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2×2 Cube — full guide

The 2×2 (Pocket Cube) is the friendliest place to start — just 8 corners, no centers or edges. Learn the beginner method first to get your first solve, then speed up with Ortega.

2×2 — Beginner method (Layer by Layer)

  1. Step 1 — First layer: pick a color and solve all four corners of one face so the whole bottom layer is done, with the side stickers matching. It's intuitive — just place each corner where it belongs, like the corners step on a 3×3.
  2. Step 2 — Orient the top: turn the cube so the unsolved layer is on top, then repeat the Sune algorithm (R U R' U R U2 R') until the entire top face is one solid color.
  3. Step 3 — Permute the top: the top is one color but some corners may be in the wrong spot. Use a permutation algorithm (see Ortega PBL below) to swap them into place. Solved! 🎉

2×2 — Ortega method

Ortega is the popular speed method for 2×2 — only about 12 algorithms, and it regularly gets sub-5-second solves. A great next step once the beginner method feels comfortable.

Step 1 — First face: solve one full face (all four corners the same color on top) WITHOUT worrying about the side stickers matching. Faster and more flexible than a full layer.

Step 2 — OLL: orient the last layer so the opposite face becomes one solid color. The 7 cases below cover it — many you already know from 3×3 (Sune, Anti-Sune…).

Step 3 — PBL: permute both layers at once — the corners on top AND bottom drop into place in a single algorithm. The 6 cases below finish the solve.

Ortega OLL — orient the top (7 cases)

Make the top face one solid color. Recognise the pattern of oriented/twisted corners and apply the matching algorithm.

SuneR U R' U R U2 R'
Anti-SuneR U2 R' U' R U' R'
PiF R U R' U' R U R' U' F'
P (T-shape)F R U R' U' F'
Ly F' R U R' U' R' F R
TR U R' U' R' F R F'
HR2 U2 R' U2 R2

Ortega PBL — permute both layers (6 cases)

With the top oriented, these swap the corners on both layers into place at once — finishing the solve. Case names follow Speed Cube Database's Ortega PBL labels.

Opp / OppR2 F2 R2

The shortest — learn this one first.

Adjy R U R' F' R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R'
OppR U' R' U' F2 U' R U R' U F2
Adj / AdjR2 U' B2 U2 R2 U' R2
Adj / OppR U' R F2 R' U R'
Opp / Adjy R2 U R2 U' R2 U R2 U' R2

Notation: R U F = clockwise, R' = counter-clockwise, R2 = 180°, y = cube rotation. Several valid algorithms may exist per case.