Scores 7V55  MainChallenge


October 2001 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

“The Tell-Tale Hearts” play contest had 526 participants, and everyone scoring above average is listed here. Ties in the rankings are broken by the date and time of submission (earliest wins). At the end of this page is a “Bot’s Eye View,” which shows how various computer programs fared.

Top 100101201Location RankingBot’s Eye View

Participation Stats
Number of participants526
Number of locations95
Highest score59
Median score42
Lowest score19
Average score41.77

Top 100 Places

RankScoreLCName123456
159HKWalter LeeBABEBA
259CHOlivier La SpadaDABEFA
358CAonGabriel Nita-SagunaDAAEBA
458UScaGrant PeacockDAAEBA
558USohCraig SatersmoenDEBEBA
658UScaRob StevensDABABA
758RORadu MihaiDABABA
857USwaN. Scott CardellDABAFA
956CAonDaniel KorbelDEBABA
1056TWD.C. LinDEBABA
1155UKenJohn ReardonBAAABA
1255USJean MillerBEBABA
1355DERainer HerrmannDAAEAA
1455AUBill PowellDAAEBF
1554UKMarcus ChiloarnusBAAAFA
1654USnyFranco BaseggioDAAEFF
1754ROGeorge EcksteinDEAABA
1854UKenQuentin StephensBEBAFA
1954PTManuel PauloDAAEFF
2054RUAlex PerlinBABAAA
2154USilCharles BlairBAAEBF
2253UKenGareth BirdsallDDBEBF
2353HRTonci TomicDAAABF
2452TWHang ChangBEBAAA
2552CAabDaniel BertrandBEBBBA
2652USflFrank NankinBABABE
2752USnjDirk EnthovenEABAFF
2852INRitam DuttDAAAFF
2951UStxEric TaylorDEAAAA
3051EGAndrew de SosaDEAABF
3151INNeelotpal SahaiBABAAF
3251ITPaolo PaolicchiBAACBF
3351PLWojtek SiwiecDEAABF
3451USnjPatricia ChristieBCBABA
3551UKenJon ToddBFCEBA
3651USflRobert MarkleyDABABD
3751AUBill JacobsDABBFF
3851USflStan CohenBABABC
3951USRon FalorDABABD
4051DEHans FleischhackBABABC
4150UKenRich JohnsonDABADF
4250BESebastien LouveauxDFBBBA
4350ESRaimon TatxeDEBAAF
4450UScaTony MelucciBEBEEA
4550USnyChris WillenkenEEAEFF
4650UKenDouglas DunnDEAEAF
4750ILYossi NeimanDEBAAF
4850CAabJane JefferisEECAFA
4950ATMichael PalitschDAAEDF
5050USwaCraig ZasteraEEBBFA
5150AUJeff FustDEABFA
5250UKscNigel GuthrieDFBABF
5350ESAurelio GraciaDABBFB
5450ESFrancisco PlanaDEBBAA
5549BELuc SegersDECBFA
5649SEAnders AslundDFBAFF
5749UStxHerbert WiltonBAABAA
5849UScaRuthanne WilliamsBBBABA
5949ILRam MeiriEFBFBA
6049CAonDoreen MacMillanBCAABA
6149USazJack HawthorneBBBABA
6249UStxAlbert SekacDEBAAB
6349INShaishav ParikhECBCBA
6449CZStanislav KolaciDDBABE
6549UScoDavid CapreraBEBAAF
6649HUGyorgy OrmayDEBBFF
6749USorFred MarsdenBFBBBA
6849INAnil UpadhyayBEBBAA
6949TRAhu ZobuDAAAAB
7049INSourendra Coomer DuttDAABFF
7149USpaSteve WhiteDABBAF
7249UKenAndrew MorrisDCBABF
7349USohMark RishavyDDBCFF
7448ZASid IsmailDFBFAA
7548DEZuzana HerrmannBCBBBA
7648USncRon SteeleDAAADF
7748USmdMartin S. Himeles Sr.BAAAEA
7848USnjPru BorlandBCBAAA
7948USwiRich DorfmanEEBBAA
8048USalBob SimkinsDABAEF
8148NLJelmer HasperDEBADF
8248INSeeni VasaganDEBFFE
8348FIErkki MalkamakiDEABAA
8448USflStuart SchwartzBACAAF
8548CAabDerek MartinBECABB
8648USflWilliam SlepinEEBAFE
8747IDDidik KoesbiantoECBAAA
8847IDFakhri FakhruddinACBABA
8947NLWilliam ClaassenDFBBBF
9047TWMing-Ta TsaiAFBAFA
9147AUBob GeyerECBFFA
9247USalCurtis LoftisBCBCAA
9347USmaArthur ShahianDDBAFC
9447USnjBrett KuninBABAEF
9547UStxBill ErwinDFBBBF
9647BGTchavdar NikolovDEBBAF
9747USdcStephen RoseDEBBAF
9847USgaDavid HemmerDECBBF
9947USokLinda WaggenerBAAFBC
10047ROCristian GuideaDCEABA

