YAAD

YAAD is an abbreviation for the phrase "Yet Another Annoying Death", popularized by players of the computer game Nethack. It generally refers to a situation in which the player has no ability to escape his or her character's demise. For example:

 "You fall into a pit! You land on a set of sharp iron spikes!--more--
 The spikes were poisoned! The poison was deadly...

Once the player has fallen into the pit—which she probably hadn't even seen—her fate is sealed. She has no means to escape this death, despite the fact that she was provided no knowledge that these spikes would be poisoned.

While the game actually approximates realism by not always providing the player with a way out, it tends to frustrate players who (rightfully) feel powerless, and therefore find the game unfair. Experienced players, however, come to realize that the game does provide a vast array of tools by which a player can often avoid experiencing YAAD.