COLL

Estimated Time: at least 6 months

F2L Algorithms

OLL Algorithms

Speedsolving Wiki – OLL Algorithms 2 Look OLL for Corner Orientation are cases 21-27.
Andy Klise’s Collection of 3x3 Algorithms
Badmephisto’s OLL Algorithms
Bob Burton’s OLL Algorithms 2 Look OLL for Corner Orientation are cases 4-10
Shotaro Makisumi’s (Macky’s) OLL Aglorithms

PLL Algorithms

Speedsolving Wiki – PLL Algorithms Corner Permutation are the Aa/Ab and E/V/Y/Na/Nb permutation algorithms. Edge Permutation are the Ua, Ub, H, and Z permutation algorithms.
Andy Klise’s Collection of 3x3 Algorithms
Badmephisto’s PLL Agorithms
Bob Burton’s PLL Algorithms
Shotaro Makisumi’s (Macky’s) PLL Algorithms

You should print out your OLLs/PLLs so you can learn them and use them at any time. Keep in mind that you should choose the algorithms that best suit you. Just because one person is fast with an algorithm doesn’t mean you will be fast with the same algorithm.

The information provided in this thread was contributed by members in this post

How to learn F2L intuitively

Blindcubing

I solved a 3*3 using Stefan pochmann method. The trick is to memorise the positions and just keep doing two cubies at a time

To memorise the cube, I used to follow Roman peg system. Checkout another video which was so helpful in remembering pieces and what goes where