Scores 7X95 MainChallenge


August 2004 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

“The Modern Hexathlon” play contest had 871 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 participants871
Number of locations121
Highest score60
Median score37
Lowest score20
Average score37.88

Top 100

RankScoreCCName123456
160ESGonzalo GodedBDEDFA
260USorJohn LuskyBDEDFA
359HUImre CsiszarBEEDFA
458CNWuping LuBDEFFA
558UKenJohn ReardonBDFDFA
658HULajos LinczmayerBDFDFA
758UKenFrances HindenBDEFFA
858AUBill JacobsBDFDFA
958USilCharles BlairBEADFA
1058USinTim DeLaneyBDFDFA
1158UScaRob StevensBDFDFA
1258UKenJonathan MestelBDEFFA
1357CAonGabriel Nita-SagunaBDFDFE
1457USmoDing-Hwa HsiehBDFDFE
1557USmaJoon PahkBDFDFE
1657UScaJim MundayBDFDFE
1756HRDean PokornyADEDFC
1856AUDavid WiltshireBEFDFE
1956CNXiongwen GuADFDFE
2056AUBruce NeillBDEDFB
2156PLDarek KardasBDADFC
2256ZWLeif-Erik StabellBDFFFA
2356PLJulka KowalskaBDADFC
2456CNWeidong YangBDFFFA
2555UScaLen VishnevskyADFFFA
2655UKscNigel GuthrieBDFDFC
2755PTManuel PauloADFFFA
2855UScaRichard RameyBDFDFC
2955HRMarjan PraljakBDEFFC
3055PLMarcin ZbrojaBDEFFC
3155CApqNick KrnjevicBDEAFA
3254USohCarolyn AhlertBDFDEA
3354UKenAnthony GoldingBDFDFB
3454USctKen GraebeBDAFBA
3554RODan MoraruBDEFFB
3654UKenGareth BirdsallBDEFFB
3754PLAndrzej KrakowiakBDAFFC
3853CAonDale FreemanBDFFBA
3953NZJeff MillerBDFFFC
4053USnyChuck LampreyBDFFFC
4153CNNing LiuBDFFFC
4253ESJordi SabateBDFFFC
4353ZAUlrich NellADEFEA
4453NLDaniel de Lind van WijngaardenBDFFBA
4553UKenJulian WightwickBDFFBA
4653USwvNeil CohenBDFFFC
4753PLWojtek UrbanBDFFFC
4852USnvBarry GorenBDFDBC
4952FRAlbert OhanaAEAFFC
5052BESebastien LouveauxBEFFFC
5152NLFrans BuijsenBDEFAA
5252NLPerry GrootBDFBFA
5352UScaRichard SteinBDFAFE
5452BGZahary ZaharievBEFFFC
5552USnyFranco BaseggioBDABFE
5652SECarsten KofoedBDADAE
5751USwaN. Scott CardellBDFEFA
5851EGAndrew de SosaAEFCFE
5951ITMarco CatellaniBEFFBE
6051FRGuy LedanoisBEFFBE
6151INMadhukar BapuBDEFBB
6251FIJouko PaganusBDFDEC
6351UKenDouglas DunnBDFFEE
6451PLKazik DrozdzBDAAFC
6551INNeelotpal SahaiAAFFFA
6651UKenToby KenneyBDFFFD
6750HUGyorgy OrmayBDECBC
6850UScaMarvin FrenchADFFFD
6950SERolf MattssonBDFAFC
7050PLSlawek CwiekBDABFC
7150PLRoman KujaczynskiADFCFC
7250UScoDon HincheyBDFCBE
7349UScaRon LandgraffAAAFBA
7449BGChavdar KochkovADAABE
7549PLMichal NowakBDFFBB
7649NZPhil ApokraAEFFEE
7749NLJan TesselaarBDFFBB
7849HRZoran BohacekAAFDBE
7949PLJacek ZwolinskiADFAFC
8049PLJacek MasiarekBDAEFC
8148CAonDavid GraingerFDFDFB
8248AUEd BarnesBEFFFF
8348CNWei Victor ZhangEDEFBC
8448INLakshmi ChariAEFCBE
8548USnyBarry RigalBDFFDE
8648CNRoger SunBEFFFF
8748CAnsPhyllis MunroeBDBDDA
8848CNMing ShengFEFDFC
8948CNSherman ShengFEFDFC
9048UKwaJulian PottageADFFFF
9148ILBrian ZietmanBEFFFF
9248UKenRoger MortonADFFEC
9348CAonKevin ConwayBEFFEC
9447CNMichael SunADFDBF
9547RSZoran RadojcicBFFFBE
9647CNHugh QuAAFFBE
9747USazKurt OelzeAAFDBC
9847SGGary AngAAFFBE
9947USazMax JohnsonAAFFBE
10047CApqLise LapointeBEFDBF

