Scores 7X31 MainChallenge


April 2003 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

The “Delusions of Grandeur” play contest had 732 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 100101201301Location RankingBot’s Eye View

Number of participants732
Number of locations101
Highest score60
Median score40
Lowest score18
Average score40.06

Top 100

RankScoreCCName123456
160UKenJohn ReardonDCABBF
260BGZahary ZaharievDCABBF
360TRSalvador AssaelDCABBF
460USilCharles BlairDCABBF
560UScaRob StevensDCABBF
660SECarsten KofoedDCABBF
758USinTim DeLaneyFCABBF
857USnyFranco BaseggioDBABBF
957BRPaulinho BrumDCABFF
1057CAabDaniel BertrandDCABFF
1157INGowniyan VaideeshwarDCABFF
1257USvaHailong AoDCABFF
1357INSivakumar SalemDCABFF
1457CAonMalcolm EwashkiwDCABFF
1556CAabDavid JohnsonDCAEFF
1655PTManuel OliveiraDAABFF
1754PLWojtek SiwiecDCDBBF
1854FIPekka ViitasaloDCDBBF
1954HKWalter LeeDCDBBF
2054UKenNeil MorgensternDCDBBF
2154SGJinzhou LooDCADFF
2254TWD.C. LinDCDBBF
2354ZWLeif-Erik StabellDCDBBF
2454SGPoon HuaDCADFF
2554CAonJack ShinehoftDBADBF
2654CAonDale FreemanDAFEBF
2754CAonGabriel Nita-SagunaDCDBBF
2854TRDeniz UnluDCDBBF
2954UKenToby KenneyDCDBBF
3054NLJos van KanDAABBD
3154INNeelotpal SahaiDCDBBF
3254DERainer HerrmannDCABFE
3354USarDick HeilDCEEEF
3454UScaGrant PeacockDCDBBF
3554FIErkki MalkamakiDAEBFF
3654PTManuel PauloDCABFE
3754USnjIrina LevitinaDCDBBF
3854INKamal RoyDCABFE
3954CNFelix ArmenDCDBBF
4054PLZdzislaw BelingDCDBBF
4154PLDarek KardasDCDBBF
4254NLPerry GrootDCDBBF
4354UScaEd DavisDCDBBF
4454RUSergey KustarovDCDBBF
4553TRTamer CokgorFAABFF
4653CAbcRhonda FosterDAEEFF
4753PLWojtek UrbanDCABBA
4853USmtDot WilliamsDCAEBC
4953AUBill PowellDCFBEF
5053TROsman OzcanDCFEFF
5153FRJean-Christophe ClementFAFBBF
5252UKscNigel GuthrieFCDBBF
5352UKenGareth BirdsallDADBBF
5452USwaN. Scott CardellDADBBF
5552USazTom SchlangenFCDBBF
5652DEUrsula IlligDBEEBE
5752PTJorge GoncalvesDAADFF
5852USmaBrian LeeFCDBBF
5952ITFelice CupaneDAABFE
6052PTPaulino CorreaFCFBFF
6152USmaCharles AltmanDADBBF
6252VGBeverly WashburnFAFEBF
6352USpaKathy MillerDCAEEE
6452ARLeonardo FeugasECABBF
6552UKenJames MatesDCADBB
6652USvaYi ZhongDAADFF
6751UStxBill ErwinCBABBF
6851NOKristian KjorstadDBADBE
6951PLAndrzej KrakowiakDCDBFF
7051UKMarcus ChiloarnusDCABAF
7151PTJulia RussoDADEBF
7251USinDoug AveryDAAEFE
7351USmiTom JusterDAAEFE
7450CAonDaniel KorbelFADBBF
7550INParichay ShahAAABEF
7650UKenAnthony GoldingDCDBEF
7750UScoChuck ReedDCDEFF
7850UScaAl GoldspielDAAEEE
7950PLJacek MarciniakDCDFBF
8049UKenJohn EnglandDAAEFB
8149USpaJohn PolicellaDAEBED
8249USilNikolay DemirevDADBFF
8349CAbcConnie DelisleDADBFF
8449INKaizad AnklesariaDAAAEF
8549PTJorgez PedrazDAAEED
8649ILAlex DovDADBFF
8749UKenFrances HindenFCDDBF
8849PTNuno DamasoDAADFE
8949AUBruce NeillECABFF
9049AUBill HearnFBEEBD
9149UKenMike ArdronDDAEBB
9249JPKyoko OhnoDADDBF
9349BGChavdar KochkovDADBFF
9449ITRodolfo CerretoFCDBFF
9549HKPui Kong ChiuAAAABF
9649USnyBill DalyDADBFF
9749CAonMihai ValcuDEAEFF
9849NLThijs VeugenDADDBF
9949UKenDouglas DunnDADDBF
10049BEPatrick BockenDADBFF

