ZZ Method
Created by Zbigniew Zborowski — Poland | ~50 moves average | Excellent ergonomics
Why ZZ?
ZZ eliminates all M-slice moves and cube rotations by orienting all edges in the first step. After EOLine, you only ever use R, L, U moves — making it ergonomically superior to any other method. Sub-10 cubers who switch to ZZ often find their hands feel better after long practice sessions.
EOLine
Orient all 12 edges AND place the DF and DB edges simultaneously. This is the hard part — requires planning and practice. After this, you never use F, B, or M moves.
F2L — First Two Layers
Build both F2L pairs using only R, U, L moves. No rotations, no regrips. The restrictive move set is a feature — it forces efficiency.
LL — Last Layer
Orient and permute the last layer. Since all edges are already oriented, you use OCLL + CPLL or ZBLL variants. ~49 ZBLL algorithms for single-look.
ZZ vs CFOP — Key Differences
| ZZ | CFOP | |
|---|---|---|
| M-slice moves | None | Required for OLL/PLL |
| Cube rotations | None after EOLine | Common in F2L |
| Move count | ~50 STM | ~55-60 STM |
| First step difficulty | Hard (EOLine) | Easy (Cross) |
| Community / resources | Smaller | Massive |