Scores 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2004 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreCCName123456
10147INArvind RanasariaADFFEB
10247TRSalvador AssaelAEFDCE
10347NLThijs VeugenADFDAB
10447DERainer HerrmannBDEBEC
10547UScaKevin ArnoldAEAFEB
10647UKenBill MarchEDFDFF
10747CAabSheldon SpierDEFFFC
10847AUBill PowellBEFDBF
10947UKenJohn HaslegraveBDFFAC
11046NLDale RudrumBDFAEC
11146ILAmiram MilletDDEBFC
11246USwaJim WiitalaADFFAC
11346NZDenis HumphriesEAFDBE
11446IDAnton D. VarmaAAEAFB
11546USazTom SchlangenDDFDFF
11646USflArthur HoffmanADFABC
11746USilRichard MurdockDAFFFE
11846ROAdrian PetculescuAEFDBF
11946CAnsBryson CrowellDDFDDA
12046UKenRoger GibbonsBDFFBF
12146USilDave GermaineBDFFDC
12246USmnJack RhatiganADEADE
12346ROJon DowDDEABE
12446USmaLois BelliveauDEFFBE
12546FIJussi TamminenAEFDAB
12646USwiKjetil HildalBDEEBB
12746USorBarry WhiteADFCBB
12846FIMauri SaastamoinenBDFBBC
12945USinPatrick DoveDEEFAE
13045CNMichael LiuBDFEBC
13145LVIvars RubenisEEFFBC
13245MTMargaret Parnis-EnglandDDEDDC
13345USmaMark AquinoBAFFFF
13445CAbcIan HoAEEBBB
13545SIJure VehovecAEFFAC
13645RORadu VasilescuAAFAFC
13745CApqJean-Pierre BilodeauDEEFBB
13845USorDottie AllisonADFFAB
13945INShyam SashitalEDEDEF
14045CAnsGerald MurphyFEADBB
14145ROAndrei DumitrescuACFDFB
14245ATWerner HacklAAFFBC
14345USnyJay LevyDAFDBE
14445UStxPeter HudsonBEFFBF
14544ZABrad Ross-JonesAAFFBB
14644USmtAndrew WareEEFFAE
14744USarDick HeilFAEFFB
14844ROAlin ApostolescuADBFEB
14944USvaYi ZhongBAFBFB
15044FRPascal WassongBEFCAC
15144CApqPierre CaronDEEFDE
15244PTGoncalo EsmeraldoDEEFDE
15344USmsWendel ArcherEEBFBE
15444USmaArthur ShahianEEFFFF
15544UKenDean SwallowEEFFFF
15644UStxBill ErwinAEFFAB
15744BEAlon AmselEDFCAA
15844USmaSusan PappasAAFFBB
15944UKenTeymur TahseenDDEBEE
16044USilJohn AndersonAAFFDA
16144RUEugene MarchenkoBEFDAF
16244ATMichael PalitschABFFEA
16343USpaKarl BarthAAFFBD
16443LBFadi FattoucheEEEFDC
16543ILIsaac BrooksBAAABB
16643CAonGreg ElandAFAFBD
16743USwaRoberta TarrAAFFDE
16843USwaCromie WilsonABBDFB
16943UScaStu GoodgoldDEFFFF
17043CNQing YeAAEFBF
17143AUBernard NightingaleAAAAAA
17243USmnDale TaylorBAFFAC
17343UScaDan ScarolaADAADC
17443CNWei ZhangBEFCBF
17543USpaJohn PolicellaAAEAFF
17643INGowniyan VaideeshwarEAFCFC
17743NLKees van Schenk BrillBDFDCF
17843INSivakumar SalemEAFCFC
17943NLArno EversdijkAAEABB
18043CAabDick YuenDEFFAE
18143UStxDavid CochenerAEFDAF
18243IEConor MooreAAFFEB
18343FRGillian HewittDEEABC
18443CNWqiqiqi Laoqi WuBDFAAB
18543ITGiovanni BobbioADFAAC
18642FRChristian OstermanCEFFBC
18742USpaSteve WhiteBDFBBF
18842SGAdam KingBEFBAC
18942MYTimothy Liang KanAEFFCB
19042HKDavid MokCEFFBC
19142USilGeorge KlemicDEFBBE
19242USlaJames PellerinCDFFFF
19342ESMargaret SpaargarenFAEFBC
19442UStxDavid WarnerBAFFAB
19542ZANeil TraceyDEFFEB
19642UScoNelson BrentlingerBAEFCB
19742USvaRick BinghamEAFFBC
19842USazRobb GordonDEFFBD
19942CAbcPhill SmithBAEEFF
20042CAonMarc LangevinFFFFFC