Scores 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreCCName123456
10149RORadu MihaiDADBFF
10248SGGary AngDBEEEE
10348USilGeorge KlemicCAABEF
10448USmoGlenn SmithFAAFEF
10548AUAndy ChanAAEBBB
10648CAonJared RileyDAAEEB
10748ROCatalin LazarDAFEFE
10848ISSteinarr GudmundssonDBEBED
10948UScaJeff GoldsmithDCDBFE
11048ITMarco CatellaniFCDEFF
11148USmaVincent HarackiewiczDAAFFE
11248INPratap NairDCADEB
11348UScaMoshe ShatzkiDAFFFF
11448HULaszlo SztrapkovicsDADEFF
11548USohJohn KranyakFAABED
11648USPaul JohnstonFAEBFD
11748JPMasayuki HayasakaECAFBF
11848CAmbDoug JobbinsDAFDBD
11948DEJoerg WenschDADBEF
12048AUNiels KjellerupDAADEE
12148TWWen-Lung HuangFAAEFD
12248INAnil UpadhyayDADBEF
12347UKenGeraint HarkerDABBBC
12447NLDale RudrumDAFAFF
12547PTCarlos AntunesDADEEF
12647USnyRobert LiptonDBABEC
12747USmaBruce TedfordACEEEE
12847UScaJim RiceFBFEEF
12947USilDavid SheltonDAEECE
13047IECiaran CoyneECABBB
13147UScaRena FarberDCECEF
13247ESMercedes EizmendiFAEEEE
13347PLPiotr IksDCDFFF
13447BGAndrey PetrenkoDCFBFA
13547IDSuatmodjo NaslanDAEFFE
13647USmdJerrold MillerDDAEEE
13747MXRobert PughFADBFF
13847HRMario ZeljkoFADBFF
13946CAonDavid ColbertFBADFE
14046USmiGordon ParnesDAFDFE
14146USpaRoger WolfBAAEFE
14246USohCraig BiddleDDFBFE
14346USMark RillingDCFFEE
14446UScaRonald KowDAEEDE
14546CAonDavid GraingerDADBFE
14646USgaLarry GiltmanFDEDBE
14746ZABernard DondeFAAFFE
14846USpaMatt LahutDAAFED
14946ZACarin VerburgCAEEEF
15046UScaSteven HoughDAFFBB
15146ITDaniela TontiCAABFE
15246USvaTibor KoosDAAAEE
15346IEKarel de RaeymaekerBAADEF
15446IDJohny SiswadiDDEBFB
15546CAabSheldon SpierDAFEFB
15646NLPeggy KruidenierCCAEFD
15746USncMike RiceDAECFF
15846UScaMarvin FrenchECDBBF
15946BEBernard DanloyDADDFF
16046USncDavid KogutFAADEE
16146ESJavier CarboneroEAAEFF
16246FIKyllikki AspegrenFAEEED
16346UKenAshley SawyerDAACEF
16446USgaKenneth HardcastleFCEFDF
16546USwaLen MaxwellDAEEDE
16646NLRonald BrantsmaDCFDFB
16746TWPoker HuangAAAEFD
16846USmaJ. Michael AndresenAAFEEF
16946AUHeather ScottDBDEEF
17045LVIvars RubenisDADBFD
17145CAonDoug SmythDADBFD
17245CAonJeff MayhewDADEFE
17345TWHang ChangCAAEFE
17445USnjLeonard HelfgottAADBFF
17545NLFernando NoordamEABBBF
17645USazMax JohnsonAAAEED
17745USmaFrank MorganAAEEDF
17845UKenCharlotte VineDABEEE
17945UKenAdam DickinsonCAEDBE
18045NOSvein Erik DahlAAEEEE
18145USnyDennis KayeCAAEFE
18245ESJuan BovedaDADDEF
18345IDElita NasutionDAFBDE
18445USpaDottie AbelDBAEEA
18545USpaFrank AbelDBAEEA
18645CNLigang LingDAEFFB
18745AUBill JacobsDADDEF
18845EGAndrew de SosaDADFFF
18945AUDiana HearnFAFEEE
19045USkyRichard CornettDBBFFF
19145USmaJim MooreDAFDEE
19245BEJean KovalewskiDEEDEF
19345USohMary Alice BartishDCFCEF
19445CApqIssie MarkowiczDCCBFE
19545CAonNaveed AtherAADBFF
19645ITNicola FarinaDCDBAF
19745USnyTom BarryAAAEED
19845USflArnold CohenFADEEF
19945TRUfuk CotukDADFFF
20044USwaJosh SinnettFDDDBF

