Mike's explanation is correct as usual. At the risk of being redundant, I'll offer my own explanation as well (which starts below the diagram).
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| XGID=-b----E-C--AeD---bAd-b--A-:0:0:1:11:0:0:3:0:10 | |||||
| Blue to play 11 | |||||
N (Near) means to divide the move between the Near-side quadrants. That is, play half of the move (to or) within the outer board, and the other half of the move within the inner board. (See Nactation tutorial, page 11.)
In the position diagrammed above, how many such "N" moves (i.e., moves in the N family) are there? The answer is three. I will list and rank them below, and then explain how I arrived at my ranking:
..........N = 8/7(2) 6/5(2)
........n = 11/9 6/5(2) ......which can be thought of as 11/10/9 6/5(2) or 11/10 10/9 6/5(2)
........N = 11/10 8/7 6/5(2)
To rank these N-family plays (for Nactation), use the 6pt convention, which is explained on page 54 of the tutorial, but I will also explain it here, as this position provides for us a much-less-simple-than-usual example.
There are two parts to the 6pt convention. The first part has to do with OWNED POINTS being closest to the 6pt. The 7pt is closer (than the 8pt is) to the 6pt. Therefore, 8/7(2) 6/5(2) ranks highest; it earns the capital N.
The only remaining task left to us is to rank the other two plays: 11/9 6/5(2), and 11/10 8/7 6/5(2). [Which comes in second, and which comes in third?]
The second part of the 6pt convention applies to the destinations of blots or spares. For the inner board and (entire) far side, you prioritize a blot/spare closer to the 6pt. The exceptional quadrant is the OUTER BOARD, where you prioritize a blot/spare FARTHER from the 6pt.
It is the latter case, the OUTER BOARD scenario that interest us. That is where the relevant destinations of our two plays are. Now, as both plays have a 10pt destination, the final tie-breaker is that the 9pt is FARTHER (than the 7pt is) from the 6pt.
[Whenever you're in doubt, consider each portion of a move separately, as all destinations, including temporary ones, count. This affirms that 11/10/9 6/5(2) outranks 11/10 8/7 6/5(2). That is, 10pt 9pt, which is farther from the 6pt, outranks 10pt 7pt.]
Hope that helps.
Nack