Scores 7X87 MainChallenge


June 2004 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

“The Falcon Is Found!” play contest had 891 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 100101201301401Location RankingBot’s Eye View

Number of participants891
Number of locations117
Highest score60
Median score38
Lowest score16
Average score37.88

Top 100

RankScoreCCName123456
160PLJulka KowalskaDBFCDD
260AUBruce NeillDBFCDD
360PLAndrzej KrakowiakDBFCDD
459HULajos LinczmayerDBFCDA
559SERolf MattssonDBECDD
659SECarsten KofoedDBECDD
759ESJavier CarboneroDBECDD
858PLKazik DrozdzDBFCCD
958CNXiongwen GuDFECDD
1058USorJohn LuskyDFECDD
1158INNeelotpal SahaiABFCDD
1257PLDarek KardasDBFCAD
1357USmoDing-Hwa HsiehCBFCDD
1457BGRoud van NistelrooyCBFCDD
1557PLJacek MasiarekDBFCAD
1657UScaRob StevensCBFCDD
1756HRDean PokornyDBFDDC
1856CNWuping LuCBECDD
1956BGZahary ZaharievBBFCDD
2055BEGuy van MiddelemDFECCA
2155NLDale RudrumDBEADA
2255ESGonzalo GodedBBECDD
2355CNNing LiuDEFCDC
2455UKMarcus ChiloarnusABFCAD
2555PLWojtek UrbanDBFCED
2655USilCharles BlairDDFCDD
2754CNWang ChangCFFCDC
2854USinTim DeLaneyDDFCDA
2954USohCarolyn AhlertDDECDD
3054RORadu VasilescuDDFCDA
3154NLJan TesselaarCBECDC
3254UKenJohn ReardonCBFCAD
3354PLMarcin ZbrojaDBFCFD
3454PTManuel PauloDBFBDC
3554UScaJim MundayCBECDC
3654CNWeidong YangBBECDA
3754UKscNigel GuthrieBBFDDD
3853UStxBill ErwinDDECDA
3953USorMike SweetDFFBCD
4053FIJouko PaganusCEECDD
4153UKwaJulian PottageDDFCDC
4253PLSlawek CwiekDBFCBD
4353VEFrancis VernonAFECCA