Scores 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2004 Scores

Places 201-300

RankScoreCCName123456
20142UKenDavid KendrickBDFFDF
20242CApeRon ButlerAABAFC
20342AUDavid SternAAFABC
20442UStxAlbert SekacAEBFAC
20542UKscMike HammettBBEDEF
20642HKPui Kong ChiuDDFCBB
20742CAonDavid KurtzBAAEBC
20842IDPika PiskantoADFFAF
20942USmdAudrey WarrenDAEFBB
21042USflRonald MichaelsDEFDAB
21142CNPingfan ZhuCEFFBC
21242USkyWes HarrisDEAABC
21342USnyChristine WoodringFAEFBC
21442USmaCharles AltmanBFEFCC
21542USlaLorraine SteinerEEFDAD
21642NOMagnus SkaarADFAAB
21742USmdBrad TheurerADFFAF
21842UKenJohn GoldingBEFFAF
21942INVenkataramanayya KesirajuBAFAAE
22042USpaDavid KlausEEFFAC
22142USpaJess StuartBAFFBF
22242USpaLois StuartBAFFBF
22341UScaPatrick PageDEAFAB
22441NOHarald WideroeEAFABE
22541FIJoakim FabritiusFAFDAE
22641SGCharles LeongAEFABF
22741MZPaul FauvetBAECAD
22841HKTheo ChinABFDAC
22941CHHelene LariviereADEEEF
23041PKAhsan QureshiDDEAAC
23141UKenNeil PrebbleEBFDBC
23241UScoDavid CapreraAAFABB
23341FIJuuso LeikolaBDFFCF
23441AUPatrick MooreAAECDC
23541UKenChris ChallinorDDBFAE
23641IDWafiak MiftahDDBFAE
23741AUJohn KeimDDAFCC
23841ISSteinarr GudmundssonDAAFFF
23941ROAdrian CraciunAEFABF
24041CAnfRahul ChandraAACFBE
24141VEFrances HansenDEFABC
24241USvaTibor KoosDAFFBC
24341CAnsKerry LaffertyDFEFEC
24441INAnil UpadhyayBEFADB
24541USgaKenneth HardcastleADAFCF
24641INKaustubh BendreAAFABB
24741UKenNigel MarlowBAFEBC
24841USiaBob McCurdyDDFAFF
24941USmaAnne MillsAAFFBF
25041PTJose SousaFAEABE
25141CApqSolange BouchardADFBBF
25241CNCong ZhangBDFFCF
25341THApisai MakmitreeAAFFAB
25441INVishnu Vardhan ReddyBEEEDB
25541CAbcKathy TurnerBAEABF
25641USorDarius JacksonDEBAFC
25741UKenRoderick EwanAAFABB
25841CAnsJim MathersDDFCDE
25941USohCarl HudecekAAFFAB
26041AUPeter TallAAEDDF
26140ZAAndrzej ChmielowskiDDEBAC
26240CApqNorm GordonAAFABD
26340ROKostea CucuEFFABE
26440ATRobert GostlAEFECE
26540CAonSheila McDonaldDAFAFB
26640USflMatthew NorrisFCFDBE
26740FIJuha TamminenCEAFAC
26840USvaSean HurleyDDFFEF
26940UKenAndrew BillsonDDEFAF
27040CNLonghai WangCEEAAE
27140USohScott JeggleEDAEBD
27240UScaRalph WeilAAAEBB
27340UScaChuck WongAAEABF
27440CAonJunaid SaidBFFAEB
27540USflAlan KravetzAAFBAE
27640USnjLim ChuiEAFFBD
27740CAabDavid JohnsonEAFFCA
27840ZACarl MalcomessDAAEFC
27940CAbcRoss LamEEEFAF
28040USgaBill BickfordAAFFEF
28140AUPhil KlineDDEEEB
28240CNLeo YuanBDFAAF
28340USvaDarwin AfdahlDAFFFF
28440NOJostein AmundsenAABDAB
28540CNYing MaFEFFAC
28640UScaRobert DannelsAEEAAF
28740CAonAlex CameronCAADEB
28840TRRahmi IyilikciDEFAFF
28940CNJiao YiliangAEFAAD
29040USohGary SikonFAFFAA
29140USpaJack FishmanADBEBB
29240USctPierina GraebeAAEFAF
29340UScaYumiko ReynoldsAAFAEB
29440UKenJohn YoudellADFEAB
29540PTJorge CastanheiraAAFFCC
29640UScoJess CohenAEFEAC
29740CNWen Yu JiangFEFFAC
29840USflJim TullyDAFFAE
29940USmaTim Francis-WrightEEACBF
30040AUStephen FischerBDFAAF

