Scores 7V87  MainChallenge


June 2002 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

“The Clubhouse Collection” play contest had 566 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 participants566
Number of locations97
Highest score60
Median score38
Lowest score13
Average score37.55

Top 100 Places

RankScoreLCName123456
160HRTonci TomicDEDEBF
260CAbcPeter NixonDEDEBF
359UKenGareth BirdsallDFDEBF
459UKenJohn ReardonDFDEBF
559UScaRob StevensDFDEBF
658CAonVinay SarinAEDEBF
758USwaN. Scott CardellAEDEBF
857USmaJonathan WeinsteinDEDEEF
957INNeelotpal SahaiDEDEEF
1057USilCharles BlairDFDEBA
1156INSivakumar SalemEFDEBF
1255PLSlawek CwiekDEDEDF
1355UKenRichard GarnerDFDAFF
1455HKWalter LeeDEDEDF
1555BGIrena FilkovaAADECF
1654PLDarek KardasDEDEAF
1754PLJacek MasiarekDFDEDF
1854CAonGabriel Nita-SagunaDAAEBF
1954CAonDale FreemanDEDEAF
2054UKMarcus ChiloarnusFFDEBF
2154RSBranko VlajnicDFDEDF
2254USmaBrian LeeDFDEDF
2353PLKazik DrozdzDADEDF
2453UScaTysen StreibDABEFF
2553PLWojtek UrbanDFDEAF
2653UStxHerbert WiltonDADEDF
2753UScaLen VishnevskyEADEFF
2853PLZdzislaw BelingDADEDF
2953UKenFrances HindenDFDEAF
3053RORadu MihaiDFDEAF
3153UScaGrant PeacockDFDEAF
3252PLMarcin ZbrojaDADEAF
3352USnySteven BloomAAAEBF
3452USriMichael JoyceDFDCEF
3552NOHarald PlahterDFBEFA
3652SIMatej AccettoAFDEDF
3752DERainer HerrmannDADEAF
3852UKenAlan WilsonAADAFF
3951UStxHanchang WangEADBCF
4051UScaAlvin FarberDFBACA
4151USmdJoe BotkinDFBEDF
4251USnyWilliam BascomDFBACA
4351INPratap NairDFDEAA
4451CAnsGerald MurphyDFAEFA
4551BEBernard DanloyBFDEBF
4651BGZahary ZaharievAADEDF
4751UStxBilly LeeperAADEDF
4851USJim FoxAFDBEF
4950USnyFranco BaseggioDFBEAF
5050UScaPat FranklinDEBBFA
5150CAbcRoss LamAADEAF
5249USohCraig BiddleDFBBFA
5349ESRaimon TatxeDAABBA
5449NZJohn KruinigerDFCEFA
5549TRAzer InalDBBEFA
5649CApqMarc-Andre ParentAEEEFA
5749SITolja OracDFDFFF
5849USmtBruce CookDFCEFA
5949ROCristian GuideaDAEEFA
6049PTManuel PauloAAEEFF
6148USilJames HudsonDFDAFD
6248CAonVince OddyEADBFA
6348UScaRon LandgraffAADBDF
6448SGGerald TanAADEAA
6548ITStefano BiciocchiAAAAFF
6647CAonBruce CookAAAACA
6747UKenNeil MorgensternAADBAF
6847IDHalik TriwahyudiDADCDA
6947UKenToby KenneyEEAEAF
7047UScoChuck ReedAFDBDA
7147HUImre CsiszarAFAEAF
7247INAnil UpadhyayDBDCDF
7347USmaVincent HarackiewiczDABCFA
7447UScaTom McGuireAEBEFC
7547ZAGeorge RahrAEBBDF
7646UScaSandy BarnesEBDBFA
7746UScaMike WeberAFDCDA
7846CApqPeter SchwartzEFBADF
7946DEHarro WimmelDFBAAA
8046USilGeorge KlemicFADECC
8146ITFranco GalleniDFECFA
8246IDNoer Imanzal KartamadjanaDBDAAA
8346HKTommy ChoDFDAFE
8446TRErdinc ErbilAADBDA
8546UKenJulian WightwickDFABAF
8646USmnKathleen WetterstromDBEEDF
8746CApqHuguette LacailleDDBEFA
8846USnhCenk TuncokEEDEDC
8946PLRoman KujaczynskiEADFCF
9046USohCraig SatersmoenAEFECA
9146USnjJames ConnellAFEEAF
9246USflPaul KubiakDAEBFA
9345USvaLarry KahnDAACEA
9445NOSvein Erik DahlDFBCDA
9545USwaBob RichardsonEFAEDA
9645INGopichand AnneDFABCC
9745LVIvars RubenisFFBEAF
9845ZABrad Ross-JonesFFDEFD
9945USnyKevin BathurstAFBEEC
10045SEMarcus HjelteDCDCCA