4453CAonJohn S. RobsonBFECDA
4552INKamal RoyCBFADC
4652AUKieran DykeDFEDAA
4752PLRoman KujaczynskiDBFEDC
4851FRDaniel TixierDFECFA
4951CApqPeter SchwartzAFEADC
5051UScaJohn R. MayneDFEBCA
5151ROBogdan MitranDFECFA
5251TRErdinc ErbilCFFBDA
5351BRAntonio NeyDFEBCA
5451UKenToby KenneyCDECDD
5551ZAUlrich NellDFECFA
5650PLZbych BednarekDBEDFA
5750USnvBarry GorenCFEBDA
5850USflArthur HoffmanCBECEA
5950USvaChris JohnsonDBEDEC
6050TRMurat YavuzCFEACD
6150CApqNorm GordonDFCCED
6250ROMarius CosmaDFEDEA
6350LVAigars GermanisDDEDCD
6450TWHang ChangBBEDCA
6550ILMichael TillesADECCD
6650UKenPaul HugginsDDEDDC
6750BESebastien LouveauxDFECDF
6850CAonGabriel Nita-SagunaCCFCDD
6950UKenJulian WightwickCBECFD
7049CNJianhua AiDDEACD
7149USmnTony AmesDBEAEC
7249PLEuzebiusz TrutenDDFBDC
7349PLEustachy TrutenDDFBDC
7449PLKlitajmestra DzierlatkaDDFBDC
7549PLDomicella ChorzempaDDFBDC
7649CNJing LiuCFFCEC
7749USpaSteve WhiteCDEDDD
7849LBFadi FattoucheDDECED
7949INVijay GoelDBEDBA
8049USmdBrad TheurerDFEBED
8149CNJet ChjDEBCDD
8249NLFrans BuijsenCBEBCA
8349USkyPaul HightowerBFEDCA
8449UKenTeymur TahseenCCECDD
8549TRTamer CokgorDFEBED
8649USwaN. Scott CardellCBECFA
8749UKenDouglas DunnCBBCDD
8848HULaszlo SztrapkovicsDDEBCD
8948TROkan OzcanDEEDFD
9048CApqBob LyretteACECCD
9148CNLinlin HuCBECFC
9248UStxRichard HigginsBBEBCA
9348CApqLise LapointeDFEAFA
9448TRAzer InalFBEADA
9548HKSimon CheungBFECFD
9648FRThibault WolfBFEBCD
9748UScaLen VishnevskyCBEDEA
9848CAabSheldon SpierBFEACA
9948ESJordi SabateBFECFD
10048UStxKen BrantfergerDBEBEC

