3x3 cube notation
1. Names of Pieces
The Red ones are known as Center Pieces. There are 6 of them.
The Green ones are known as Corner Pieces.
There are 8 of them.
The Blue pieces are known Edge Pieces. There are 12 of them.
2. The faces.
F face = front face.
B face = Back face
R face = Right face
L face = Left face
U face = Up face
D face = Down face
Basic Moves
If any letter is written without the ' (prime) symbol (or the less used 'i'), then it means you have to turn that face clockwise otherwise turn the face counter clockwise.
Examples:
F = clockwise
F' = counter-clockwise
L = clockwise
L' = Counter-clockwise
Ri = Counter-clockwise
Ui = Counter-clockwise
D = Clockwise
Di = Counter-clockwise
B = Clockwise
B' = Counter-clockwise
Bob Burton's Notation:
You don't need to learn this notation but if you wanna learn some advanced stuff, here it is.
Slice Moves:
M = Middle (the layer between L and R)
E = Equator (the layer between U and D)
S = Standing (the layer between F and B)
M/M'/M2 goes with the L face, so just imagine that you are looking at the 'L' face, then do the move so
if you want to do an M move, then turn it top to bottom.
M' is bottom to top.
M2 is just a double turn of that middle slice, so it dosen't matter which way you turn it, but i recommend you to turn it bottom to top as its much faster.
E goes with the 'D' layer so turn it left to right.
E' is right to left.
E2 - just a double turn of the E slice.
S goes with B so turn it right to left.
S' is left to right.
S2 is just the double turn of the S slice.
Double Layer Turns:
instead of just turning the respective layer you have to just grab the layer next to it and turn that one too.
Examples:
Lowercase 'u' or the small 'u' = U + E'
u' = U' + E
r = R + M'
l = L + M
PLEASE NOTE
In some places you might see a "w" next to a letter;
it works the same as the lowercase letter.
Examples:
Rw = r
Fw = f
Uw = u
Lw' = l'
Bw' = b'
Dw' = d'
Cube Rotations:
X, X', Y, Y', Z, Z'
X is basically a R move but with the whole cube ( you can also turn the left layer, middle layer and right layer away from you),it will be the same thing.
X' is basically a R' move but with the whole cube.
Y is a U move but with the whole cube.
Y' is basically an U' move but with the whole cube.
Z is a F move but with the whole cube.
Z' is basically a F' move but with the whole cube.
The Red ones are known as Center Pieces. There are 6 of them.
The Green ones are known as Corner Pieces.
There are 8 of them.
The Blue pieces are known Edge Pieces. There are 12 of them.
2. The faces.
F face = front face.
B face = Back face
R face = Right face
L face = Left face
U face = Up face
D face = Down face
Basic Moves
If any letter is written without the ' (prime) symbol (or the less used 'i'), then it means you have to turn that face clockwise otherwise turn the face counter clockwise.
Examples:
F = clockwise
F' = counter-clockwise
L = clockwise
L' = Counter-clockwise
Ri = Counter-clockwise
Ui = Counter-clockwise
D = Clockwise
Di = Counter-clockwise
B = Clockwise
B' = Counter-clockwise
Bob Burton's Notation:
You don't need to learn this notation but if you wanna learn some advanced stuff, here it is.
Slice Moves:
M = Middle (the layer between L and R)
E = Equator (the layer between U and D)
S = Standing (the layer between F and B)
M/M'/M2 goes with the L face, so just imagine that you are looking at the 'L' face, then do the move so
if you want to do an M move, then turn it top to bottom.
M' is bottom to top.
M2 is just a double turn of that middle slice, so it dosen't matter which way you turn it, but i recommend you to turn it bottom to top as its much faster.
E goes with the 'D' layer so turn it left to right.
E' is right to left.
E2 - just a double turn of the E slice.
S goes with B so turn it right to left.
S' is left to right.
S2 is just the double turn of the S slice.
Double Layer Turns:
instead of just turning the respective layer you have to just grab the layer next to it and turn that one too.
Examples:
Lowercase 'u' or the small 'u' = U + E'
u' = U' + E
r = R + M'
l = L + M
PLEASE NOTE
In some places you might see a "w" next to a letter;
it works the same as the lowercase letter.
Examples:
Rw = r
Fw = f
Uw = u
Lw' = l'
Bw' = b'
Dw' = d'
Cube Rotations:
X, X', Y, Y', Z, Z'
X is basically a R move but with the whole cube ( you can also turn the left layer, middle layer and right layer away from you),it will be the same thing.
X' is basically a R' move but with the whole cube.
Y is a U move but with the whole cube.
Y' is basically an U' move but with the whole cube.
Z is a F move but with the whole cube.
Z' is basically a F' move but with the whole cube.