Scores 7V87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2002 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreLCName123456
10145CAonTerry NosanchukAADBAA
10245FIJussi TamminenAADAFD
10345NLMartijn SchoonderwoerdEAEEEA
10445UKenDean RiversDFAEFB
10545UKscPaul GipsonDEDBAC
10645INShaishav ParikhDAECFA
10745UKscNigel GuthrieAFAEFC
10845AUHeather ScottDCEEBA
10945CAnsBrian HansenDCDADF
11045TRReha AkgunAFCAFA
11145UKenGraham OsborneDFDFAF
11244USnjLeonard HelfgottDAACAF
11344USneAshish AgarwalEEABBC
11444UKenGeraint HarkerAAAAAF
11544UScaMilton SpinnerFFDAFC
11644NZMark HangartnerDFEAFC
11744DEHans FleischhackDFBCAA
11844SIBojan JusDFEEFB
11944UKenMark GoddardDFBCAA
12044NLFrans BuijsenDDDBAF
12144USilWalt SchaferDFBFFA
12244HKK.C. ChuDFFEAF
12344USpaPat PolicellaECDEEA
12444UKenCarlos DabeziesABDAFC
12544CAskHelen AndersonDFEEFB
12644ESJames CalabutDAEEFD
12744BGYanko YankovAEDFAF
12844TRUfuk CotukABDAAA
12944USflBonnie LamkinDFAEFE
13044SENiklas WarneAFABAF
13144AUBill JacobsAFABAF
13244AULorna SherwoodDEAFFA
13344USmaStephen McDevittDFEEFB
13444USohCarl HudecekDADBDC
13543UScaRoger CloughDFECDA
13643USnvRichard CoatesDAFAFA
13743CAabSheldon SpierBEABBA
13843USClaude Di FrusciaDAAAFD
13943USctJim BrennanDAEDCF
14043SITomaz ButinaAFEADA
14143USMarjorie BieleFADACD
14243USflAlan KravetzDFBBED
14343COHank MeyerCFEEFF
14443UStxJanice MasciarelliDCEBCF
14543USvaTibor KoosAFEADA
14643CAbcPeter MillerDABCAA
14743INKesavan SubramanianFAEEEA
14843FIJuha TamminenFBAEFA
14943ROMircea PetrescuFFABFA
15043NLThijs VeugenFADBDA
15143TRKamil KaraaliDFEEDC
15243ITFelice CupaneCBDABA
15343AUKen DalleyDBDADC
15443USpaSteve WhiteAFDAAC
15543AUNeryl BabbageDDEEDF
15643FRJean-Christophe ClementAAABAF
15743UKenRoger MortonEADBBE
15843UKenDouglas DunnDFACAA
15942HUGyorgy OrmayDEACCE
16042UScaSrikant SridevanAEECDA
16142NLHenk PippelDFEEDD
16242ARLuis ArgerichFADBFC
16342UScaBarb HemersonDEEDFA
16442AUBernard NightingaleDFADFA
16542UScaNeill CurrieDAEBAA
16642USmaCathy VintonEABCBC
16742LBFay ChidiacDDEBCA
16842SEAnders AslundFAEAFA
16942NLTommie NooijEFEADA
17042SEBengt-Eric FredrikssonAFDCDC
17142USmdTibor RobertsAFBBFD
17242USKenneth StrohlEABBBD
17342USdcJonathan SiegelDDDCBD
17442BEPatrick BockenBBDBEF
17542UScaJack ScottAAAAAA
17642AUBill PowellAFDAAD
17742SETor-Bjorn BohmanCEDEFD
17841AUPhil KlineDBEECE
17941FIJuuso LeikolaEABEFE
18041CAabDavid JohnsonADEBBA
18141USflArthur HoffmanAFCAAA
18241CAonDavid GraingerFFBBDA
18341USncFaye SattinDABCFB
18441CAskGerry NelsonDAECBB
18541NLJos VieveenAABCAA
18641USpaAndrea MissiasDAEBFD
18741USflBurt BergerFAAECD
18841NLPeter van der StapDBCBAF
18941AUJohn NivenFFEEFC
19041GEDavid ChechelashviliBEDEDC
19141USncTim HemphillDEEBDC
19241EEAllar PadariABDFDF
19341TRSenih InalDBFCFF
19441NZMohinder SachdevBAEAFF
19541CAnsDel KnoxDBEBDA
19641CAnbMike HartopFFAEFD
19741UKscTim McKayDAECAA
19841TWGin-Yu YangCFEAFF
19941INSubramaniam BalachandranAFEBAA
20041HRIvan MosettigACEEFA

