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65R-62S-62D-64H-55

Posted By: Nack Ballard
Date: Monday, 21 December 2009, at 4:16 a.m.

In Response To: 65R-62S-62D-64H-55 (Tom Keith)

Tom: One idea might be to alternate +'s and -'s. Then you could easily see which side is making which moves in a long string, esp if there is an accompanying diagram. (Use + for plays coming toward you, - for plays going away perhaps.)

+65R-62S+62D-64H+55

Nack: Nice suggestion, Tom! We could call it the "Keith convention."

To tell the truth, when I look at a sequence of rolls, I instantly know who went first:

If the sequences is an odd number of rolls, the near-side player went first.
If the sequence is an even number of rolls, the far-side player went first.

I can instantly "see" or "feel" odd or even by the length. It is only when the sequence gets to around eight or nine that I might need to count (e.g., I might see a nine-roll sequence as a five-roller with a four tacked on). This ease of recognition comes from transcribing a lot of data, I guess.

The convention I have been using on this forum is to underline the rolls for the near-side player:

65R-62S-62D-64H-55

Until now, I have been exercising the underline convention only when the sequence is so long that I thought figuring out odd or even could be cumbersome. But your post has made me realize that I have been rash in my assumption that people have made the even/odd connection and understand its implications.

Without further feedback, I will start using the underline convention with as few as five rolls (and in some posts I'll stick in a reminder what it means), at least until people get used to seeing more play strings.

Because (IMO) alternating underlines are easier for readers to grasp than alternating plusses and minuses (Keith convention), I will use the underline convention. However, I am fine with others using whatever they prefer (underline or Keith or nothing). As I see it, the advantage of Keith over underline is that you don't have to use html tags -- there is less typing (or cut/pasting) involved.

[Tim is right that I am on the prowl to indoctrinate new symbols into Nactation when they seem to fulfill a vital function. However, I have not yet assigned a meaning to "+" and keep in mind that in Nactation typically more than one choice of character will suffice for a play. Even if somehow "+" is the only way to describe a play then as a last resort a "++" or "+-" would appear in the sequence (technically unambiguous), and if that is considered intolerable then as a last resort the Keith convention could be avoided under those exceedingly rare circumstances.]

Nack

Messages In This Thread

• 65R,62S,62D,64H,55?
  Atle -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 10:53 a.m.
  • Diagram
    Petter Bengtsson -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 11:26 a.m.
    • Diagram
      Chuck Bower -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 5:35 p.m.
    • Thx all for input and welcome. *NM*
      Atle -- Sunday, 20 December 2009, at 2:51 p.m.
  • 65R,62S,62D,64H,55?
    Stick -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 3:16 p.m.
    • 65R,62S,62D,64H,55?
      Timothy Chow -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 3:34 p.m.
  • 65R,62S,62D,64H,55?
    neilkaz -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 6:28 p.m.
  • 65R-62S-62D-64H-55
    Nack Ballard -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 7:06 p.m.
    • Naked 1-point
      Timothy Chow -- Saturday, 19 December 2009, at 11:14 p.m.
    • 65R-62S-62D-64H-55
      Tom Keith -- Sunday, 20 December 2009, at 5:43 p.m.
      • 65R-62S-62D-64H-55
        Timothy Chow -- Sunday, 20 December 2009, at 9:23 p.m.
      • 65R-62S-62D-64H-55
        Nack Ballard -- Monday, 21 December 2009, at 4:16 a.m.