Fig: PCO 1st PC bag structure. Includes 2nd PC Recovery, which involves building residue matching a 2nd PC setup.

Setups

Note that PCO is not one setup, it's a setup family. PCO comes in several different forms depending on in which columns the hole is. This has an effect on which recoveries can be used.

PCO 1st PC setups marked with ⭐ have 100% combined build cover and 100% recovery rate into 100% 2nd PC setups.
You must learn (build + recovery, not all solves) these setups in order to always be able to loop using PCO 1st PC.

PCO 1st PC recoveries marked with 🩹 have 100% combined build cover.
You must learn these recoveries in order to always be able to loop using respective PCO builds.
Other recoveries listed are optional. However, those might be better in some cases (higher save O chance and/or scoring).

Solve rates are for all solves, not just the recovery routes shown.
Regular PC solves shown as external fumen links in this section.

Organised Solves

Learn the recovery route first.

It is important to save good pieces for 2nd. Saved pieces are those not used in solve.
In general, 2nd PC has three categories based on parity:

• Has T 2nd - Good 2nd. 100%. Typically easy and good saves for 3rd/DPC.
• No T, even JL 2nd - Still good, but sometimes tricky 2nd. 100%. Typically difficult and slightly worse saves for 3rd/DPC.
• No T, odd JL 2nd - Bad 2nd. No 100%. Bad saves for 3rd/DPC. Avoid at all costs.

In short, try not to use T piece in the solve.

* Technically what is a good save may differ slightly based on whether you want to follow up with 3rd or DPC.

Optional 6p Setups

Sometimes it's possible to improve PCO by holding a piece.
These setups can be completed into 7p PCO when there's a solve, and sometimes might have an extra solve with alternative placement for the held piece.

(jump to top)

⭐ PCO 2-4

4x4 Box + 3p PCO

4x4 Box + 3p PCO and 5x4 Box + 2p PCO together have 100% build cover.

PCO 3-3

3x4 Box + 3p PCO + Vertical I

🩹 PCO 2-4 Recovery - Factory 2nd (2)

PCO 3-3 has identical recoveries as PCO 2-4.

Factory OT (100%) (2)

Good for beginners, VS, Ultra/Blitz. Bad for PC Mode.

Recovery solves often require these SRS kicks:

Fig: Elementary Z-spin Double sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction twice. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.
Note that S and Z have two orientations that are visually identical but have different centre of rotation.
If the piece kicks out, it was in wrong orientation. When that happens, rotate once more, realign with overhang, then spin again.

This spin sequence is the only unusual solve you'll encounter in 7p PCO:

Fig: SZ reduction S-spin sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction three times. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again, 4) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.

These spins can be done as long as you can access the overhang, even if there's something on the other side:

(PCO 2-4 Recovery - Heart + PCO (2))

Significantly higher chance to save O. Very difficult to solve.

Heart + PCO 2nd (2)

Difficult. Good for PC Mode. Bad for VS.

Recovery solves often require these SRS kicks:

Fig: Elementary Z-spin Double sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction twice. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.
Note that S and Z have two orientations that are visually identical but have different centre of rotation.
If the piece kicks out, it was in wrong orientation. When that happens, rotate once more, realign with overhang, then spin again.

This spin sequence is the only unusual solve you'll encounter in 7p PCO:

Fig: SZ reduction S-spin sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction three times. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again, 4) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.

These spins can be done as long as you can access the overhang, even if there's something on the other side:

(jump to top)

⭐ PCO 1-5

5x4 Box + 2p PCO

4x4 Box + 3p PCO and 5x4 Box + 2p PCO together have 100% build cover.

🩹 PCO 1-5 Recovery - Factory 2nd (2)

Factory OT (100%) (1)

Factory OX (99.68%) (1)

(jump to top)

PCO 5-1

3x4 Box + 3p PCO + Vertical I

🩹 PCO 5-1 Recovery - Factory 2nd (2)

Factory OT (100%) (2)

Good for beginners, VS, Ultra/Blitz. Bad for PC Mode.

Recovery solves often require these SRS kicks:

Fig: Elementary Z-spin Double sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction twice. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.
Note that S and Z have two orientations that are visually identical but have different centre of rotation.
If the piece kicks out, it was in wrong orientation. When that happens, rotate once more, realign with overhang, then spin again.

