CH warehouse
CFOP method
Breakdown of the CFOP method
The CFOP method, also known as the Fridrich method, was published by Czech speedcuber Jessica Fridrich in the 1990s. Since then, the method has become one of the most popular methods in speedcubing and has established itself as one of the main techniques in speedcubing. It is still very popular today.If you want to refine your technique and take part in competitions, the CFOP method is ideal. It offers a structured and efficient strategy that will lead you to fast solve times. In this guide, we will show you what the CFOP method involves and how you can learn it quickly.
Table of Contents
White Cross
First things first: In the opening step, you need to form the white cross on one side of the cube.
Then arrange the edges so that they match the colour of the centre.
3 Move Insert
The '3-move insert' is a technique that is particularly helpful at the beginning.
With this technique, you can quickly place individual edge pieces (cube pieces with two colours) in the correct position in the white cross.
The name '3-Move Insert' comes from the fact that in many cases only three turns are required to place the edge stone in the correct position.
One possible approach looks like this:
F
R'
F'
R'
F
R
Insert 2 pieces at the same time
Later, you can combine a single move ('1-Mover') with a technique called '3-Move Insert'.
This allows you to insert two edges into the white cross at the same time and will speed up the solving process.
It could look like this:
U
F
R'
Move the Cross
Moving the white cross helps you avoid unnecessary moves.
In the example below, you can directly insert the blue-white edge with just 3 moves by shifting the cross.
This way, you don't have to move the edge upwards first.
It saves you extra steps and time.
D
R'
D'
F2L
Basic Cases
R
U
R'
F'
U'
F
U
R
U'
R'
U'
F'
U
F
Corner + Edge in top
( 
U'
R
U'
) ( 
R'
U
R
) 
U
R'
U'
R
U'
R'
U
R
U
R'
( 
U
F'
U
) ( 
F
U'
F'
) 
U'
F
U
F'
U
F
U'
F'
U'
F
( 
U'
R
U
) ( 
R'
U
R
) 
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U
R
U
R'
( 
U
F'
U'
) ( 
F
U'
F'
) 
U'
F
U
F'
U'
F
U'
F'
U'
F
d
R'
U2
R
d'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U2
R'
d
R'
U'
R
( 
R
U'
R'
U
) 
d
( 
R'
U'
R
)
R
U'
R'
U
d
R'
U'
R
( 
F'
U
F
U'
) 
d'
( 
F
U
F'
)
F'
U
F
U'
d'
F
U
F'
(
U
F'
U2
F
) ( 
U
F'
U2
F
)
U
F'
U2
F
U
F'
U2
F
( 
U'
R
U2
R'
) ( 
U'
R
U2
R'
)
U'
R
U2
R'
U'
R
U2
R'
( 
U
F'
U'
F
) ( 
U
F'
U2
F
)
U
F'
U'
F
U
F'
U2
F
( 
U'
R
U
R'
) ( 
U'
R
U2
R'
)
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U2
R'
Corner pointing up, edge in top
( 
R
U2
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
)
R
U2
R'
U'
R
U
R'
( 
F'
U2
F
U
) ( 
F'
U'
F
)
F'
U2
F
U
F'
U'
F
( 
U
R
U2
R'
) ( 
U
R
U'
R'
)
U
R
U2
R'
U
R
U'
R'
( 
U'
F'
U2
F
) ( 
U'
F'
U
F
)
U'
F'
U2
F
U'
F'
U
F
U2
R
U
R'
U
R
U'
R'
U2
F'
U'
F
U'
F'
U
F
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
U'