Scores 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreCCName123456
10148ITValter BoettiACEDDD
10248USwaJim WiitalaDDEACA
10348TRGuven DalkilicDDEBCD
10447NZStephen CullenABEAEC
10547UScaCharles ThompsonAFEAEA
10647USiaRichard NewellDDEDED
10747DEHarro WimmelDEEAEA
10847CNFei PengCBEDEC
10947ITMarco CatellaniDDEFDD
11047FIJuuso LeikolaCFEAED
11147UScaRichard SteinCEECFD
11247USflMel KleinAFEADB
11347USwaRandy DeansABEECC
11447CNKaifei ShenDDDDAD
11547USazJerry GaerCFEECD
11647USnyGerald CohenBDEADD
11747UScaBetsy MarcusAFEAEA
11847PLJacek ZwolinskiBFEDED
11947INMadhukar BapuCEFBAD
12047NOHans LahneADEDCA
12147ROAdrian PetculescuDBEFED
12247PTCarlos CabrinhaADEADC
12347UScaRon LandgraffADEDCA
12447UScaCharles KenadyDDEACC
12547TWRoy TsaiAFEDFA
12647USnyWilliam BascomAFEDFA
12747VEChristian BlohmABEECC
12847FIJussi TamminenDDEBAD
12947CAnsGerald MurphyDFBCAA
13047TRUfuk CotukDBFEEC
13146NLKees van Schenk BrillCDECED
13246USwaJosh SinnettCFEBED
13346USilGeorge KlemicDFEBBA
13446USazCharles QuennevilleFBEACA
13546USazMax JohnsonABEBFA
13646IDPika PiskantoDFEDCF
13746LBZouheir EzzeddineDDEDEA
13846USilRichard MurdockCDEACD
13946PLWojtek SiwiecCDFBDC
14046PLEuzebiusz RebajlloCDFBDC
14146UStxDoug CouchmanABEEED
14246SITomaz ButinaCBEBEA
14346USflBetty ParkerDCDADA
14446UKniRobin BurnsDDEAED
14546DKOle NormolleDEEDBA
14646UKenColin StreetABEACB
14746CApqSolange BouchardEBEBDD
14846CAnsRosemary SampsonDDEAED
14946UKenAnthony GoldingDDEDFD
15046CAnsBryson CrowellDCECEA
15146AUCharles BakerABFACE
15246DERainer HerrmannDDEDFD
15346UScaMartin HertzADEBCD
15446IEConor MooreDBEEFA
15545NZPhil ApokraCFEFCA
15645USakPhilip PallenbergDCEDED
15745JPMark LaForgeDFDBFA
15845SEAnders AslundAFEABA
15945USnjJiang GuDFFFFA
16045USflAlan KravetzACEACD
16145ITFranco GalleniDFEBCE
16245UKenNils BierrumFCECDD
16345PLHieronim WspanialyBDFBDC
16445CNC.M. JiangDDFDCB
16545USnmTimo ErkocBFDCFA
16645ROBogdan BaceanuDBAACA
16745UScaDoug DragosCDEAAD
16845AUDavid WiltshireAEEAFD
16945CNPeijie ZangBEEEDA
17045CNWei ZhuDDEDDE
17145HKTommy ChoBFEBED
17245UScaChang LuoDFEDEB
17345CApqDenis PierreCDEBCD
17445FRGuy LedanoisBDECED
17545USmdTibor RobertsDCECBD
17645BGNadejda JordanovaCEEBAA
17745PTAlexandre QuaresmaCFEBEA
17845CAabDaniel BertrandCDECFD
17945NOHarald WideroeDDEAEA
18045FRJean-Christophe ClementCFEFCA
18144CATerry PostAFEBBA
18244NOKay StrandDDDDEA
18344HKDavid MokDFEEDF
18444USnjJonathan BrillADEAED
18544NLJohn MolADEDEA
18644SGJia KeDDEDBA
18744UScaSandy BarnesDFEFBD
18844CNQijiao WeiCDCBDD
18944TRSenih InalADEAED
19044USHamp WilliamsDDEBFD
19144CNMin YanDDEDBA
19244CAnfMichael WitheyEBEACA
19344HKTheo ChinDDEABD
19444BEJean VerbekeDCEDDB
19544USflFlorence SmithFBECBA
19644DEMichael KammermeierBDEACA
19744UScaMargaret SlocumDDEDCB
19844USflRita SpitzerFBFAEA
19944ROKostea CucuAFECEE
20044EEMeelis TiitsonCBCAEA

