As though quoting Scripture, the entire community seems speaks in one harmonized voice when it comes to F2L:
Learn F2L intuitively. Don’t memorize F2L algorithms.
Yeah, ok. I get the point. Intuitively, it’s not hard to grasp pairing corners and edges and then inserting them. And it’s not hard to see how to do that in many instances — splitting pairs, using empty slots, etc.
But I do contend that certain F2L cases are anything but intuitive. In particular, I found completely non-intuitive the cases in which a corner is inserted (but flipped), with the corresponding edge in the U layer. Indeed, I’ve gotten in the inefficient habit of simply getting the corner into the top layer without regard to where (with a R U R’, for example), and then treating it, ahem, like an intuitive F2L case.
No longer. I’m committed to learning the four cases below. The first one is easy — a Sexy Move plus an easy peasy insertion. But the others are so damn similar that I find it nearly impossible to keep them separated in my head. Any suggestions?
| setup | pairing | insertion |
 |
(R U R’ U’) | (R U R’) |
 |
y’ (R’ U R U’) | (R’ U R) |
 |
(R U’ R’ U) | (R U’ R’) |
 |
y’ (R’ U’ R U) | (R’ U’ R) |
Excellent! I wait to see your next F2L tip; I’m too lazy to sort through the F2L cases. You make it really easy for me 😛