Scores 7V87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2002 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreLCName123456
20141RSZoran RadojcicEBFACF
20241CAnsGlenda HansenDFFADA
20341CNWeidong YangBBDEBD
20441AUHelen ScottDDAEFC
20540SGMarco PohADBEFC
20640EEMeelis TiitsonDFFBDA
20740CAonJohn CunninghamBABBFA
20840UKenJames SheppardBCDABA
20940UStxPatricia CroughDFEDEA
21040UScaRich PavlicekEFACAA
21140USnjArthur TomDAEEAD
21240NZGiles HancockEDBEDA
21340NZMichael JohnstoneAFEEAC
21440UKKurt RosenfeldDBBEDB
21540INGodwin JeyaseelanEFFADF
21640USflRobert SolomonFCBEFA
21740INLakshmi ChariDFEEAB
21840INMohanakrishnan KumarDAABFE
21940NLRob ZijlstraCFACFF
22040ITPierluigi SessoloFDBEEA
22140UStxRichard HigginsAFEACE
22240CApqMartial ChagnonDABBDD
22340USmoJonathan GoldbergFBBEFC
22440UKenPaul HugginsADBEAA
22540SIEgon NovakFBFEFF
22640USalBen WheelerDAEDFA
22740UKenGordon RainsfordAAEAFD
22840FIErkki MalkamakiCADBAF
22940USflRoger PowellFEAAFD
23040DEUlrich VoigtDADBAE
23140UScaHarold SimonAFFBEA
23240INMaha SundarAFCBAA
23340AUJudy JessopDAEDFA
23439USnyBarry RigalBAEBCA
23539ILAlex DovDAFBDA
23639USflStuart SchwartzFDBEBC
23739USazMax JohnsonBFEADF
23839ATKarl EigenbauerFAACAF
23939CApqAnsar BurneyDFECFE
24039ISBjorn ThorlakssonDFEBDD
24139CAbcMichael DimichAABBDC
24239USohForrest SmithDCECFA
24339BGStancho IvanovDFECFE
24439INRamkumar IyerFEABBE
24539TRAltay AlpDFECFE
24639AUKeith BarrieACECBA
24739TWHang ChangAEBAAB
24839USiaBob McCurdyDFEBDD
24939BEEric BaesDFFCDA
25039UScaJay HelekarDEFCFC
25139USmsPat LacervaDEADFC
25239UKenStephen TurnerAAEEAC
25339USvaMariana KoosDDEADA
25439ARRaul MartinoEFACFD
25539UScaMichael DayEBCBDF
25639TWChen Jye ChwuAAFEAA
25739USvaJohn ConoverDFBFFD
25839SIMilan RancAFEEDB
25939HRZoran BohacekDFEBDD
26039INSumit MukherjeeDAABAC
26139INBrendon TauroABBBFD
26239UStxJeff KaldemABEAFC
26339USmaBob BoudreauAFBBAC
26439AUPam CrossDCEEAA
26539AUChristina BringauDBBADD
26638USflKaren RaphaelsonFADDAF
26738USscRajan IyerEFDFED
26838RSVeljko VujcicFFBBFB
26938UScaAlan HolmesEFABFE
27038USscMike RayDDEEFB
27138AUAndy ChanDFECDD
27238DEChristian GlubrechtAFFAAA
27338CAonShirley AshworthEADDAA
27438USilMark FriedlanderBADBFD
27538CAonPearl GoodmanDFBFFB
27638INPriya Ranjan SinhaAFFCAF
27738USnyJerold FrenchDBBEAE
27838ITMichele ScopellitiFCEEFA
27938BMSven PrideCADBAA
28038CAonRobert DefreyneCADCBD
28138UScaSteven HoughBFDCFD
28238ESAurelio GraciaCADBAA
28338SGTze Cheow SngAFABAC
28438CAnsBryson CrowellAABCDC
28538TWLin-Wen HoCBEAFF
28638UKenMichael MatesFAEBDA
28738ZACarin VerburgBAEBFA
28838AUEd McBainAACEAC
28938TRRagip AtademirDEEBDE
29038PLArek KulawikCBBAFA
29138CAmbDavid BroughEFDBAE
29238TRDogan GokbelBAEAEA
29338AUDiana HearnDBEEDB
29438ROCostin GeorgescuBAEBFA