Scores 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 Scores

Places 201-300

RankScoreCCName123456
20144NLDaniel de Lind van WijngaardenBDECFD
20244CAbcBrian WrightADEAED
20344USgaDavid SchulmanDCEBAA
20444UStxJimmy HubbardCFEBFA
20544USmaMark AquinoDCEAED
20644CApqRichard PaquinABCDBA
20744USmaBob BoudreauBDFCFA
20844USvaPrahalad RajkumarBEEECD
20944UKenFrances HindenCDECBD
21044UStxDavid CochenerBDEACA
21144CNWqiqiqi Laoqi WuDDEAFA
21244TWD.C. LinDDEBFD
21344USmaTim Francis-WrightBFEADE
21444UKenGareth BirdsallBDECEA
21544UStxCharles DeppenDFEFFA
21643USnjStephen StraussCFEDCF
21743USflDick MeyersEBFDEA
21843NLLeo BlaauwABEAEB
21943AUNiels KjellerupABFDEF
22043USwaHendrik SharplesDCEADB
22143CAonPaul RedversABEDEE
22243USwaYuan ChenADEAEA
22343INAnil UpadhyayACEAAA
22443NLErik StofferBCEDCA
22543GRLoukas NikainasACEEDA
22643PTJose EgrejaDDEDCE
22743NLJan TimmerEFEEDD
22843USvaYi ZhongCCECFD
22943CAonDaniel CecchelliACEBCA
23043PTJorge CastanheiraDDEBFA
23143ROMarian GalesanuFFFAFD
23243USmiMike GiordanoFDEDCD
23343EEJaak KandAFECBB
23443ROCatalin LazarDFEECE
23543SIBojan AmbrozADEAEA
23643CNHong LiAFEDEB
23743USnvKenneth WanamakerABEAEB
23843PLSebastian KrzemienCDEDEA
23943EEAllar PadariDCEAFD
24043UKenBill MichellBBFFDB
24143USmaMark GreenbergABEAEB
24243CNYungang LiuCDECBA
24343CAnsJim MathersDCEBED
24443USflEleanor GarberCBCDCB
24543RODorin ToparceanuADEECA
24643FRPascal WassongCEEADE
24743USpaAndy PurbrickADEBED
24843NZAndrei SharkoAFEDEB
24943USlaJames PellerinFBEDEC
25043HUJozsef SzikszaiDDEAFC
25143VEGustavo de LemosBDEDED
25243HKDavid WongADDCDE
25343CLConstantino SifaquiADEDEC
25443BGTchavdar NikolovBFEBFA
25542PTVitor LopesACEAED
25642USnjLeonard HelfgottCDEBED
25742DEHans FleischhackADEBEA
25842BEAlon AmselBBBACA
25942USnyRon SperberADEBFD
26042COMauricio TawilABEAFB
26142USorKevin LewisBDEAED
26242SEJohnny JohanssonDBEBBB
26342TRMelih KaradedeDEBBCA
26442NOGeir HarnesDCEAFA
26542PTFernando CruzDDEEEA
26642PTGoncalo Madeira RodriguesDDDAFA
26742USnmKen HarrisADEDBA
26842USflWalter MigdalADEDCB
26942NLJelmer HasperDFBAFD
27042HKPui Kong ChiuCDEBED
27142USilJonathan RivetCDEBED
27242ATCarl-Pius AretinADEAEC
27342UScaHarold SimonADEDDF
27442MXMarcelo MassonneauAFEDEE
27542USilJonathan FryDFADEA
27642TWHung-Ching ChiuADEBEA
27742UKenVictor MilmanAFEAEB
27842JPNico MatsumotoADEBFD
27942CDPaul InbonaCFFCFF
28042ITVanni RuiACEDEA
28142USazAdele VerkampADEDCB
28242ROGeza Stanca-VassBDEAED
28342UScaJanet HaleFDEDCA
28442FITaru SuppulaACCADC
28542BCKoldo SanchezEDEDDA
28642USnyGrace LloydDCEDCB
28742CNLonghai WangFFEFDC
28842PTJorge GoncalvesCDEFCD
28942CAonJeff MayhewDFEBEE
29042USgaFred TanzerDCEFCA
29142IEFred BarryBFEDCF
29242VEVivianne LechtmanDDEEEA
29342USilSteve SchwartzABEDBB
29442SIAles VavpeticBCEEDD
29542SEMats WaltreACEDFD
29642IEMaire O’KeeffeACEDEA
29742CAmbDoug JobbinsADFABA
29842ROGabriel DinescuADEBEA
29942USdcJonathan SiegelDCEBEA
30042BGPetko BoukovDCEDCB