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
)
R
U
R'
U'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
y'
R'
U'
R
U
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
Corner in top, edge in middle
( 
U
F'
U
F
) ( 
U
F'
U2
F
)
U
F'
U
F
U
F'
U2
F
( 
U'
R
U'
R'
) ( 
U'
R
U2
R'
)
U'
R
U'
R'
U'
R
U2
R'
( 
U
F'
U'
F
) ( 
d'
F
U
F'
)
U
F'
U'
F
d'
F
U
F'
( 
U'
R
U
R'
) ( 
d
R'
U'
R
)
U'
R
U
R'
d
R'
U'
R
( 
R
U'
R'
) ( 
d
R'
U
R
)
R
U'
R'
d
R'
U
R
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
)
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
Corner in bottom, edge in top
( 
U
R
U'
R'
) ( 
U'
F'
U
F
)
U
R
U'
R'
U'
F'
U
F
( 
U'
F'
U
F
) ( 
U
R
U'
R'
)
U'
F'
U
F
U
R
U'
R'
( 
F'
U
F
) ( 
U'
F'
U
F
)
F'
U
F
U'
F'
U
F
( 
R
U'
R'
) ( 
U
R
U'
R'
)
R
U'
R'
U
R
U'
R'
( 
R
U
R'
) ( 
U'
R
U
R'
)
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
( 
F'
U'
F
) ( 
U
F'
U'
F
)
F'
U'
F
U
F'
U'
F
Corner in bottom, edge in middle
( 
R
U'
R'
U
) 
R
U2
R'
( 
U
R
U'
R'
)
R
U'
R'
U
R
U2
R'
U
R
U'
R'
( 
R
U'
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U2
R'
)
R
U'
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U2
R'
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U'
R'
) 
U
d
( 
R'
U'
R
)
R
U
R'
U'
R
U'
R'
U
d
R'
U'
R
( 
R
U'
R'
) 
d
( 
R'
U'
R
U'
) ( 
R'
U'
R
)
R
U'
R'
d
R'
U'
R
U'
R'
U'
R
( 
R
U'
R'
d
R'
U2
R
) ( 
U
R'
U2
R
)
R
U'
R'
d
R'
U2
R
U
R'
U2
R
OLL
Crosses
( 
R'
U2
R
) 
U
( 
R'
U
R
)
R'
U2
R
U
R'
U
R
( 
R
U2
R'
) 
U'
( 
R
U'
R'
)
R
U2
R'
U'
R
U'
R'
F'
r
U
R'
U'
r'
F
R
( 
r
U
R'
U'
) ( 
r'
F
R
F'
)
r
U
R'
U'
r'
F
R
F'
R
U2
R2'
U'
R2
U'
R2'
U2
R
( 
R
U
R'
) 
U
( 
R
U'
R'
) 
U
( 
R
U2
R'
)
R
U
R'
U
R
U'
R'
U
R
U2
R'
R2
D
R'
U2
R
D'
R'
U2
R'
Dots
( 
R
U2
R'
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
) 
U2
( 
R'
F
R
F'
)
R
U2
R'
R'
F
R
F'
U2
R'
F
R
F'
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
f
R
U
R'
U'
f'
f
R
U
R'
U'
f'
U
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
f
R
U
R'
U'
f'
U'
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
M
U
R
U
R'
U'
M'
R'
F
R
F'
F
R
U
R'
U
y'
R'
U2
R'
F
R
F'
( 
R
U
R'
U
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
) 
U2
( 
R'
F
R
F'
)
R
U
R'
U
R'
F
R
F'
U2
R'
F
R
F'
M
U
R
U
R'
U'
M2
U
R
U'
r'
All Corners
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
M'
( 
U
R
U'
r'
)
R
U
R'
U'
M'
U
R
U'
r'
M'
U'
M
U2'
M'
U
M
Lines
R
U2
R2
U'
R
U'
R'
U2
F
R
F'
(
R
U
R'
U
) 
R
d'
R
U'
R'
F'
R
U
R'
U
R
d'
R
U'
R'
F'
f
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
f'
F
R
U
R'
U'
R
F'
r
U
R'
U'
r'
T's
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) (
R'
F
R
F'
)
R
U
R'
U'
R'
F
R
F'
Z's
R'
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
U
R
L
F'
L'
U'
L
U
F
U'
L'
Big L's
(
R'
F
R
) 
U
( 
R'
F'
R
) 
y'
( 
R
U'
R'
)
R'
F
R
U
R'
F'
R
y'
R
U'
R'
F
U
R
U'
R2
F'
R
U
R
U'
R'
r
U
r'
R
U
R'
U'
r
U'
r'
l'
U'
l
L'
U'
L
U
l'
U
l
C's
R'
U'
R'
F
R
F'
U
R
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
