Orientation of Last Layer (OLL)

First of the two last-layer steps, OLL corrects the orientarion of all last layer pieces in one step so that all U-stickers have the U-color. Permutation is not preserved.

The images represent the last layer, with a gray square or a black side bar indicating U-stickers. Each algorithm applies with this layer as U; click on any algorithm to view it on an applet. Most of these algorithms have been taken from or are based on those by other cubers. Try other lists to find your favorite.

Recognition

The placement of the correctly oriented last-layer pieces are easy to see, so recognition depends on being able to quickly tell between different patterns with the same top view. It helps to practice recognizing each pattern from the top and two adjacent sides.

Learning OLL

OLL has the lowest speed increase per case learned of all steps of the Fridrich method; a 25-second cuber may only gain 2 seconds by replacing an efficient two-step OLL by full OLL (47 additional algorithms). Although any serious CFOP user should learn eventually learn full OLL, it should be noted that working on better F2L look-ahead is a more efficient way to get faster.

The algorithms are organized by similarity to aid memorization. See the printable page for the original order.

2-Step OLL

Before you even begin considering full Fridrich, you should know 2-look OLL. These account for 10 out of the 57 cases.

Edges

OLL 45: 1/54

FRUR'U'F': 6-move T

OLL 44: 1/54

FwRUR'U'Fw': Fat (double-layer) 6-move T
(U2)FURU'R'F': Inverse of 6-move T

OLL 1: 1/108

RU2'R2'FRF'-U2'R'FRF': remove-play-reinsert

Corners

OLL 27: 1/54

RUR'URU2'R': (Right) Sune

OLL 26: 1/54

R'U'RU'R'U2R / (U2)L'U'LU'L'U2L: Sune
R'ULU'RUL': Niklas. Good when the top left 2x2 is a block.
(U')RU2'R'U'RU'R': Anti-Sune

OLL 21: 1/108

RUR'URU'R'URU2'R': Double Sune. Sune twice with cancellation of R'-R.
(U)RU2'R'U'RUR'U'RU'R': Double anti-Sune

OLL 22 ("The Wheel"): 1/54

RU2'R2'U'R2U'R2'U2'R: The fingertrick here is called the Air Jeff, after my friend Jeff Black. Hold the R layer with all five fingers, four on top and the thumb on bottom. This grip never changes. Do R, double trigger U2' with the left index finger, R2', left trigger U', etc. The key is to alternate the direction of R2.

OLL 23 ("Headlights"): 1/54

R2DR'U2RD'R'U2R': Video by TellerWest. Probably should use a simpler fingertrick.
(U2)R'UL'URU'L-U2'R'UR: Best for OH

OLL 24: 1/54

RwUR'U'Rw'FRF'
(U2)Lw'U'LULwF'L'F: Mirror. Nice to know.

OLL 25 ("The Finger"...ask Bob Burton): 1/54

Lw'U'L'U-RU'LUx'
(U2)Rw'U'R'U-LU'RUx: Mirror. Nice to know.

The 6-Move T Group

Many OLL algorithms can be grouped by similarity. You already know 45 and 44 from 2-step OLL; they are replicated here for reference. This group contains the various algorithms made by combining their mirrors and inverses.

OLL 45 (6-move T): 1/54

FRUR'U'F': The easiest OLL

OLL 44: 1/54

FwRUR'U'Fw': Fat (double layer) 6-move T
(U2)F-URU'R'F': Inverse of 6-move T

OLL 43: 1/54

F'-U'L'ULF: Mirror of 44
(U2)Fw'L'U'LUFw: Same algorithm

OLL 2: 1/54

FRUR'U'F'-FwRUR'U'Fw': Pull F and Fw with right index. Push F' and Fw' with right thumb. Keep the thumb on F center.
Rw'U'RwR'U'RU'R'URU2'Rw'URw: Sébastien Felix's. Just as good. Better for OH.
(U)RwURw'U2'RU2'R'U2'RwU'Rw': Jeremy Fleischman's. This and mirror both great for OH.

OLL 48: 1/54

FRUR'U'RUR'U'F': Double 6-move T (F'-F cancelled)

OLL 47: 1/54

R'U'xR'URU'R'URU'x'UR: For righties, safer than the mirror of 48, F'L'U'LUL'U'LUF.
Bw'-U'R'URU'R'URBw: Maybe better
(U2)Rw'F'L'ULU'L'ULU'FRw: Sébastien Felix's

OLL 3: 1/54

FwRUR'U'Fw'-U'-FRUR'U'F': Fat 6-move T, U', 6-move T
(U2)FURU'R'F'y-FRUR'U'F': Variation
(U')R'RwU-Rw'U2-RwU-R'UR2Rw': Old school, but great.
(U)M-RUR'URwU2'Rw'-UM': Easier to understand (note Sune-like part). Nice for OH.
(U)Rw'RUR'F2RUL'U(LM'): inverse; fast

OLL 4: 1/54

FwRUR'U'Fw'-U-FRUR'U'F': Fat 6-move T, U, 6-move T
R'U2x-R'URDw'-R'U'R'UR'Fy'x': Old school, but good.
(U')M'-R'U'RU'Rw'U2'Rw-U'M: Easier to understand. Nice for OH.
(U)LwL'U'LF2'L'U'RU'(R'M'): inverse; fast

OLL 51: 1/54

FwRUR'U'RUR'U'Fw': Double fat 6-move T (Fw-Fw' cancelled)
(U2)F-URU'R'URU'R'F'

You just learned 7 new algorithms, bringing the total to 17.

