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| Terao vs. Cameron, Game 2
Here is my Nacation of Game 2. Board diagrams and notes are given below. You can click any play in the Nactation string to jump directly to its board diagram. 21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P Incidentally, nactating this game was much easier than creating this post! Even that was only cumbersome, rather that difficult. Most of if required just pasting board images into the following template. Mike |
| 21$ = 13/11 6/5If you did not get this one right, you can stop reading this post. You need to read the Nactation Tutorial instead. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 65R = 24/13When all parts of a roll are played on the far side of the board, and at least one checker lands somewhere between the 13pt and 17pt, the play belongs in the R (Run) family. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 52P = 8/3 5/3The P (Point) family has a Dedication Clause that requires that all parts of a roll be used in making one new point. Moves that make a point, and then move some other checker, cannot be nactated P. Neither can plays that add a spare checker to an already made point. It is, however, acceptable to switch points, or break one point while making another, so long as all parts of the roll are used in making the new point.The only execption to this rule comes when part of a move is forced. So long as all unforced parts of a move are dedicated to making a single new point, the play can nactated P. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 21D = 13/10D (Down) is one of the many area-based, or areal families. Members move in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:2:0:0.Besides 13/10, the only other way to play two checkers down (i.e, to or within the outer board) is 21d = 13/11 8/7, but this play leaves a blot on the 7pt. By the 6pt Convention, it ranks second in the D (Down) family. In the outer board, blot and spare destinations are preferred when they are farther from the 6pt. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 21$ = 13/11 6/5You “slot” by moving a checker down and putting it or another checker onto a vacant offensive point. Moves in the $ (Slot) family do not apply the usual Hit/More/Six Rule. Instead, they follow the ranking rules below, which are intended to produce the best or most natural slotting play most of the time:
This play can also be nactated in the N (Near) family, where checkers move in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:1:0:1. Thus, 21N = 21$ = 13/11 6/5. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 41H = 24/20* 10/9This play demonstrates how the Hit/More/Six Rule tends to favor assigning the best backgammon play to the capital letter. After hitting, any unplayed portion of a move in the H (Hit) family is played down (i.e, to or within the outer board). The 6pt Convention then favors blot destinations in the outer board that are farther from the 6pt.The area-based, or areal, family assignment is B (Both). In a roll of non-doublets, a play that moves one checker entirely on the far side, and the other entirely within the outer board, belongs there. Therefore, 41B = 41H = 20/24* 10/9. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 52U = Bar/18Any move that is played entirely between the 18pt and 24pt belongs in the areal U/V (Up/Variant up) family. This includes plays that enter from the bar.The top-ranked play puts a blot on the 18pt. Ranked second in the family is 52V = Bar/20 24/22. It does not put a blot quite as close to the 6pt as 52U does. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 63O = 13/7* 9/6Members of the O (Outer) family move checkers in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:1:1:0. That is, one checker is moved to or within the outer board, and another checker is moved into the home board, jumping over the bar.By the Hit Convention, the plays that hit will rank at the top of the family. Of those, the one that places a checker squarely on the 6pt ranks highest. The H (Hit) family requires that any part of a move not involved in the hit must be played down (i.e, to or within the outer board). Therefore, 63H = 13/10 13/7*. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 62H = Bar/23 24/18*The exception for the H (Hit) family comes when part of a move is forced. Entering from the bar is the classic example. After moving the forced portion of a play, if the balance of the play follows the rules for the H (Hit) family, then the play can be nactated there.The areal Nactation is 62U. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 41@ = Bar/20The style family for this play is @ (Anchor).The areal Nactation is 41U. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 33B = 24/18 13/10(2)For doublets, members of the B (Both) family move in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 2:2:0:0.Of the several ways that two 3s can be played on the far side, the More Points Convention gives preference to the play that makes the 18pt, because it makes a new point. Playing down is trickier. Keeping the 13pt, or switching from the 13pt to the 10pt, outranks any play that abandons the 11pt. Once again, More Points is the reason. So, the choice for top billing is between 13/7 and 13/10(2). To decide, compare the locations of owned points. By the More Points Convention, owning the 10pt outranks owning the 13pt. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 53P = 8/3 6/3This play can also be nactated in the areal A (Attack) family (not that anyone would want to). That’s because it moves in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:0:1:1. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 54O = 13/4In the O (Outer) family, one checker is moved to or within the outer board, and the other is moved into the inner board, jumping over the bar. The ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:1:1:0.By the More Points Convention, the plays that break a point in the outer board all rank below 13/4. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 64P = 8/2* 6/2In the A (Attack) family, this play is nactated 64A. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 65R = Bar/14This play is the only member of the areal R (Run) family. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 63O = 13/4In the O (Outer) family, one checker is moved to or within the outer board, and the other is moved into the inner board, jumping over the bar. The ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:1:1:0.The other member of this family is 63o = 13/10 6/2. It gets the lower case letter because a spare destination on the 2pt ranks below a blot destination on the 4pt. By the 6pt Convention, a blot destination in the inner board is preferred when it is closer to the 6pt. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 31R = 18/17*/14This play cannot be nactated in the H (Hit) family, because the second part of the play is not played down (i.e, to or within the outer board). Indeed, 31H = 18/17* 14/11. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 64K = Bar/21* 13/7*Plays in the K (Kill) family hit two checkers, and then play down if there are any remaining moves (as in a roll of doublets). The “down” requirement is still a little fuzzy in this definition. When finalized, it is expected that covering after hitting (with doublets) will be allowed in addition to playing down.Nack points out that, in a forced play, giving just the dice roll is sufficient. Thus, 64 is a perfectly fine Nacatation of Bar/21* 13/7*. I’ll guess, however, that even Nack would add the K on this one. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 43 = 43< = 43H = Bar/21*It’s a forced play, but there are a lot of Nactation choices. These days, I am giving just the roll, 43. I don’t use the equally good 43<, because the angle bracket cannot be used in a file name. Otherwise, I might prefer it.In 43<, the left-pointing angle bracket signifies that checkers remain on the bar even after entering as many as possible. 43H is also a perfectly acceptable Nactation. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 65S = Bar/20, 13/7Technically, this play belongs in the Z (Reverse split) family. That’s because it moves the smaller die on the far side, and plays the larger die down. The Convenience Clause, however, allows S (Split) to be used instead of Z (Reverse split) whenever the S family is otherwise empty.Of the two members in the family, Bar/20 13/7 and Bar/20 7/1, the 6pt Convention awards top billing to the one that makes the 7pt rather than the one that retains the 13pt. That’s because the resulting owned point is closer to the 6pt. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 62 = 62^ = FanMy current preference is to use just the dice roll to indicate a fan. Having abandoned angle brackets (because they cannot be used in a file name), I have also discarded the caret (a.k.a, circumflex), even though it can be used in a file name under Windows.I do prefer the descriptive value given by a symbol or letter, so perhaps I’ll switch back to using circumflex in the near future. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 66 = 66O = 13/1 7/1(2)If you want to, you can get all mixed up with Yoga splits and Gremlin splits or whatever else this move may be, but why bother? It’s a forced move, so just give the dice roll.If you care, this one moves in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:1:3:0, so it belongs in the underlined O (Outer) family. See Nactation of Doublets (complete table). | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 55B = Bar/15 14/9(2)For a roll of doublets, members of the B (Both) family move in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 2:2:0:0. The name is supposed to remind you that you are moving both up and down. That is, you move up on the far side, and you move down to (or within) the outer board.On the far side of the board, there is only one way to play two 5s: Bar/15. After that, there are two ways to play two checkers down: 15/10 14/9 and 14/9(2). By the More Points Convention, switching to the 9pt outranks simply breaking the 14pt, and then playing 15/10. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| 54 = 54I = 6/2 6/1This is another forced move that can be nactated by simply giving the dice roll.Alternatively, it can be placed in the areal I (Inside) family, where checkers move in the ratios Far:Down:Jump:Inside = 0:0:0:2. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P
| C-PC = Initial cube; P = pass. | ||||||||||||
21$-65R-52P-21D-21$-41H-52U-63O-62H-41@-33B-53P-54O-64P-65R-63O-31R-64K-43-65S-62^-66O-55B-54I-C-P