Scores 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 Scores

Places 301-400

RankScoreCCName123456
30141USohDon WalkerACEADB
30241USnyVivian HershyEBEAEA
30341USsdDon TofteEFEDFD
30441USncShirley JacksonFBEABA
30541USflJohn RidenourFBEABA
30641USilDan EnglishFBEACB
30741CAonMatthew MasonACEECA
30841CNJianhua LiuFDECFD
30941USDavid DunstanCDEDFC
31041USnyDan GerstmanACEAEA
31141USncDavid KogutEFEAED
31241USpaStefan BasinskiCEEACE
31341CNQing YeAFEAEE
31441INNatarajan KrishnamoorthyAFACEC
31541UStxBill BreslinADEDCE
31641HUAbel BojarACEAEA
31741UScaRichard AronsonDDEFEA
31841IEMartin BradyDFEAFF
31941UKenJohn EnglandCDEABD
32041BGOgnian SmilianovCEEBBA
32141LVJanis DzenisDCEDCE
32241CNLiang TanCFEEBA
32341CHPedro BilarEBEAEA
32441CAbcMalcolm CampbellBCEBCA
32541USvaBill JamersonDDEDEB
32641EEMihkel AllikCDEBEA
32741USwaLen MaxwellACEECA
32841ESNeftali ManesEEEACA
32941AUPeter TallACEAEA
33041CAonPieter GeerkensBFACED
33141UKscMike HammettFBDAEA
33241UKenJohn HaslegraveDDEACF
33340RSZoran RadojcicFCFCEA
33440DEChristiane MielkeEEEDED
33540USctKen GraebeCBEABB
33640AUDavid SternACEBEA
33740BMSven PrideCFDFFD
33840UScoPaula WarrenADEACE
33940UScaDan HirschbergAFEABB
34040USpaRoger WolfBFEDFB
34140USctGary SeckingerDDEECB
34240AUAndy ChanDCEEEA
34340CAonAdrienne MarriottADEACE
34440USnyMildred SimonFBEBBA
34540CNXinjian HuangDFFFEE
34640UScaPhillip MacklerADDDCB
34740TRAri HaddelerDDEAEB
34840USvaDavid WalkerACEAEC
34940TRLeyla KezerACEDCB
35040CZTomas MeclAEAACA
35140UKscTim McKayAFEAFE
35240USctJim BrennanDAEABD
35340USnhRichard BatorDDEAEB
35440CAmbDavid SiredBFEEFC
35540ESMercedes EizmendiFFBDCD
35640USpaDottie AbelADECEE
35740NLWilliam ClaassenACEDBA
35840CAbcBrent MooderCCEAEA
35940UScaRoss CullinsAFDDEE
36040USmaCharles AltmanBDEAFA
36140TROsman OzcanDCEEEA
36240FRGerard MarotBFFFCB
36340USilJacqueline RappBBEDFE
36440NOBjorn HelgebyCBBAFD
36540UScaJim BauchFBEBCB
36640USmnDan FinnADEACE
36740CAonHelen JohnstonCCEAFD
36840UScoDon HincheyDAEAFA
36940USpaJanet StineEBEAFA
37040TRYavuz OvacikBBDEEC
37140USmoCharlie LynnCCEDFA
37239USorPaul FlashenbergFDEAED
37339GRAugustin TsirimokosBCFABD
37439USflMatthew NorrisFBBACA
37539USpaSal BerenholzFBDABA
37639UKenRay ParkinsonADEDEB
37739CApqDenise PionFCEAAD
37839UStxPatsy PierceFBBAAD
37939DEMathias MaurerEEEECD
38039NLMonique van de SandeEFEDCB
38139RUVitaly NovikovDDEFDF
38239CAbcMichael DimichDFEEEF
38339USflJoseph LaneDDEDBB
38439CNXndq LiuADAACD
38539USnjSteven ShulmanADEACF
38639UScaBill CubleyDEDECE
38739USnyJoan AndertonFAEADA
38839USohGary SikonADEFFD
38939USidPaul AllmanBFDEEC
39039USkyBeve SmithDCEEEC
39139RSMarko PopovicDCEDEB
39239HKJonathan NgBDEABA
39339UKenRobin HolmesDDEDBB
39439HKWing-Kai HonCCEBFD
39539FRAlbert OhanaCDCAFD
39639USpaMichael BelmanADEDEB
39739CAabDick YuenACFBCB
39839USmaDavid RockDEEABE
39939CAnsStephen TynesAFBAFA
40039CApqAnsar BurneyADEDEB

