An apparatus comprising: (a) an anvil surface configured to compress tissue against a deck surface, wherein the anvil surface defines: (i) an inner annular array (702; 1102) of staple forming pockets, wherein the inner annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the inner annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (730; 1130), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (710; 1110), and (ii) an outer annular array (704; 1104) of staple forming pockets, wherein the outer annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the outer annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (770; 1170), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (750; 1150); and (b) an anvil shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the anvil shaft is configured to couple with a stapling head assembly of a surgical stapler; characterized in that the outer annular array (704; 1104) of staple forming pockets is arranged in a mirrored symmetry with the inner annular array (702; 1102) of staple forming pockets, such that: the first innermost staple forming pocket (730; 1130) of the inner annular array (702; 1102) is angularly offset in a first circumferential direction from the second outermost staple forming pocket (710; 1110) of the inner annular array (702; 1102); and the second outermost staple forming pocket (750; 1150) of the outer annular array (704; 1104) is angularly offset in the same first circumferential direction from the first innermost staple forming pocket (770; 1170) of the outer annular array (704; 1104). (a) an anvil surface configured to compress tissue against a deck surface, wherein the anvil surface defines: (i) an inner annular array (702; 1102) of staple forming pockets, wherein the inner annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the inner annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (730; 1130), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (710; 1110), and (ii) an outer annular array (704; 1104) of staple forming pockets, wherein the outer annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the outer annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (770; 1170), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (750; 1150); and (i) an inner annular array (702; 1102) of staple forming pockets, wherein the inner annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the inner annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (730; 1130), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (710; 1110), and (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (730; 1130), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (710; 1110), and (ii) an outer annular array (704; 1104) of staple forming pockets, wherein the outer annular array of staple forming pockets comprises a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs, wherein each pair of staple forming pockets in the outer annular array comprises: (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (770; 1170), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (750; 1150); and (A) a first innermost staple forming pocket (770; 1170), and (B) a second outermost staple forming pocket (750; 1150); and (b) an anvil shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the anvil shaft is configured to couple with a stapling head assembly of a surgical stapler; <EOS>