Scores 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 Scores

Places 201-300

RankScoreCCName123456
20144NLTommie NooijFABEFE
20244CAonPieter GeerkensEADBBF
20344IDPika PiskantoDADBFB
20444UScoJudy DruryECEFFF
20544NZKerry KellyDAFCBE
20644NLBen Ter HorstCCFEFE
20744HKHenry LamDDADFB
20844USohWalter BeinCAAEEE
20944INMohanakrishnan KumarAAAABB
21044NLFrans BuijsenFADDFF
21144UStnJoseph HawesDAFFEE
21244USctScott LoringBAEBFB
21344AUJohn DareFBAEDE
21444ISPetur SteinthorssonDBFDFD
21544USazPaul GlickAADEFF
21644ZASid IsmailFADBFE
21744ARRaul MartinoCCFEFE
21844USorJosh KvidtBAAEED
21944USorDarius JacksonBAAEED
22044ILArthur CyngiserFADDFF
22144USwaMaude GunnDADEEE
22244INVenkatesh RamaratnamDAFCFF
22344LBZouheir EzzeddineDFFEEF
22444USncJon RiceDAACFE
22544USncKwong ChungDCACED
22644CAnsBryson CrowellDBDFFF
22744TRYalcin UmurtakAABABF
22844UStxJack MuzzioCAAEFD
22944UScaPeter FranksCCFEFE
23044UKenRichard MorseECAEEE
23144DEMichael BotzetDADEEE
23244TWYe-Fon TsaiCAAEFD
23344AUPam CrossDAFCBE
23444CHAziza RusconiBCAFEE
23543ITFranco GalleniDDAFFB
23643UKenTeymur TahseenDEEEFB
23743USnyKenneth HermanDDECBE
23843USflJane KilleleaDAFCEF
23943USilDan EnglishFDFBFD
24043CAonMatthew MasonAAEEFC
24143CAbcDavid HooeyBAAFFE
24243USflBekir ArslanDBFDFB
24343USscRick GilesDAECFE
24443USnyWilliam BascomDADEFB
24543ITValter BoettiECDBBE
24643USnyGerald CohenCADBFF
24743INKalyan LahiriDAEFDE
24843USvaPrahalad RajkumarFAEDEB
24943UScaSrikant SridevanDBFFEE
25043UScaDanny KleinmanDCDDFB
25143ROGeza Stanca-VassFADFFF
25243AUElizabeth WylieFAEEDD
25343USpaConstance GoldbergDADEFB
25443USvaBill JamersonDAFFFB
25543BMFlorin PatriciuAAAEDE
25643BMLaura YoungAAAEDE
25743PLKazik DrozdzDCDBEA
25843NOKnut SingsaasBBAEFB
25943AEWael AgamawiFAECEF
26043ARGerardo MalazdrewiczDFAEED
26143USmsPeggy MillerDBDDBB
26243PLMarcin ZbrojaECCBBF
26343CAabDick YuenDDECFF
26443DEHarro WimmelDBDEEE
26543USnvCarol SimonDCDDFB
26643CApqGabriel GilbertFAEADF
26743DEHans FleischhackAADEBD
26843UKenJohn HaslegraveFADDEF
26943BGTchavdar NikolovFAFDBA
27042UScaSandy BarnesDDBBED
27142FIJussi TamminenAAFEFB
27242RORadu BardanFAFCFF
27342USflMel KleinDABDFB
27442USohJessie GoodwinDBFFED
27542SGEugene HoDACBEE
27642USmiBurt BothellFADBFB
27742USnhRichard BatorBAAEEC
27842CAonSheila McDonaldFCCBEE
27942USnvRichard CoatesAAECFF
28042FIJoakim FabritiusDADEEB
28142BEAlon AmselFADFEF
28242UScaCharles ThompsonCBAEED
28342USnmKen HarrisFAFCFF
28442BGOgnian SmilianovEAADBB
28542SITomaz ButinaAADDFF
28642UKenLuke PorterCAEAEF
28742USlaTed MorrisCAABFA
28842UKenQuentin StephensFAFFFD
28942USnyAndrew NitzbergAEAEFE
29042USpaGeorge CrossDEACBE
29142USmoHerbert CondieDDDBFD
29242UScaEarl SemonesDDDDEF
29342IERichard MullinsEAAEEE
29442USmiGeorge HoaglinDBACEE
29542USmnMike CasselDBDDFE
29642BGEmil IvanovDDDDEF
29742UKscTim McKayEAAEEE
29841USilRain LanFADBEB
29941NLPeter van CasterenFCDFEE
30041BEEugeen VannutenDADCFF