Scores 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreCCName123456
40139USnyAndy CorvidCDCECA
40239SGKelvin NgCFEAFE
40339PTManuel OliveiraCCEFAD
40439TRAykut AksuBBCEFA
40539HRZoran BohacekEDEACA
40638CAonDavid ColbertDDEBEE
40738UKenQuentin StephensABCAFE
40838USnyKevin BathurstDFBEEC
40938USilRain LanACEACE
41038AUInez GlangerADEEFC
41138UKenCharlotte VineADEDEE
41238PLKrzysztof KurowickiACEACE
41338UKenGeraldine BrockFAEDCA
41438CAonGeorge KnightACFDEB
41538INGopichand AnneDCEAEB
41638USohBob StittAAEBDB
41738CAonRichard PapineauEFDAEA
41838UKenNeil PrebbleACADCD
41938VEFrances HansenABCABB
42038BESven NeirynckDDBCCE
42138UStxAlbert SekacBDECFB
42238USflJerry MerrellFBEAEB
42338USwiTyson PattersonEBEACE
42438NOGeir NostdahlAEEAEF
42538UScaRoger CloughFDEAEA
42638PTPedro MorbeyAFEBFF
42738USpaFrank AbelADEDEE
42838CNYunxiu ZhouCEEDFE
42938USnyAndrew NitzbergCBADBA
43038UScoJohn BortinsFBEDFB
43138UKenDavid KendrickFDEFCD
43238UKenLee DuffDAEBCB
43338USflSteve BarcusBCDAED
43438NZFraser RewADBDED
43538USmdJerrold MillerCDEACF
43638MZPaul FauvetDCEDFB
43738USorDottie AllisonACEEEA
43838UKscShelagh LorimerFBEAEB
43938PKAhsan QureshiAFEEEE
44038USnmAnne PetroAADDEA
44138NZJohn EckhoffADBAAA
44238USorShirley WeissenfluhFDFDBA
44338USnyAlbert FeasleyDDEABB
44438BGGeorge ParaloffskyACEBCB
44538UScoJess CohenCFEAFF
44638FRYves BosslerCBEFAF
44738USMark RillingECEBDA
44838ARRaul MartinoCDEEFA
44938UKenRoderick EwanCDECBB
45038AUBill PowellCDEEFA
45138ROLaurentiu DimcicaBCEBEA
45238AMArtem BaloyanADEECB

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 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 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
148.781PLPoland23
245.007ESSpain6
344.6710USorOregon6
444.0014BGBulgaria8
542.149CNChina37
642.0040FIFinland6
741.4052TRTurkey20
841.29120NONorway7
941.20200EEEstonia5
1040.50154IEIreland6
1140.43101ITItaly7
1239.9030RORomania20
1339.80142SISlovenia5
1439.7748FRFrance13
1539.4459USvaVirginia9
1639.365SESweden11
1739.3521NLNetherlands23
1839.22107DEGermany9
1939.1798CAabAlberta6
2039.1038UStxTexas20
2138.9020BEBelgium10
2238.88104NZNew Zealand8
2338.8586USwaWashington13
2438.67115USazArizona6
2538.60190USUnited States5
2638.5649CApqQuebec16
2738.3864TWTaiwan8
2838.3511INIndia17
2938.1429USohOhio7
3038.0777USpaPennsylvania14
3138.0026USilIllinois14
3237.88129CAnsNova Scotia8
3337.6532UKenEngland52
3437.5043VEVenezuela10
3537.4295HKHong Kong12
3637.092AUAustralia22
3737.00165USnmNew Mexico5
3835.9216UScaCalifornia60
3935.86116USnyNew York29
4035.8371USmnMinnesota6
4135.6734PTPortugal24
4235.5780USmdMaryland7
4335.14304USncNorth Carolina7
4434.9858USflFlorida41
4534.87159USnjNew Jersey15
4634.86338UScoColorado7
4734.85202CAbcBritish Columbia13
4834.6744CAonOntario30
4934.44203USgaGeorgia9
5034.41205USmaMassachusetts22
5134.20136IDIndonesia5
5233.8055ZASouth Africa5
5333.80225GRGreece5
5433.50186SGSingapore8
5530.38232USmiMichigan8

