Skip to main content

Finger Tricks Guide

Finger tricks are the foundation of fast cubing. Instead of turning each face with your whole hand, you use individual fingers to flick layers into place. Mastering finger tricks will make your solves smoother, faster, and far less tiring. This guide covers the standard grip, how to execute every common move efficiently, and the essential triggers you need to drill.

Home Grip​

The home grip is the default way you hold the cube between moves. Every finger trick starts and returns to this position.

  • Left thumb rests on the front face (F), near the center-left
  • Left index finger rests on the back face (B), near the top-left
  • Right thumb rests on the front face (F), near the center-right
  • Right index finger rests on the back face (B), near the top-right

Your middle, ring, and pinky fingers on each hand wrap around the left (L) and right (R) faces respectively, providing support and enabling R/L moves.

Key points:

  • Hold the cube loosely. A tight grip slows you down and makes flicking harder.
  • Your index fingers should hover just above the top layer so they are ready for U moves at any moment.
  • The cube should feel balanced between both hands with minimal pressure.

Basic Move Execution​

Each face move has an efficient way to execute it with a single finger. Learning these individually is essential before combining them into triggers.

R (Right clockwise)​

Push the right face upward with your right index finger. Start with your index finger on the back-right edge of the R face and flick it away from you and upward in one quick motion. Your other fingers stay in the home grip.

R' (Right counter-clockwise)​

Pull the right face downward with your right ring finger (or right thumb). The ring finger hooks the bottom-right edge of the R face and pulls it toward you. Some cubers prefer using the thumb to push the front-right edge downward instead.

U (Up clockwise)​

Flick the top layer from left to right using your right index finger. Your index finger starts on the back-right edge of the U face and pushes it to the right in a quick horizontal flick. This is one of the most common moves in speedcubing.

U' (Up counter-clockwise)​

Flick the top layer from right to left using your left index finger. Mirror of the U move. Your left index finger starts on the back-left edge and pushes it to the left.

U2 (Up 180)​

Two methods:

  1. Double flick — Execute U twice quickly with your right index finger.
  2. Left-right combo — Flick U with your right index, then immediately flick U with your left index (or vice versa). This is faster once mastered.

F (Front clockwise)​

Push the front face downward and to the right using your right index finger. Start at the top-right of the F face and push it clockwise. Alternatively, use your left index finger pushing downward from the top-left. The left index method is often preferred during algorithms where your right hand is busy.

F' (Front counter-clockwise)​

Push the front face upward with your right thumb. Your thumb rests naturally on the front face in home grip, so push upward and to the left to turn F counter-clockwise.

D (Down clockwise)​

Pull the bottom layer toward you with your right ring finger. Your ring finger hooks the back-bottom edge of the D layer and pulls it toward your body.

D' (Down counter-clockwise)​

Pull the bottom layer toward you with your left ring finger. Mirror of the D move, using the left hand.

Common Triggers​

Triggers are short algorithm fragments that appear repeatedly in CFOP algorithms. Drilling these until they become automatic is the single best way to improve your speed.

Sexy Move: R U R' U'​

The most fundamental trigger in all of cubing. It appears in countless OLL, PLL, and F2L algorithms. Practice this until it feels like a single fluid motion rather than four separate moves.

Execution: Right index flick up (R) - right index flick right (U) - right ring finger pull down (R') - left index flick left (U').

Loading cube...

Inverse Sexy: U R U' R'​

The reverse of the sexy move. Equally important and appears in many algorithm variations.

Execution: Right index flick right (U) - right index flick up (R) - left index flick left (U') - right ring finger pull down (R').

Loading cube...

Sledgehammer: R' F R F'​

A powerful trigger used extensively in OLL and for edge insertion in F2L. The F moves require a slight adjustment from home grip.

Execution: Right ring finger pull (R') - left index push (F) - right index flick up (R) - right thumb push up (F').

Loading cube...

Hedge Slammer: F R' F' R​

The inverse of the Sledgehammer. Often appears in the opposite orientation of Sledgehammer cases.