The Sune Group

These algorithms are all similar to Sune (OLL 26/27 from 2-Step OLL), which are replicated at the top. It shouldn't be too hard to learn these rotated by U2.

OLL 27: 1/54

RUR'URU2'R': Sune. Mirror of 26.

OLL 26: 1/54

R'U'RU'R'U2R / (U2)L'U'LU'L'U2L: Sune
R'ULU'RUL': Niklas. Good when the top left 2x2 is a block.
(U)RU2'R'U'RU'R': Anti-Sune

OLL 7: 1/54

RwU-R'URU2'Rw': Fat Sune
(U2)LwUL'ULU2'Lw': Same algorithm

OLL 8: 1/54

Rw'U'RU'R'U2'Rw: Fat Sune
(U2)Lw'U'-LU'L'U2Lw: Same algorithm

OLL 54: 1/54

RwUR'URU'R'URU2Rw': Fat double Sune
(U2)LwUL'ULU'L'ULU2'Lw'
: Same algorithm

OLL 53: 1/54

Rw'U'RU'R'URU'R'U2Rw: Fat double Sune
(U2)Lw'U'LU'L'ULU'L'U2Lw: Same algorithm

OLL 6: 1/54

RwU2'R'U'RU'Rw': Fat anti-Sune
(U2)RB2'y-B'R'BR'F': Same algorithm

OLL 5: 1/54

Rw'U2'RUR'URw: Fat anti-Sune
(U2)Lw'U2'LUL'ULw: Same algorithm

OLL 9: 1/54

M-RU2'R'U'RU'R'-U'M': M then anti-Sune. Actually more like Rw'R2U2'...
(U)RUR'U'R'FR2UR'U'F': from Jeremy Fleischman; nice for OH; OLL 33 (the other T) then 6-move T.
(U)R'U'Ry'-RB'R'URBR': Older but decent

OLL 10: 1/54

M'-R'U2'RUR'UR-UM: M' then anti-Sune. Actually more like RwR2'U2'...
(U')RUR'UR'FRF'RU2'R': No rotation. Fast
(U')RUR'y-R'FRU'R'F'R: Older, but also pretty good.

OLL 11: 1/54

M-RU-R'URU2'R'-UM': M followed by Sune. Actually more like Rw'R2U...
(U2)RwU-R'UR'FRF'RU2'Rw'

OLL 12: 1/54

M'R'U'RU'R'U2'RU'M: M' followed by Sune. Actually more like RwR2'U'...
(U)FRUR'U'F'-y-FRUR'U'F': 6-move T twice. Actually more like FRUR'Dw'-L'FRUR'U'F'

OLL 41: 1/54

RUR'URU2'R'-FRUR'U'F': Sune then 6-move T
(U2)RU'R'U2'RUy-RU'R'U'F': old school; decent for OH

OLL 42: 1/54

R'U'RU'R'U2'R-FRUR'U'F': Sune then 6-move T
(U)R'FRF'R'FRF'-RUR'U'RUR': just as good

That's 12 more cases! We're already at 29 OLL cases.

Remove-(Play)-Reinsert

Consider how the Sune (RUR'URU2'R') affects the FR F2L pair: RUR' removes the pair to the last layer and URU2'R' reinserts it differently, so that overall only the last layer is affected. A similar analysis applies to OLL 1 (RU2'R2'FRF'-U2'R'FRF'): RU2'R' removes the FR pair; R'FRF'U2' plays only with last layer pieces; and R'FRF' reinserts the pair. Combining different ways to remove, play, and reinsert an F2L pair gives rise to a number of good OLL algorithms, and this analysis makes them easier to memorize.

OLL 33: 1/54

RUR'U'R'FRF': Remove-reinsert
R'U'RU-LwU'Lw'B: Consider if certain blocks are present

OLL 37: 1/54

FRU'R'U'RUR'F'
(U')B'RBR'U'R'UR: Remove-reinsert. Consider if certain blocks are present. Inverse of 33.

OLL 36: 1/54

R'U'RU'R'URU-RB'R'B: Remove-play-reinsert the BR pair. Starts like a Sune from the back.
(U2)L'U'LU'L'ULU-LF'L'F: Same algorithm

OLL 38: 1/54

RUR'URU'R'U'-R'FRF': Mirror of 36
(U2)LUL'ULU'L'U'-L'BLB': Same algorithm

OLL 57: 1/108

RUR'U'RwR'URU'Rw': Remove-reinsert

OLL 28: 1/54

RwUR'U'R-Rw'URU'R': Inverse of 57
(U2)M'UMU2M'UM: Great with left ring for M'.