Scores 7V55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2001 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreLCName123456
10147HUGyula ArgayDEABFF
10247INArvind NimbalkerDEBBFE
10346USwaJosh SinnettDFBBFF
10446USgaBill BickfordBDBBBB
10546ARRaul MartinoEEBBDA
10646CAonDavid GraingerDFBBBB
10746UStxCarl HultmanEEBBBE
10846UStxBrian BareschCEBFFA
10946UStxMike CrowderAEBAFB
11046USnjAntoine GeorgesEEAAAF
11146UScoEvelyn BerDFBAFC
11246CAnsBryson CrowellDECBBB
11346EEAivar TihaneDAABFC
11446FRPatrick FlodropsBEBBAF
11546INGovindarajan SrinivasanDAAAEF
11646CAmbMike GillisDEBAAD
11746UScaStephen SeagrenBCBFBF
11846DEUlrich VoigtDEAFAF
11946FIPekka NiemistoBEEABB
12046USflRobert SolomonBCBABE
12146USmiGordon ParnesBEBBAF
12246CAbcSuzanne KilfoyleBCBFBF
12346USnyClaire MaholchicBCBADA
12446USinJohn ClarkDDCFBF
12546NLLeo JongensBEAAEA
12646IEJames HeneghanDFBBFF
12746ZAHoward PreeceEFBABE
12846USnyWilliam BascomDCBBAA
12946PLRoman KujaczynskiDCBBAA
13046INGowniyan VaideeshwarDDBBDA
13146BGYanko YankovDEBAEF
13246USpaFrank AbelBFBBAA
13346HRZoran BohacekDEBAEF
13446INSivakumar SalemDDBBDA
13546USmdJerrold MillerEFABBA
13646INS.R.C. SekarDAABEA
13746INSatyabrata LahiriDAAAEF
13846UKenMark LehtoBBBAAA
13946CNWeidong YangDEACAB
14046INPrakasam NarasimhanDEAFAF
14146ITStefano BiciocchiEEAAFE
14246ROFelicia CheluBECAAF
14345USvaLarry KahnDEBAEB
14445USmaArun SannutiBFBBBB
14545EEMeelis TiitsonAEBBBF
14645NLWim van RoonECBFBF
14745INBanushankar KalyananDEBAEB
14845USorAdam SaroyanDEBBDF
14945CAabNicolae VartosuBCBBBF
15045USakRick KellyDAAAEB
15145USilGeorge KlemicDDBBFE
15245UKenNeil MorgensternEFBBBF
15345FRJacques NormandAEBBBF
15445HRVedran ZoricDEBBAE
15545ILOr ShohamBCBAFE
15645UStxCliff MorseEABACF
15745USgaGeorge LathburyBCBAFE
15845ZABrad Ross-JonesECAAAA
15945USkyPaul HightowerEAEAAF
16045NOChristian VennerodDEABAF
16145UScaPhillip MacklerBFBAFC
16245USpaAndrea MissiasAABEEF
16345INArvind RanasariaDEADBF
16445CAonAli VahdatFEABBA
16545GRAntonis KokkalidisDCAFBF
16645SELennart FredrikssonDEABAF
16745AUBill HearnDEECDA
16845USJim FoxDFBAFD
16944UKenAndy HollandECBBBF
17044USflFlorence RosenthalBFBCFC
17144USmoKit NowickiBFBACA
17244RORadu BlejeruBCBAEA
17344UKenMichael ClarkAEBEDB
17444ESJames CalabutAEBCBC
17544CAnsElianor KennieBCBAFC
17644CAnsGerald MurphyDAABDB
17744CAonPieter GeerkensDECBBC
17844UKenCarlos DabeziesDEBBAC
17944CAJack AdamEFBAAB
18044USwaCandace AllenBFBAAE
18144USnjArline FultonACBABF
18244UScaRich PavlicekDECBAF
18344UKniRobin BurnsDEBAEE
18444USflJohn VegaECBBAA
18544USnyAdam LallyEEBBBD
18644ILYoram BavliDEAAEF
18744USmdJoe BotkinAFBAFF
18844USnjArthur TomBACDBB
18944USflLance MarrouEABBAC
19044ILHaim TemesBEBACF
19144USncDale SwiftBEBCAD
19244USmaMatthew DyerBCBAFC
19344CAonPaul HardyEDBBBE
19444USilMark FriedlanderAEBBFF
19544NLThijs VeugenDBAAFF
19644MTMario DixDCBBBE
19744USmnJack RhatiganBABBEF
19844USilKent FeilerDDAADF
19944INPratapan RajanBEAFAB
20044TWAh-Chen HuangEFBBFF

