Better way to Track F2l : EO Awareness + Improove Lookahead

Hi Guys! Today I’ll show you an advanced way to track F2l pairs by finding oriented and not oriented edges. That’s why I also call this as O & NO method. Basically it’s called EO Awareness during F2l.

What is an oriented Edge?

When a F2l pair can be solved without rotation or F/M/wide moves means only with R/U/L/D moves this means F2l pair’s edge is oriented. But if F2l Pair needs a rotation or F/M/wide moves to be solved its edge is not oriented. For example: This is a Basic Pair with oriented and not oriented edge.

           Oriented Green-red edge                Not Oriented green-red edge

How to Track Oriented edges?

Edge in Top Layer: If any edge’s Top color is matching F/B face color then it’s oriented.

Edge in Middle Layer: if any edge’s Side color is Matching R/L face color then it’s oriented.

& if edge is oriented its F2l can be done with only R/U/L moves. 

For Example:                    

Here:

Oriented Edges: Green Orange (UR)

Not Oriented Edges: MR (blue-red, Blue not match Red/Orange), UL (Green not match red/orange) , BL (Orange not Match Green/Blue)

How does it Helpful??

With O & NO Method Tracking you can –

• Avoid Unnecessary Rotations. 
• Track which pair to do first.
• Convert N.O. edges to O edges to avoid Rotations.(Using SlugeHammer)
• Improve F2l Understanding.
• Improve Look ahead. 

Using Sludge Hammer

                Using Sludge Hammer for insertion of a paired F2l Changes Orientation of UF and MR edges(called E and F edges in BLD). You can use Sludge hammer to convert N.O. edge to Oriented Stuck in middle Layer & solve it without Rotation.       

Basic Idea behind this is a N.O. edges need Rotation or F/M/wide moves because using Rotation or F/M/wide moves convert their Orientation.    

NOTE: By doing a Rotation, Orientation of an Edge in Middle Layer not changes. It needs F moves (like in SledgeHammer) to change Orientation.   

Using the method in slow solving

Many Speedcubers suggest to slow down solves to improve look ahead. use this Method in slow solve to improve your F2l.

For example You’ve Solved White cross on bottom and Red is in your front. Now you should try to find Red/Orange Top color edges in Top layer and Green/Blue side color edges in middle layer. These edges are oriented and can be solved without Rotation. if you find a N.O. edge Stuck in Middle layer, keep in mind to use Sledgehammer while solving that f2l to make N.O. edge to oriented.

Thanks for reading this articles. & It's not completed Yet, wait till I comlete it with many more examples. comment down your Suggestions about this article.