A friend recently asked me what categories I use. Below is the list I assembled for him.
I use a Microsoft Access database to store the positions I think are worthy. Using database software, I can tag a position with as many different categories as I like. Most get two or three.
I use about 100 different categories. The complete list is given below. (I know its a bit of a mess. One or two categories are duplicated, for instance.)
A holding game position might be tagged as follows:
- Holding Game
- A5-Anchor on 5pt.
- Cube action
A bear-in might be described using these:
- Bearing In
- Bearing In -- Against Opposition
- Bearing In -- Going for the gammon
- 2 Checkers on Bar
In addition to categories, each position can have notes attached.
Here is the list:
"1 Checker on Bar"
"2 Checkers on Bar"
"3 Checkers on Bar"
"4+ Checkers on Bar"
"A1 — Anchor on 1pt"
"A2 — Anchor on 2pt"
"A3 — Anchor on 3pt"
"A4 — Anchor on 4pt"
"A5 — Anchor on 5pt"
"A6 — Anchor on 6pt"
"A7 — Anchor on 7pt"
"A8 — Anchor on 8pt"
"Ace Point — Cover blot on ace point"
"Ace Point — Hit loose on ace point"
"After a Late Hit — Checker Play"
"After a Late Hit — Cube Action?"
"After Bar Point Is Made — Roll 6-x"
"After Escape"
"Anchor — Inside or Out"
"Anchor or Split"
"B21 Backgame"
"B31 Backgame"
"B32 Backgame"
"B321 Backgame"
"B41 Backgame"
"B42 Backgame"
"B421 Backgame"
"B43 Backgame"
"B431 Backgame"
"B432 Backgame"
"B51 Backgame"
"B52 Backgame"
"B521 Backgame"
"B53 Backgame"
"B531 Backgame"
"B532 Backgame"
"B54 Backgame"
"B541 Backgame"
"B542 Backgame"
"B543 Backgame"
"Backgame"
"Backgame — Defense — Bearing In"
"Backgame — Offense"
"Backgame Defense"
"Bagai"
"Bananas Split"
"Bear In"
"Bear In — Against Opposition"
"Bear in — Going for the Gammon"
"Bear In — Unopposed"
"Bear Off"
"Bear Off — After a late hit"
"Bear Off — Against Opposition"
"Bear Off — Break Inside/Leave Gap"
"Bear Off — Fewer than Possible"
"Bear Off — Fill Gap or Smooth?"
"Bear Off — Four point"
"Bear Off — Going for the Backgammon"
"Bear Off — Going for the Gammon"
"Bear Off — One or None?"
"Bear Off — Opponent on bar"
"Bear Off — Unopposed"
"Bear Off Less than Possible"
"Blitz"
"Blitz — Cube Action"
"Blitz — Early"
"Blitz — Middle Game"
"Blot Hitting Contest"
"Break from Rear?"
"Break inside point to hit inside"
"Bust Board?"
"Coming under the Gun"
"Crashed Board"
"Cube Action"
"Diversification"
"DMP — Double Match Point"
"Do not split against a big stack"
"Double Hit Loose in Inner Board?"
"Doublets 11"
"Doublets 22"
"Doublets 33"
"Doublets 44"
"Doublets 55"
"Doublets 66"
"Doubling — Both back men escaped"
"Doubling — From the Bar"
"Doubling — Opponent on Bar"
"Dump play"
"Duplication"
"Early Game"
"Early Game — Cube Action"
"Early Game — Hit Loose on 3 Point"
"Early Pass"
"Five Point"
"Five Point — Make Either, Not Both"
"Free Drop"
"G1 — Guard on 1pt"
"G2 — Guard on 2pt"
"G3 — Guard on 3pt"
"G4 — Guard on 4pt"
"G5 — Guard on 5pt"
"G6 — Guard on 6pt"
"G7 — Guard on 7pt"
"GG — Gammon Go"
"GS — Gammon Save"
"Guard and Anchor"
"Hara Kiri"
"Hit loose on three point"
"Hit Twice or Hit and Cover"
"Hit?"
"Holding Game"
"Holding Game — Break anchor"
"Kauder Paradox"
"Keep Prime or Attack"
"Match Point"
"Middle Game"
"Middle Game — Cube Action?"
"Move Outside or Fill Gap Inside"
"Mutual Holding Game"
"Non-Contact Race"
"One Checker Back"
"One Checker Back — Slotting against"
"One Checker Primed"
"Opening Move"
"Pay Now or Pay Later"
"Pick and Pass"
"Picking up a second checker"
"Play Safe or Unstack"
"Point?"
"Post-Ace-Point Game"
"Pottle"
"Pre-clear"
"Prime versus Prime"
"Prime versus Prime — Cube action"
"Race Leader on Roll"
"Race Trailer on Roll"
"Reply to Opening Move"
"Reply to Opening Move — 62, 63, 64"
"Rolling a Prime Forward"
"Safe or bold?"
"Safety First"
"Saving the Gammon"
"Slot and Split"
"Slot Bar Point"
"Slot Happy"
"Slot Opponent's Bar Point"
"Slot or Not?"
"Splitting Inside"
"Stack or Spread"
"Stay back from big stacks"
"Switch Points"
"Switch Points — Bar for Five Point"
"Tempo Hit or Not?"
"To Hit or Not To Hit"
"To Slot or Not To Slot"
"Too Good To Double?"
"Trap Play"
"Trapped Behind Prime"
"Trouble Numbers"
"Two Checkers Primed"
"Voluntary Double Shot"
"Voluntary Single Shot"
"Who's Blocking Whom"
Hope this helps.
Mike