In the Once Removed concept, the setup is partitioned into slices,
alternately between one group and another group. The process has been
likened to imagining that the setup is a loaf of bread with alternate
light and dark slices. The division is along the long axis of the
starting setup. The people in each group do the call among
themselves. At the end of the call the groups must once again be
interleaved by slices. If the call changes shape, the number of
slices may change, and this makes the interleaving tricky.
It is not legal to use the Once Removed concept unless the slices are straight
and are one matrix position thick. So, for example, it is not legal in diamonds
or an hourglass.
If the call involves the Ocean Wave Rule or the Facing Couples Rule,
the evaluation of slices is done directly on the actual starting
setup, before any rearing back from a wave or stepping to a wave.
\sxwtees{g2w,b2w,b3s,g3s}
\syhlines{g4w,g3w,b3e,b2e}
before Once Removed Split Square Thru
after
There are a number of survival skills for this concept. For
non-shape-changers, one can work to spots. When the setup consists of
couples or tandems (or siamese) along the Once Removed axis, the
concept is equivalent to Twosome, and many people like to do it that
way.
\sxhlines{b2s,g2s,g1n,b1n}
\sxhlines{g1s,b1s,g4n,b4n}
before Once Removed (or Couples Twosome) Swing Thru
after
But beware: you might not actually be able to do it that way.
\sxhlines{b2s,g2s,g1n,b1n}
\sxhlines{g1n,b1s,b2n,g2s}
before Once Removed Boys Run
after
If the setup almost consists of couples or tandems, failing only in that
the people in each pair aren't facing the same way, some people still like
to think in terms of "virtual twosomes" — they imagine that they are in a twosome
with their paired person. Not everyone is comfortable with this method.
If the setup is a tidal wave, a common method is to have everyone step
forward slightly to identify their Once Removed line, and then work in
those spots. If the call is something like Here Comes the Judge, it
is easy. If it is something like Wheel and Deal, the groups have to
merge back carefully.
Another common method, particularly when the call is complex, is often
called "drag and drop", and is the analogue of removing the
distortion in a parallelogram. The slices in one group are all one
position "west" (or whatever; one doesn't actually think in terms of
compass directions) of the corresponding slice in the other group.
Each group collects itself onto the west or east side of the set, does
the call, and then re-interleaves with the other group.
\sxhlines{b2s,g1n,g2s,b1n}
\sxhlines{b2s,g2s,b3s,g3s}
before Once Removed, Shift 2, Two-faced, Change the Centers
coalesce groups
\sxhlines{g3s,g2n,b3n,b2s}
\sxhlines{g3s,b4n,g2n,b1s}
do the call, however complex it may be
"drag and drop"
How are the coalescing and re-interleaving done? For a 2x4, it is
simply a Slither (or equivalent "Vertical Slither" if people are in
column-like orientation.)
For a 1x8, the interleaving is removed by doing a Slither on each
side, followed by the center pairs sliding past each other as though
doing a Stretched Line call. Re-interleaving is done by having
the center pairs slide past each other, followed by a Slither.
\syhlines{g1w,g2w,b4e,b1e}
\syhlines{g1w,b4e,g2w,b1e}
before Once Removed Vertical Tag Your Criss Cross Neighbor
"Slither"
\sxhlines{b1n,g3s,g2n,b2s}
\sxhlines{b1n,g3s,b4n,g4s}
do the call
swap center pairs
\sxhlines{b1n,b4n,g3s,g4s}
slither
For other setups, there is no simple trick. The people in each group establish
eye or hand contact, do the call, and, with a minimum of pushing and shoving,
re-interleave themselves.
\sxhdiamonds{b2s,g2s,b1n,g1s}
\sxetees{g3n,g4n,b1n,b2s}
before Once Removed Siamese Breakdown
coalesce
\sxwtees{b1s,b2n,g4s,g3s}
\sxwtees{b1s,b2n,g1n,g4s}
do the call
re-interleave
Unfortunately, the "Twosome" method and the "Drag and Drop" method
have incompatible traffic patterns, so it is necessary for everyone to
agree on which method to use. In general, the Twosome method is used
where it applies (though not everyone agrees with this), and "Drag
and Drop" in other cases. For calls in which no shape-changing ever
takes place, people typically work to spots. For example, in a tidal
wave, Once Removed Here Comes the Judge is usually just done to spots,
even though it is quite a difficult call.
Sometimes each setup has only one slice after doing the call. In that case
no re-interleaving is required.
\sxhlines{b2s,g1n,g2s,b1n}
\sxvlines{b3e,g3e,g2w,b2w}
before Once Removed Couples Hinge
after
There are some obscure cases in which the total number of slices is
odd, so one group has an even number of slices and the other group an
odd number. In this case neither group is "east" or "west" of the
other — they are both centered on the center of the set. Such calls
simply have to be executed carefully.
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