Page 13 - Derek E. Avery - The new encyclopedia of knots

figure 5.2

Belaying a rope to a belaying pin is carried out in much the same way as
when cleating. Make a start to the right of the pin with a full round turn
taken clockwise around the pin; turns should always be taken in the same
direction as that in which the rope is coiled. This prevents the strands from
being forced open, and the rope will kink less. This does not apply to
braided rope, which can be coiled or belayed in either direction without
kinking. As in cleating, the cross turns on the belaying pin bear the load on

the rope, and again a half hitch is added to keep the turns in place (figure
6).