This spin sequence is the only unusual solve you'll encounter in 7p PCO:

Fig: SZ reduction S-spin sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction three times. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again, 4) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.

These spins can be done as long as you can access the overhang, even if there's something on the other side:

(PCO 5-1 Recovery - Tub (2))

Tub is better than Factory. 2 setups instead of 1.
Factory in this set is worse. Can replace this Factory with 2 minimals from default set.

Tub + Vertical I 2nd (1)

Factory OX (99.68%) (1)

(PCO 5-1 Recovery - Heart + PCO (2))

Significantly higher chance to save O. Very difficult to solve.

Heart + PCO 2nd (2)

Difficult. Good for PC Mode. Bad for VS.

Recovery solves often require these SRS kicks:

Fig: Elementary Z-spin Double sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction twice. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.
Note that S and Z have two orientations that are visually identical but have different centre of rotation.
If the piece kicks out, it was in wrong orientation. When that happens, rotate once more, realign with overhang, then spin again.

This spin sequence is the only unusual solve you'll encounter in 7p PCO:

Fig: SZ reduction S-spin sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction three times. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again, 4) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.

These spins can be done as long as you can access the overhang, even if there's something on the other side:

(jump to top)

PCO 6-0

4x4 Box + 3p PCO

4x4 Box + 3p PCO and 5x4 Box + 2p PCO together have 100% build cover.

5x4 Box + 2p PCO

4x4 Box + 3p PCO and 5x4 Box + 2p PCO together have 100% build cover.

Grace + Vertical T

🩹 PCO 6-0 Recovery - Factory 2nd (2)

Factory OT (100%) (2)

Good for beginners, VS, Ultra/Blitz. Bad for PC Mode.

Recovery solves often require these SRS kicks:

Fig: Elementary Z-spin Double sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction twice. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.
Note that S and Z have two orientations that are visually identical but have different centre of rotation.
If the piece kicks out, it was in wrong orientation. When that happens, rotate once more, realign with overhang, then spin again.

This spin sequence is the only unusual solve you'll encounter in 7p PCO:

Fig: SZ reduction S-spin sequence. Grey ▄█▄ shows piece orientation for clarity.
Rotate the same direction three times. 1) rotate, 2) align with overhang, 3) spin the same direction again, 4) spin the same direction again. Only works in one direction.

These spins can be done as long as you can access the overhang, even if there's something on the other side:

(PCO 6-0 Recovery - Tub (2))

Tub is better than Factory. 2 setups instead of 1.
Factory in this set is worse. Can replace this Factory with 2 minimals from default set.

Tub + Vertical I 2nd (1)

Factory OX (99.68%) (1)

(jump to top)

PCO 0-6

Grace + Vertical T

🩹 PCO 0-6 Recovery - Factory 2nd (2)

Factory OX (99.68%) (2)

(jump to top)

7p PCO

Good saves (into Has T 2nd):

Tricky saves (into No T, even JL 2nd):

Bad saves (into No T, odd JL 2nd):

Look for solves in order of save categories.
When there's no solve, build recovery.

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(6p PCO (Hold I))

(6p PCO - I on the ground)

Good saves (into Has T 2nd):

Tricky saves (into No T, even JL 2nd):

Bad saves (into No T, odd JL 2nd):

(6p PCO - I skim row 3)

Good saves (into Has T 2nd):

Tricky saves (into No T, even JL 2nd):

Bad saves (into No T, odd JL 2nd):

(6p PCO - other)

Good saves (into Has T 2nd):

(jump to top)

(Grace System (Hold T))

(Grace System - alternative T placements)

In addition to these solves, Grace System can do any 7p PCO solve in either PCO mirror.

Good saves (into Has T 2nd):

Tricky saves (into No T, even JL 2nd):

Bad saves (into No T, odd JL 2nd):

(jump to top)

Changelog

2023-01-31
• Added spin explanation
• Added 7p PCO organised solves
• Added Optional 6p Setups
• Added 6p PCO (Hold I) organised solves
• Added Grace System (Hold T) organised solves

2022-12-15
• Fixed Tub stats
• Updated 2nd PC Recovery stats

2022-12-07
• Created PCO 1st PC page
• Added minimal setups