Scores 7V55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2001 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreLCName123456
20144HUBernadette MagyarDFABFF
20244CAonMihai ValcuDAAADD
20344UStxJeff KaldemADABBA
20443UScaSandy BarnesDCABFF
20543SISimon PirjevecBFCBBF
20643USvaTibor KoosBABACC
20743CApqNorman WolfeAEBFFE
20843USnjLarry PennefatherACBAFF
20943IDNoer Imanzal KartamadjanaDCBBAF
21043ITFelice CupaneEDECBF
21143ITPierluigi SessoloEFBCEA
21243NZKaren HarrisBFBFFC
21343USlaAda LoetzerichCABACA
21443UScaBill CubleyEDBFBD
21543UYSara RathauserECBAFC
21643AUJack BanaBFBCCA
21743PTRodrigo CunhaCEBAAF
21843NOMagnus SkaarBFBBAF
21943EEAllar PadariACBAFF
22043UKenDavid MorranDBBBFF
22143RORadu MarcoviciBAACDC
22243USvaJohn ConoverBCEEBE
22343ITVanni RuiAABBBD
22443ZAKoos van ZylDFEABE
22543USflWilliam StevensADBBAA
22643UScaMarvin FrenchDEBBAD
22743NLGraard SteenbakkersBACACF
22843UScaStu GoodgoldBCAAFE
22943INVijay RaghavanBFECBF
23043UKenAnthony GoldingDFBAEF
23143USilRick KirbyBCBCBD
23243INVibhas TodiDAABEF
23343USflMarcia GreensteinDCBBFE
23443USflNancy NicholsECBABD
23543USmnDavid NeimanBCACBE
23643AUAlex KemenyEABBEF
23743USmaCathy VintonBAAACB
23843UKenDafydd JonesDFEEEA
23943UScaMike CarneyDDABFE
24043TRTurgay UrlaAEBFFE
24143UScaJoseph DimuroAABADE
24242UScaLen VishnevskyDFBBDF
24342UScaTysen StreibBEAFAC
24442CAskJim GrahamBBBFBE
24542USflSandra BergerBDAEDC
24642PLDarek KardasDDAAEF
24742UKenDavid DaviesDEBBEB
24842USwaMarsha RaytonBFBADE
24942UKwaSteve WebbDCBAAD
25042USnjLeonard HelfgottBCBBAF
25142UKscMartin KaneDCBAEF
25242JPKatsuko KawakuboBEEAAE
25342HRIvan MosettigBABBEE
25442DKJacob RonDCAADF
25542AUDavid SternBBCCAA
25642USnyRene FraymanBAEFCA
25742ATCarl-Pius AretinACEABA
25842USazRobb GordonDEABDB
25942USnyLeonard BrumDFBBFD
26042USazBeverly TerryDEBBEB
26142CARobert WilliamsADBBFF
26242UStxColeen PalmerCCBBBA
26342UStxPhillip JaegerECABAA
26442USnyDennis KayeDCBFAE
26542CAbcJoyce MunichBFAACA
26642TWSuyu ChiuEBBBBF
26742USflAlan KravetzECBFFE
26842IERichard MullinsBEBFDC
26942ROFlorin ConstantinDEBBEB
27042USncLynn DillardDFBFAC
27142TWLemon ChiouEFBBAF
27242TWRo-Mei LaiEFBBAF

Names with accented or non-English letters have been converted to an English representation with a 26-letter alphabet. Many people use erratic capitalization, so I determine proper case by algorithm; if this does not correctly display your name, please advise and I will add it to the exception list. If you wish to contact someone whose name you see listed (such as a lost friend) give me permission to send your address to that person, then he or she can contact you. I will not give out e-mail addresses (these are private and go nowhere from me).

Scores 7V55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2001 Scores

Location Ranking

This table lists all the participating locations, ranked by the average score of their entries. The “Best” column shows the best finish (by rank) of any player in that location. Locations with less than five entries are ineligible for the top ranking and grouped separately.

RankAverageBestLCLocationEntries
146.4047ILIsrael5
245.4027USnjNew Jersey10
345.0029UStxTexas13
444.888USwaWashington8
544.807RORomania10
644.4023HRCroatia5
743.3813DEGermany8
843.2311UKenEngland26
943.2042BEBelgium5
1043.0810TWTaiwan12
1143.0098USgaGeorgia5
1242.9328INIndia28
1342.823CAonOntario17
1442.7132ITItaly7
1542.4074ZASouth Africa5
1641.9281NLNetherlands13
1741.8076USncNorth Carolina5
1841.7821USilIllinois9
1941.5612USUnited States9
2041.5052UKscScotland6
2141.4056SESweden5
2241.2977USmdMaryland7
2340.8993USmaMassachusetts9
2440.7514AUAustralia24
2540.7326USflFlorida30
2640.67143USvaVirginia6
2740.5916USnyNew York22
2840.4325CAabAlberta7
2940.33112CAnsNova Scotia6
3039.17160NONorway6
3139.00207CApqQuebec5
3238.894UScaCalifornia46
3338.36122CAbcBritish Columbia11
3438.0069TRTurkey11