OLL 17: 1/54

OLL 1: 1/54

RU2'R2'FRF'-U2'R'FRF': Remove-play-reinsert

OLL 35: 1/54

RU2'R2'FRF'RU2'R': Remove-play as in 1, reinsert differently.

OLL 18: 1/54

RU2'R2'FRF'U2'RwR'URU'Rw': Remove-play as in 1, reinsert as in 57.
(U')RwU-R'URU2'Rw2'U'RU'R'U2'Rw: Two fat Sunes

OLL 29: 1/54

R'RwU'Rw'FRU2'L2BLB'L: Ending more like Rw2'FRwU'Rw
(U')x'U'RU'R2x'z'RURU'R'Ux'z'R2y': for OH
(U)B'R'BL'-B'R2B'R'B2'L
(U')R2'U'RFR'UR2U'R'F'R: The Connie OLL. A lesson in non-standard fingertricks. Start with right thumb on F so that RFR' is done without regrip, then U with left index push usually used in OH.
(U2)RwUR'U'LwL2'URU'M'x': from Vincent Sheu
(U2)RUR'U'RU'R'F'U'FRUR': Play with FR pair. Could be fast with right index push for F'.

OLL 30: 1/54

RwR'URU'Rw'U2R2B'R'BR'
(U2)x'RU'RU2'yzU'R'U'RUR'y'R2: for OH
BLB'R-BL2'BLB2'R'
R2UR'B'RU'R2'URBR': The Connie OLL. Starting with the RH as if after R2', R2UR'B'RU'-R2'URBR with RH ring finger B' and 180 regrip at the dash. Also several ways to do this without regrip (all using an index push), but not as nice as in 29.
(U2)FR'FR2U'R'U'RUR'F2: From Algobase

That's 11 more algorithms, bringing the total to 38 out of 57. This is where things start to get tough.

The Rest

Although these algorithms don't fit exactly into the "move around one corner-edge pair" paradigm, many can still be analyzed in a similar way by splitting into recognizable fragments. Some of the last few are especially tricky.

OLL 46: 1/54

R'U'R'FRF'-UR: Moves the BR pair
RURB'R'B-U'R': Better depending on blocks present

OLL 52: 1/54

R'U'RU'R'-Dw-R'URB

OLL 13: 1/54

LF'L'U'LFL'F'UF: Inverse of the non-Sune alg for 9
FURU'R2F'RURU'R': from badmephisto

OLL 14: 1/54

R'FRUR'F'RFU'F': Inverse of the non-Sune alg for 10.

OLL 15: 1/54

Lw'U'LwL'U'LULw'ULw: Same algorithm
(U2)L'B'L-R'U'RU-L'BL: Move the DBR-BR pair (not an F2L pair, but similar analysis applies)

OLL 16: 1/54

RwURw'RUR'U'RwU'Rw': Mirror of 15
(U2)RBR'-LUL'U'-RB'R': same algorithm

OLL 39: 1/54

LF'L'U'LUFU'L': Same algorithm
(U2)RB'R'U'RU-BU'R'

OLL 40: 1/54

R'FRUR'U'F'UR: Mirror of 39
(U2)L'B'LUL'U'-B'UL: Same algorithm

OLL 32: 1/54

RUB'U'-R'URBR': Inverse of 39

OLL 31: 1/54

R'U'F-URU'R'F'R: Inverse of 40
(U2)L'U'BU-LU'L'B'L: Same algorithm

OLL 19: 1/54

MU-RUR'U'Rw-R2'FRF'
Rw'U2'RU-R'URw2U2'R'U'RU'Rw': Fat double Sunes. Easier to learn, probably just as good.

OLL 20: 1/216

MU-RUR'U'-Rw2R2'URU'Rw'

OLL 34: 1/54

RUR'Dw'-R'F'*RwURw'Ry'
(U2)FRUR'U'R'F'RwURU'Rw': From Algobase. Note resemblance to OLL 56 first algorithm.

OLL 56: 1/108

RwURw'URU'(M'R')URU2'Rw': from Teller West; inverse of David Calvo's secret algorithm
FRUR'U'RF'-RwUR'U'Rw': Starts like 6-move T, ends like 19
Rw'U'RwU'R'URU'R'URRw'URw: for OH

OLL 49: 1/54

RB'-R2'FR2BR2'F'R: Close to RwU'-Lw2'ULw2ULw2'U'Lw.

OLL 50: 1/54

L'B-L2F'L2'B'L2-FL': Close to Rw'U-Rw2U'Rw2'U'Rw2URw'
Rw'URw2'U'Rw2U'-Rw2URw': Same algorithm. Maybe better fingering.

OLL 55: 1/108

RwU2R'U'R2Rw'UR'U'RwU'Rw': David Calvo Vivas's secret algorithm. No regrip!
(U)RU2'R2'U'RU'R'U2'FRF': Old. Starts like Air Jeff

Other OLL Pages

Older OLL

These pages contain many algorithms that have since fallen out of use. It's interesting to see how OLL algorithms have changed just in the law few years.