Scores 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreCCName123456
30141USflBob BernhardFCECED
30241UKwaAlan StephensonDDFDFB
30341UScoSteve MarxBCEEDB
30441UScaStephen SeagrenBAEFEE
30541UScaAllen ProhofskyEABEBE
30641INRamesh KeshavamurthyAAEFFB
30741SGAdam KingAADDEF
30841UScaAlvin FarberDDFFEE
30941UStxJack LacyCABDFF
31041UScaStu GoodgoldADFBEE
31141UScaRichard AronsonFBDEEE
31241USilMark KesslerFADEFB
31341PLSlawek CwiekDCCBFA
31441UScaMark SloanABFEFB
31541USflPatrick ThomasDCFCED
31641JPYoshida KiyoshiAAFDFD
31741CAonHiam BohsaliFBFFEE
31841FRPhil GrandDACBED
31941USilRick KirbyEBAEEE
32041NZJohn LuoniDADDED
32141USnyJames FogelFCDEDE
32241UStxDoug CouchmanFADFBB
32341ROLaci BaranyiDADDFB
32441BGLudmil MirovDEDDFF
32541UScaDamo NairBAFEED
32641USnyJack PresserEAAABD

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 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 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.

RankAverageBestCCLocationEntries
147.4022TWTaiwan5
245.7717PLPoland13
345.1711INIndia18
444.7110CAabAlberta7
543.782BGBulgaria9
643.4559ITItaly11
743.1419HKHong Kong7
843.1321SGSingapore8
943.1216PTPortugal17
1043.0063USpaPennsylvania11
1142.6318FIFinland8
1242.60130IEIreland5
1342.5632DEGermany9
1442.3714CAonOntario27
1542.33135IDIndonesia6
1642.2064ARArgentina5
1742.20132ESSpain5
1841.934USilIllinois14
1941.321UKenEngland38
2041.3055USazArizona10
2141.0077UScoColorado5
2240.8954USwaWashington9
2340.50101RORomania8
2440.4012USvaVirginia10
2540.38157USncNorth Carolina8
2640.338USnyNew York21
2740.2830NLNetherlands25
2840.213TRTurkey19
2940.0073USmiMichigan6
3039.8858USmaMassachusetts17
3139.8352UKscScotland6
3239.75100BEBelgium8
3339.60115USohOhio10
3439.2746CAbcBritish Columbia11
3538.8249AUAustralia34
3638.615UScaCalifornia62
3738.29194CApqQuebec7
3838.0086ILIsrael9
3937.717USinIndiana7
4037.60116USUnited States5
4137.5051FRFrance12
4237.2968NONorway7
4337.006SESweden9
4437.0037USnjNew Jersey7
4537.00114HUHungary5
4636.29136USmdMaryland7
4736.0067UStxTexas14
4835.81198USflFlorida32
4935.63205NZNew Zealand8
5034.00226CAnsNova Scotia7