RankAverageBestCCLocationEntries
5653.0041UKwaWales1
5747.754HUHungary4
5847.5017HRCroatia2
5947.5078LBLebanon2
6046.5057USnvNevada2
6146.00144UKniNorthern Ireland1
6245.00156USakAlaska1
6344.00181CACanada1
6443.50157JPJapan2
6543.2537UKscScotland4
6642.0063LVLatvia3
6742.00260COColombia1
6842.00274MXMexico1
6942.00279CDCongo (Dem Republic)1
7042.00285BCBasque Country1
7141.00303USsdSouth Dakota1
7240.6713USmoMissouri3
7340.50145DKDenmark2
7440.00192CAnfNewfoundland2
7540.00335USctConnecticut3
7640.00337BMBermuda1
7740.00350CZCzech Republic1
7839.5024UKUnited Kingdom2
7939.00299USdcWashington DC2
8039.00381RURussia1
8139.00389USidIdaho1
8238.7565ILIsrael4
8338.6783USkyKentucky3
8438.5053BRBrazil2
8538.00333RSSerbia3
8638.00436MZMozambique1
8738.00439PKPakistan1
8838.00448ARArgentina1
8938.00452AMArmenia1
9037.00466AEUnited Arab Emirates1
9137.00483CAnbNew Brunswick1
9236.00297CAmbManitoba3
9336.00538USdeDelaware1
9436.00541THThailand1
9535.5028USinIndiana4
9635.50106USiaIowa2
9735.50353USnhNew Hampshire2
9835.50423USwiWisconsin2
9935.50486CApePrince Edward Island2
10035.00559USriRhode Island1
10134.00272ATAustria3
10234.00605EGEgypt1
10333.50323CHSwitzerland4
10432.50573CRCosta Rica2
10532.25253CLChile4
10632.00676UShiHawaii1
10731.50505USscSouth Carolina4
10831.00713USalAlabama1
10931.00719PEPeru1
11030.67249USlaLouisiana3
11130.00741UAUkraine1
11229.00747USksKansas2
11328.00779USarArkansas1
11426.67739UStnTennessee3
11523.00860USmsMississippi1
11623.00864VGVirgin Islands UK1
11717.00890SKSlovakia1

Scores 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 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 score, the edge goes to the one using less time. Tests are conducted on a 2.0 GHz CPU with 512 MB RAM, running Windows 98.

Congratulations to Jack, which equaled the highest bot score ever with a whopping 56 — and it needed every bit of it! Runner-up GIB was right on its tail with 55. Two great scores on a difficult problem set, as evidenced by the rest of the pack which was all over the court. This was by far the most dispersed distribution of bot scores — a spread of 39 points (not counting my implant HAL). I’m not sure what to make of this, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Joel Cairo had been lurking around the computer room.

A lot of choices went off the chart* this month, and in most cases it was an obsession to lead trumps. On Problem 1, Blue Chip Bridge, Bridge Buff and Micro Bridge all led a low spade first; on Problem 3, Bridge Baron and Micro Bridge immediately won both of dummy’s top trumps; and on Problem 4, Micro Bridge won the first trick and cashed the S A with A-10-9-7-2 opposite Q-J-8-6. Hmm. According to the Fat Man, I guess you just can’t trust those bots.

On Problem 5, Blue Chip Bridge and Bridge Baron won the D A and S A then led the H 2; and on Problem 6, Blue Chip Bridge took a devious route, winning the second heart and cashing D A; S A; D K; C A; C K. I have no idea what this was all about, but HAL was impressed — probably because it never won that many tricks on the same deal, let alone in succession.

*When a bot chooses an unlisted play, I substitute a listed play if the difference is trivial or negligible. If the difference is significant, I label it as Line G (or H if needed) and score it appropriately — but never lower than the award for the worst listed line. None of the Line G’s this month deserved any special merit.

June 2004 Rankings
RankScoreCCProgram version123456
156NLJack 2.03DBEDDA
255USGIB 6.1.3DBEADA
340DEQ-plus Bridge 7.1FCEDCA
439CABridge Buff 11.0GBCDEA
529USBridge Baron 14.0AAGAGA
620UKBlue Chip Bridge 4.1.3GDBAGG
717JPMicro Bridge 10.02GAGGBC
811USHAL 9001EAAFBF

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 7X87 MainChallengeAnalysesTop June 2004 Scores

© 2004 Richard Pavlicek