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 7V87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2002 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
150.8912PLPoland9
242.3315BGBulgaria6
341.6765ITItaly6
441.4426UStxTexas9
541.406CAonOntario15
641.222CAbcBritish Columbia9
740.703UKenEngland30
840.5052USohOhio6
940.1456CApqQuebec7
1040.00102FIFinland5
1139.809INIndia25
1239.4045BEBelgium5
1339.3393USvaVirginia6
1439.2355TRTurkey13
1539.0010USilIllinois10
1639.0068IDIndonesia5
1738.6091USnjNew Jersey5
1838.60105UKscScotland5
1938.558USmaMassachusetts11
2038.4036SISlovenia10
2137.867USwaWashington7
2237.765UScaCalifornia46
2337.5030RORomania8
2437.19103NLNetherlands16
2536.8944CAnsNova Scotia9
2635.9154NZNew Zealand11
2735.6337DEGermany8
2835.0533USnyNew York19
2934.86123USpaPennsylvania7
3034.69100SESweden13
3134.34108AUAustralia47
3234.08198TWTaiwan12
3333.71235ILIsrael7
3433.2975ZASouth Africa7
3532.43137CAabAlberta7
3632.0092USflFlorida26

RankAverageBestLCLocationEntries
3752.0034USriRhode Island1
3849.0058USmtMontana1
3948.3314HKHong Kong3
4046.671HRCroatia3
4145.0097LVLatvia1
4244.7548USUnited States4
4344.3321RSSerbia3
4444.00113USneNebraska1
4543.00136USnvNevada1
4643.00143COColombia1
4742.3320UKUnited Kingdom3
4842.0064SGSingapore3
4942.00167LBLebanon1
5041.6771HUHungary3
5141.5053ESSpain4
5241.3335NONorway3
5341.00190GEGeorgia1
5441.00196CAnbNew Brunswick1
5541.00203CNChina1
5640.50162ARArgentina2
5740.50192EEEstonia2
5840.00223USmoMissouri1
5939.6760PTPortugal3
6039.00237USazArizona1
6139.00238ATAustria1
6239.00240ISIceland1
6339.00251USmsMississippi1
6437.00279BMBermuda2
6537.00303CApePrince Edward Island1
6636.75125CAskSaskatchewan4
6736.50139USctConnecticut2
6836.33267USscSouth Carolina3
6936.25183USncNorth Carolina4
7036.00323USdeDelaware1
7136.00338USinIndiana1
7235.75156FRFrance4
7335.5041USmdMaryland4
7435.0088USnhNew Hampshire3
7535.00291CAmbManitoba2
7634.50226USalAlabama2
7734.50327CHSwitzerland2
7834.0070UScoColorado3
7934.0086USmnMinnesota3
8034.00362USokOklahoma1
8133.00301USgaGeorgia3
8233.00393CAytYukon1
8333.00397CACanada1
8432.50173USdcWashington DC2
8532.00426GRGreece1
8631.00308USmiMichigan2
8731.00389CLChile2
8831.00438UKwaWales1
8930.00452BRBrazil1
9029.00345UStnTennessee2
9129.00411USakAlaska2
9229.00469JPJapan1
9328.00478CAnfNewfoundland1
9427.00507CZCzech Republic1
9526.00248USiaIowa2
9625.00487IEIreland2
9721.00554USarArkansas1

Scores 7V87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2002 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.

Congratulations to GIB, which topped all the bots (as usual in my play contests) and was the only one to beat the average human score. Curiously, four of its answers scored 10, and the other two were off the chart. On Problem 2 (3 C preempt with K-Q-9-8-7-5-4) after winning the C K and ruffing a spade, I couldn’t believe it led the C 9 next. On Problem 5 (the toughest one) it started out right with the C J and a spade ruff, but then drew a second round of trumps. Nonetheless, it was superb on the others, not only choosing the best answer but executing the follow-ups correctly.

In fairness, I must say that GIB takes more time than the other bots, and the pace I allow it for these problems would be unbearably slow for normal play (and I have a fast computer). Unfortunately, the various programs tested have quite different options regarding skill/time settings, so it is impractical to enforce a specific time limit. I more or less let each program do its thing at the highest skill setting it permits.

There were fewer Line G* choices this month (compared to April), although each bot had at least one — except for HAL, which always stays on the charts. HAL is amazing with its uncanny ability to pick my sixth choice on each problem.

*Line G indicates that the bot’s line of play was unlisted and inferior or equal to the worst choice listed. In other words, if it selects an unlisted line that is effectively the same as a listed line (e.g., a transposition of plays), it is credited with the listed line. For scoring purposes, Line G gets the same award as the worst of the listed options. Obviously, it wouldn’t be fair to score it zero because it would never be chosen if the bots were programmed for the multiple-choice format.

June 2002 Rankings
RankScoreLCProgram version123456
146USGIB 4.1.12DGDEGF
237USBridge Baron 11.0FDDEFG
333UKBlue Chip Bridge 3.4.3CEEAFG
432CABridge Buff 8.0EGCEFG
532USFinesse Bridge 2.5DGFEFG
623JPMicro Bridge 9.01GFEFGB
718DEQ-plus Bridge 6.1FBFGGG
810USHAL 9000CCFDAE

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 7V87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2002 Scores

© 2002 Richard Pavlicek