RankAverageBestCCLocationEntries
5154.0023ZWZimbabwe1
5254.0033USarArkansas1
5354.0044RURussia1
5453.0048USmtMontana1
5552.0062VGVirgin Islands UK1
5647.00137MXMexico1
5746.00108ISIceland2
5845.5070UKUnited Kingdom2
5945.3339CNChina3
6045.00188EGEgypt1
6144.00147ZASouth Africa4
6244.00211UStnTennessee1
6344.00223LBLebanon1
6443.2592JPJapan4
6543.00104USmoMissouri3
6643.00255BMBermuda2
6743.00259AEUnited Arab Emirates1
6843.00261USmsMississippi1
6942.679BRBrazil3
7042.50118CAmbManitoba2
7142.00283USnmNew Mexico1
7241.33218USorOregon3
7341.33265USnvNevada3
7441.25146USgaGeorgia4
7541.00302UKwaWales1
7640.33170LVLatvia3
7739.33138HRCroatia3
7839.00277USnhNew Hampshire2
7938.33234CHSwitzerland3
8038.00287USlaLouisiana2
8138.00295USmnMinnesota2
8238.00401USokOklahoma2
8338.00441USalAlabama1
8437.00474BHBahrain1
8536.00190USkyKentucky4
8636.00511UKniNorthern Ireland1
8735.67285SISlovenia3
8835.00459RSSerbia2
8934.75243USscSouth Carolina4
9034.50485USwiWisconsin2
9134.25212USctConnecticut4
9234.00556USakAlaska1
9333.00585CAskSaskatchewan1
9432.00619CLChile1
9531.67410GRGreece3
9631.50553CZCzech Republic2
9730.50494EEEstonia4
9830.00679CACanada1
9929.00682MYMalaysia1
10026.00672CApePrince Edward Island2
10124.00723THThailand1

Scores 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 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 have 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.

*I do not allow any setting that takes more than a minute to make a play. Time considerations are also used to break ties, i.e., if two bots have the same total score, the edge goes to the one that took less time. I conduct the tests on a 2.0 GHz CPU with 512 MB RAM, running Windows 98.

GIB stepped back into form this month with a narrow win over Blue Chip Bridge and Bridge Buff. The winning score was lower than usual, and none of the bots beat the average human score. I’m not sure what to make of this, other than maybe bots don’t like seven-bids.

Problem 5 proved to be the biggest bot stumper, as most chose plays that were exceedingly poor and unlisted.* Even GIB made me wonder if it had been out partying the night before, winning the S K and leading a heart to the 10 (blocking hearts), thus forcing an early commitment in clubs. The only bot to stay on the chart was Bridge Baron, but it actually wanted to play the S J at trick one.

*If a bot’s sequence of plays is unlisted, I substitute a listed line (A-F) if the difference is trivial, such as a transposition of plays. The indication of Line G means the chosen line was not only unlisted but also worse than (or as bad as) any listed line. For scoring purposes, Line G gets the same award as the lowest listed line.

On Problem 2, HAL came up with a beautiful discovery play. It ruffed the club lead and immediately led three rounds of hearts, ruffing in hand. When West discarded, it was obvious he had no trumps, so HAL took a first-round trump finesse, allowing the third club to be ruffed high. Well done, HAL. You just earned my first-ever Line H.

April 2003 Rankings
RankScoreCCProgram version123456
140USGIB 6.1.3DAECGF
239UKBlue Chip Bridge 4.0.5GCAFGF
339CABridge Buff 8.0FAEFGE
436USBridge Baron 11.0GAFFEE
536JPMicro Bridge 9.01GCAFGE
634NLJack 2.0DEDEGE
729DEQ-plus Bridge 7.1ECDCGF
811USHAL 9000EHCCGA

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

Scores 7X31 MainChallengeAnalysesTop April 2003 Scores

© 2003 Richard Pavlicek