This tutorial will build on the method learnt in the Beginners' section and will introduce a more traditional version of ZZ, also called Vanilla ZZ. This uses EOLine, blockbuilding for F2L and a 2 Look Last Layer.

EOLine

This step remains largely unchanged. The only thing that differs is the quality at which EOLine is done. Optimal movecount averages to be just over 6 moves, so a target of 8 moves is quite reasonable. The maximum number of moves for any case is 9 moves which has one case. This is where all 12 edges are flipped and the 2 line edges are in place. You could learn an algorithm for this, but it is unnecessary as it only appears once out of all the possible cases, which is one in every 270,336.

The main way to optimize this step is not by solving EO then the line, but when you solve EO, also solve the line, or at the very least influence where the line edges will end up so that they aren't far away from being solved after EO. Also make sure that your EO solutions are as optimal as possible. You will want to be able to plan this all in inspection.

F2L

This is where the most change will be seen. Instead of solving edges then corners, we will be a lot more efficient by solving them both at the same time with blockbuilding. Blockbuilding is a technique where you try to solve as many pieces as efficiently as possible in, well, blocks. In ZZ, you use the <RUL> generator to build up 1x2x3 blocks on both sides of the cube, solving the first 2 layers. There are several 'strategies', with them being generalized into 2 groups: square-pair and 2 lines. Square-pair is a lot easier and generally more useful, although 2 lines has its place in certain situations.

Firstly, square-pair.

As the name suggests, this is done by building a square then a pair. While this is true, there is a bit more nuance to it. You firstly build a pair using <RUL> while preserving anything already made. This pair can be either a center-edge pair or a corner-edge pair. Once that is done, you form the corresponding pair. For example, if you made the white-blue-red and blue-red corner-edge pair, you would then make the red and white-red center edge pair. Also, if you are coming from a CFOP background, a pair isn't just a D layer corner and E slice edge, but it could also be the D edge and D corner. It doesn't matter as they will all get solved eventually. Once you've built the 2 pairs (not necessarily solved them) you should be able to match them up using <RUL> to form a square.

Once you have solved the square, solve the other corner-edge pair to make the block.

This can be done in any order on any of the 2 sides, so you could solve in this order:

• L square

• L pair

• R square

• R pair

Or like this:

• L square

• R square

• L pair

• R pair

Hopefully you get the gist that there is no fixed order as long as you solve the square of a side before the pair.

A handy technique for this way of solving F2L is openslotting. This is where you leave the block one move away from being solved.

Onto line-line.

This technique is where you solve a corner-edge-corner triplet and an edge-centre-edge triplet. It is not generally approved and is only useful in certain circumstances. It is only really useful when you have a line solved by accident on one side of the cube, so you can use the other side and U to build the other line and then match up, otherwise use square-pair.

Now for some general F2L advice. Try to be as efficient as possible and take time to understand the cube and how ZZ blockbuilding works. For the last pair cases, some of them will be more difficult than others so you can go to CFOP resources if you can't figure out how to do something by yourself. Just make sure that EO is preserved. Another good resource for a more in-depth explanation of ZZF2L is Conrad Rider's tutorial. You can find it on the External Resources page and it is highly recommended that you do. Phil Yu also has a good explanation in his tutorial. Even then, you should be able to figure it out and doing so will give a greater understanding of the cube and higher satisfaction.

Last Layer

You will want to learn OCLL/PLL, a 2 look last layer algorithm set with 28 algorithms, 7 for OCLL and 21 for PLL, although learning all those algorithms right away won't be easy. Instead, you can progress from a more basic 3 algorithm last layer to an intermediate 12 algorithm last layer and finally to the 28 algorithm last layer. As an intermediate step for the 21 PLLs you can use just these algorithms: T-perm and Y-perm for corners and both U-perms, Z-perm and H perm for edges. You can go even more basic than that if you want, using just one OCLL (sune) and 2 PLL algorithms (T-perm and Ua-perm).

Beginner Last Layer

Here is how you solve OCLL using just sune (R U R' U R U2 R'):

1. Identify how many orientated corners there are (yellow facing up for this tutorial).

2. For 1 corner orientated, place the orientated corner in UFL and do sune. For 2 corners orientated, put a misorientated corner at UFL so that the yellow sticker is on F. For no corners orientated, put a misorientated corner at UFL so that the yellow sticker is on L.

3. Do sune. If it solves, carry on, if not go back to step 1.

You should now have CO solved.

Here's how to solve CP using only T-perm (R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F'):

1. See how many solved corners there are.

2. If they are all solved, you're done. If 2 are solved adjacently, AUF so that they are on L then do T perm. If they are solved oppositely do a T perm and you will have 2 solved adjacently. Carry on from there.

Here's how to solve EP using only the Ua-perm (M2 U M U2 M' U M2):

1. See how many solved edges there are.

2. If there is 1, put that to the back and do the Ua perm. If all 4 are unsolved, do the Ua-perm from anywhere and you should have one edge solved. If after the Ua perm you still have 3 edges left, just repeat the algorithm from the same angle.

Your cube should be solved.

Intermediate Last Layer

You need 7 OCLL algorithms, with one being the sune previously learned, plus one solved. You can ignore the edges and non-top layer colors in recognition, you only care about where the top corners are facing. Here are all of them:

You also need 6 PLL algorithms, 2 of them CPLL and 4 of them EPLL algorithms. The T-perm and Y-perm for corners and both U-perms, Z-perm and H-perm for edges. You can find them on the 4LLL sheet which is linked in External Resources. In terms of learning them, don't necessarily learn the moves, but instead learn how F2L changes throughout the algorithm. Here's a tip for learning Y-perm:

• F

• Do a T-perm, but do the first 4 moves at the end instead of the beginning

• F'

Advanced Last Layer

This 'advanced' is advanced for an intermediate, but not advanced overall. You firstly want to learn full PLL so that you can always have a 2 Look Last Layer that's relatively fast, but afterwards start learning COLL from the sheet in External Resources. This will complement your last layer and will ultimately make it faster and prepare you for ZBLL.