x
D'
R'
U
R
U'
D
x'
R
U
R'
U'
x
D'
R'
U
R
U'
D
x'
W's
( 
R
U
R'
U
) ( 
R
U'
R'
U'
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
)
R
U
R'
U
R
U'
R'
U'
R'
F
R
F'
( 
L'
U'
L
U'
) ( 
L'
U
L
U
) ( 
L
F'
L'
F
)
L'
U'
L
U'
L'
U
L
U
L
F'
L'
F
P's
f
R
U
R'
U'
f'
f'
L'
U'
L
U
f
R'
U'
F
U
R
U'
R'
F'
R
F
U
R
U'
F'
r
U
R'
U'
r'
Squares
( 
R
U2
R'
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
) ( 
R
U2
R'
)
R
U2
R'
R'
F
R
F'
R
U2
R'
F
R'
F'
R
U
R
U'
R'
r'
U2
R
U
R'
U
r
r
U2
R'
U'
R
U'
r'
Little L's
F
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
F'
F'
L'
U'
L
U
L'
U'
L
U
F
R'
F
R2
B'
R2'
F'
R2
B
R'
( 
R'
F
R'
F'
) 
R2
U2
y
( 
R'
F
R
F'
)
R'
F
R'
F'
R2
U2
y
R'
F
R
F'
( 
l'
U'
L
U'
) ( 
L'
U
L
U'
) 
L'
U2
l
l'
U'
L
U'
L'
U
L
U'
L'
U2
l
( 
r
U
R'
U
) ( 
R
U'
R'
U
) 
R
U2
r'
r
U
R'
U
R
U'
R'
U
R
U2
r'
Other shapes
F'
L'
U'
L
U
F
y
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
U
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
( 
r
U
R'
U
) 
R
U2
r'
r
U
R'
U
R
U2
r'
r'
U'
R
U'
R'
U2
r
( 
R
U
R'
U
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
) 
R
U2
R'
R
U
R'
U
R'
F
R
F'
R
U2
R'
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
R'
F
R2
U
R'
U'
F'
R
U
R'
U'
R'
F
R2
U
R'
U'
F'
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
R
U'
R'
F'
U'
( 
F
R
U
R'
)
R
U
R'
U'
R
U'
R'
F'
U'
F
R
U
R'
( 
R'
F
R
F'
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
) ( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R
U
R'
)
R'
F
R
F'
R'
F
R
F'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
( 
R
U
R'
U
) 
R
U2
R'
F
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) F'
R
U
R'
U
R
U2
R'
F
R
U
R'
U'
F'
( 
L
F'
L'
F
) 
L'
U2
L
d
( 
R
U
R'
)
L
F'
L'
F
L'
U2
L
d
R
U
R'
PLL
Only Edges
( 
M2
U
M2
) 
U2
( 
M2
U
M2
)
M2
U
M2
U2
M2
U
M2
R'
U'
R2
U
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R
U'
R
U'
R'
U2
R2
U'
R'
U'
R
U
R
U
R
U'
R
( 
R'
U
R'
U'
) 
R'
U'
( 
R'
U
R
) 
U
R2
R'
U
R'
U'
R'
U'
R'
U
R
U
R2
Only Corners
x
z'
R2
U2
R'
D'
R
U2
R'
D'
R'
z
x'
x
R2
D2
R
U
R'
D2
R
U'
R
x'
R2
U
R'
U'
y
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
U'
R
U
R'
y'
R
U'
R2'
Edges & Corners
( 
R
U
R'
U'
) 
R'
F
R2
U'
R'
U'
R
U
R'
F'
R
U
R'
U'
R'
F
R2
U'
R'
U'
R
U
R'
F'
( 
F
R
U'
R'
) 
U'
( 
R
U
R'
F'
) ( 
R
U
R'
U'
) ( 
R'
F
R
F'
)
F
R
U'
R'
U'
R
U
R'
F'
R
U
R'
U'
R'
F
R
F'
U'
R'
U
R
U'
R2
F'
U'
F
U
x
R
U
R'
U'
R2
x'
( 
R'
U
R'
U'
) 
y
( 
R'
D
R'
D'
) 
R2
y'
( 
R'
B'
R
B
R
)
R'
U
R'
U'
y
R'
D
R'
D'
R2
y'
R'
B'
R
B
R
L' U' L F (L' U' L U) L F' L2 U L U
R U R' F' (R U R' U') R' F R2 U' R' U'
(L U2 L') U2 L F' (L' U' L U) L F L2 U
(R' U2 R) U2 R' F (R U R' U') R' F' R2 U'
(R U R' U) (R U R' F') (R U R' U') R' F R2 U' R' U2 (R U' R')
(R' U R U') R' (F' U' F) (R U R' F) R' F' (R U' R)
y R2' u (R' U R' U') (R u' R2) y' (R' U R)
(R' U' R) y R2 u (R' U R U') (R u' R2)
y R2' u' R U' (R U R' u) R2 y (R U' R')
y2 (R U R') y' (R2 u' R) U' (R' U R') u R2