Execution: Left index push (F) - right ring finger pull (R') - right thumb push up (F') - right index flick up (R).

Loading cube...

Sune Trigger: R U R' U R U2 R'​

One of the most common OLL algorithms. It appears in many methods and is a building block for more advanced algorithms. The Sune is essentially a sexy move variation with a double U turn at the end.

Loading cube...

Double Sexy: (R U R' U') (R U R' U')​

Two consecutive sexy moves. This appears in several PLL algorithms and is a great drill for building speed and rhythm with the basic trigger.

Loading cube...

Regrips​

A regrip is any time you adjust your hand position on the cube during a solve. Every regrip costs time, so minimizing them is critical.

When regrips happen​

  • Before a different face group — Switching from R/U moves to L/F moves often requires shifting your grip.
  • After rotations — A y or y' rotation changes which face is front, requiring your hands to reposition.
  • Between algorithm stages — Transitioning from F2L to OLL or OLL to PLL.

How to minimize regrips​

  1. Learn algorithms that flow naturally. Many OLL/PLL algorithms have multiple versions. Choose the one that requires fewer grip changes for your turning style.

  2. Use your non-dominant hand more. If your left hand can execute U' and L moves without regripping, you save significant time.

  3. Predict the next move. During a solve, look ahead to what comes next and position your fingers in advance rather than completing one move and then adjusting.

  4. Practice transitions. The regrip between the last F2L pair and OLL, or between OLL and PLL, is often the biggest time sink. Drill these transitions specifically.

  5. Table abuse (for OH). In one-handed solving, tapping the cube on the table to assist turns is a legitimate technique. For two-handed solving, this is unnecessary but some cubers use it for D moves.

Practice Drills​

Consistent, focused practice is what turns finger tricks from conscious effort into muscle memory.

Drill 1: Sexy Move Repetition​

Execute R U R' U' repeatedly. Six repetitions return the cube to the solved state. Focus on:

  • Keeping a consistent rhythm
  • No pauses between moves
  • Smooth transitions between R and U moves
  • Aim for the entire 6-rep cycle in under 4 seconds

Drill 2: Sune x 6​

Performing the Sune algorithm (R U R' U R U2 R') six times returns the cube to its solved state. This is an excellent drill because:

  • It combines the sexy move with a U2
  • It trains your right index finger endurance
  • It builds rhythm for longer algorithms

Start slow and build speed gradually. Time yourself and track improvement.

Drill 3: T-Perm Repetition​

The T-Perm (R U R' U' R' F R2 U' R' U' R U R' F') is a great speed drill because it combines multiple triggers: the sexy move, F moves, and double R moves. Repeat it until it flows without hesitation.

Loading cube...

Drill 4: Metronome Practice​

Use a metronome app or website:

  1. Start at 60 BPM — one move per beat.
  2. Execute any trigger (sexy move is ideal) hitting each move exactly on the beat.
  3. Increase by 10 BPM once you can maintain perfect timing for 30 seconds.
  4. Your goal is to reach 180+ BPM for the sexy move.

This teaches consistent turning speed, which is more important than peak speed.

Avoiding Bad Habits​

Building speed on a weak foundation leads to a plateau. Watch out for these common mistakes:

  • Wrist turns — Turning a face by rotating your entire wrist is slow and tiring. Use individual finger flicks instead. Your wrist should stay relatively still.
  • Two-handed single-face turns — If you use both hands to turn R, you lose the ability to prepare the other hand for the next move. Each hand should work independently.
  • Regripping after every move — If you find yourself readjusting your grip constantly, your home grip may be wrong. Return to the basics and fix your starting position.
  • Rushing before accuracy — Speed comes from eliminating pauses, not from turning faster. A smooth, pauseless solve at moderate turning speed will always beat a fast-turning solve with constant hesitations.
  • Ignoring your weak hand — Most cubers neglect left-hand moves. Dedicate practice time specifically to L, U', and left-hand triggers.

Practice each move in isolation first. Once individual moves are automatic, combine them into triggers. Once triggers are automatic, they will naturally integrate into your full solves.

Last updated on