Step 2: Centers

In the next step, solve the three large centers to the right of the first block. These are the F, BR, and U centers. Only two need to be solved and the third center will be automatically solved. The move set is now reduced to U, R, r and slice turns. This will feel familiar to those experienced with the center solving process of big cubes.

Attach triangles and edges to form a half center. In the first of the following applets, a triangle from the bottom is attached to the edge on the upper layer then a second edge is added and the half center is moved to its correct position. In the second applet, a triangle and edge pair is created, the final triangle is attached, and the half center is attached to the first half center.

Follow the same process to solve the second center. In the first of the following applets, the triangle on the bottom is attached to an edge, then the other edge is attached and the half center is positioned. In the second applet, two triangles are attached to the final edge and the half center is solved. This automatically solves the U layer center. Be careful during this step to not break the first center that was built.

It can be restrictive to always solve the back center then the front center. This is where freeform center solving can often yield better results. For example, the front center can be solved and placed in the back. Then solve the back center on the U layer and make the final centers adjustment. It also isn't necessary to always focus on the front and back centers. The U center can be one of the two that are built during this process, leading to either the front or back center being the one that is automatically solved in the end.

Instead of building whole centers one at a time, another strategy is to build half centers from multiple centers then attach the half centers together. In the applets, the half centers of the left side of the front and back are solved, then the half centers of the right side are solved.

The half center strategy can combined with the freeform center building strategy to create pseudo half centers. Using this strategy, any half centers can be built and grouped while working on other half centers that will all eventually be correctly aligned. The same automatic third center solving property applies, except in this case it is thought of as the final two half centers will be automatically solved. In the first applet, the left halves of the front and back centers are solved, then the right half of the front center is placed in the back position, and finally the right half of the back center is built and solved. In the second example, The left half of the front center and the right half of the back center are placed in the back, and the final two half centers are built and solved.

Below are solutions for when three pieces of the second center remain. These aren't intended to be memorized. Instead, learn how each solution works.