RankAverageBestLCLocationEntries
3559.001HKHong Kong1
3659.002CHSwitzerland1
3754.0020RURussia1
3851.0030EGEgypt1
3949.0064CZCzech Republic1
4048.675USohOhio3
4148.5019PTPortugal2
4248.5043ESSpain4
4348.0079USwiWisconsin1
4447.5080USalAlabama2
4547.0067USorOregon2
4646.5096BGBulgaria2
4746.3333PLPoland3
4846.0049ATAustria2
4946.00116CAmbManitoba1
5045.6787IDIndonesia3
5145.0071USpaPennsylvania4
5245.0083FIFinland3
5345.00150USakAlaska1
5445.00159USkyKentucky1
5544.67113EEEstonia3
5644.5015UKUnited Kingdom2
5744.0066HUHungary4
5844.00171USmoMissouri1
5944.00196MTMalta1
6043.6765UScoColorado3
6143.50121USmiMichigan2
6243.00213USlaLouisiana1
6343.00215UYUruguay1
6442.50139CNChina2
6542.2561USazArizona4
6642.00165GRGreece2
6742.00244CAskSaskatchewan1
6842.00249UKwaWales1
6941.50114FRFrance4
7041.50252JPJapan2
7141.25179CACanada4
7241.00302USmtMontana1
7340.6797USdcWashington DC3
7440.67124USinIndiana3
7540.33197USmnMinnesota3
7640.00126IEIreland3
7740.00328CAytYukon1
7839.50281USarArkansas2
7939.00105ARArgentina4
8039.00212NZNew Zealand3
8139.00339RSSerbia1
8239.00347USctConnecticut1
8339.00378BRBrazil1
8437.67254DKDenmark3
8537.50319CLChile2
8636.00434USneNebraska1
8734.75205SISlovenia4
8834.3399USokOklahoma3
8934.00476UStnTennessee1
9033.00487LBLebanon1
9132.00494SGSingapore1
9232.00502USscSouth Carolina1
9331.50183UKniNorthern Ireland2
9431.00504USnvNevada1
9530.50469USnhNew Hampshire2

Scores 7V55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2001 Scores

Bot’s Eye View

I posed these play problems to some of the well-known bridge computer programs, and the results are tabulated below. (These results are not included in the “number of participants” shown above, nor in the calculation of the median or average score.) Most of the programs had different skill settings (thinking time), and this was set to the highest level within reason. The scores and rankings, based on six specific problems, are not necessarily indicative of each program’s overall capability.

In many cases a bot’s actual line of play did not match any of the choices. If the play was effectively the same as Line A-F (e.g., a transposition of plays), that choice was credited, however, if the line was considerably off base (i.e., worse than any of the options) I indicated this by the letter G. For scoring purposes, “Line G” counts the same as the lowest of Line A-F (it wouldn’t be fair to score it zero because the bot would have guessed if it understood the multiple-choice format).

Congratulations to GIB, which returned to form after a brief slip to second in my last play contest. A fine score of 50, too! Second place went to Q-plus Bridge with a solid 46, and third went to Bridge Buff with 42, good enough to make the human listings. The performance of the other bots was poor this month, which I noticed seemed to be due to a propensity to draw trumps too soon — in fact, Finesse Bridge led trumps on every problem (a primitive playing algorithm I suspect) yet still managed to take fourth place. Fortunately, HAL has a more sophisticated algorithm: (1) Consider the bidding, (2) analyze the lead, (3) then, and only then, choose a nullo play.

October 2001 Rankings
RankScoreLCProgram version123456
150USGIB 4.1.12DABACA
246DEQ-plus Bridge 6.1AABAFC
342CABridge Buff 8.0BABAGG
430USFinesse Bridge 2.5BCBGGG
529USBridge Baron 11.0GGBAGC
629JPMicro Bridge 9.01CCBFGC
720UKBlue Chip Bridge 3.4.3GGFAGG
813USHAL 9000GGGGGG

Bots Tested (alphabetical)
ProgramAuthor/Creator
Blue Chip BridgeIan Trackman and Mike Whittaker
Bridge BaronTom Throop and Stephen Smith
Bridge BuffDoug Bennion
Finesse BridgeMark and Aaron Marin
GIBMatthew Ginsberg
HALSomeone with a warped mind
Micro BridgeTomio and Yumiko Uchida
Q-plus BridgeHans Leber

Scores 7V55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2001 Scores

© 2001 Richard Pavlicek