White Corners
The next step in solving a 3x3x3 cube is to orient and place the 4 white corners, or whatever color you started with. When finished with this step, your cube will look like the one below.
Again, to start this step, keep the white face on the bottom. Then, find a corner with white in the top layer. Align this corner over the two faces that are on the corner besides white. Now, depending on which way the white part of the corner faces, you will perform one of three algorithms.
Hold your cube so that the corner you are working with is in the bottom right position of the top layers while keeping it aligned with the two faces that it's going to go between.
If white faces upward perform the algorithm R U' R' F' U2 F to put the corner into place.
If white faces frontward perform the algorithm F' U' F to put the corner into place.
If white faces the right perform the algorithm R U R' to put the corner into place.
This may be hard to understand in words, so refer to the below pictures for a more visual explanation/example.
Hold your cube so that the corner you are working with is in the bottom right position of the top layers while keeping it aligned with the two faces that it's going to go between.
If white faces upward perform the algorithm R U' R' F' U2 F to put the corner into place.
If white faces frontward perform the algorithm F' U' F to put the corner into place.
If white faces the right perform the algorithm R U R' to put the corner into place.
This may be hard to understand in words, so refer to the below pictures for a more visual explanation/example.
You may occasionally run into a problem where a corner is in the bottom layer, but not placed or oriented correctly. All you have to do to fix this is to remove it from the bottom layer. Position your cube so that white is on the bottom, and the corner you want to reposition is in the bottom right corner of the front face. Then perform this algorithm: R U R'. You are now free to move this corner about the top layer so that you can position it correctly.
Alternate Method
Below described is an alternate to the above method. It takes a longer time, but is easier to memorize. This is the method taught in the official solve booklet, and by many cubeTubers.
It begins in a similar fashion. Remember to keep white as the bottom face as you do this. First, look for a corner in the top layer that has white in it. Then, rotate the top layer so that it is aligned over the two faces; this is the same as above. Hold the cube so that the corner is in the bottom-right position of the top layer, while keeping it aligned over the two faces it's going to go between. Now, instead of caring about which way white faces in this corner, continuously perform the algorithm R U R' U' until the corner is oriented and correctly placed.
Below, you can find a slideshow showing this process.
It begins in a similar fashion. Remember to keep white as the bottom face as you do this. First, look for a corner in the top layer that has white in it. Then, rotate the top layer so that it is aligned over the two faces; this is the same as above. Hold the cube so that the corner is in the bottom-right position of the top layer, while keeping it aligned over the two faces it's going to go between. Now, instead of caring about which way white faces in this corner, continuously perform the algorithm R U R' U' until the corner is oriented and correctly placed.
Below, you can find a slideshow showing this process.
This page was last edited on November 29, 2013.