Scores 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2004 Scores

Places 301-400

RankScoreCCName123456
30139SGAdrian LamBAFCEF
30239USdcJonathan SiegelAAFEBB
30339UKenGabriel IpFAFABE
30439ILOr ShohamDDBFAC
30539ITPaolo PaolicchiABBFBC
30639USmdJerrold MillerFAEFAC
30739CAonGordon HumphrysDBADBD
30839USwiDavid MelinEAFFAC
30939INKalyan LahiriAAEAEF
31039ITAntonio de GregorioEFFFBD
31139USnjAustin FitzgeraldFAAFBD
31239SEBjorn SorlingEAFFAC
31339USohJessie GoodwinCDEFDD
31439UKenAndrew DoyeDBFDAE
31539CApqBernard DutoyEFAEFB
31639USnyBill DalyAAFACE
31739USnyCarol SturdevantEAEFEF
31839CAabChris JagerBEABAF
31939CNYijun XuDEFFEF
32039USvaMorgan ThistleBDBFDF
32139UScaAlexander HendersonFAFFBB
32239USorMike SweetAEFBEF
32339USncFaye SattinADFEEF
32439VEFrancis VernonFAFFFF
32539RORadu BlejeruBAFABF
32639GRAugustin TsirimokosDAEFBF
32739EERein MolderDAFDAB
32839USpaPat PolicellaEAEFDB
32939NLYvonne KagerAAAAAB
33039USnyTom BarryCAFFAA
33139UScaAlvin FarberDEAFDD
33239FITaru SuppulaFAFABE
33339TRAhmet Turan OnerDDAABF
33439USohDavid StuckeyACFFDE
33539UScaCharles KenadyEEAADC
33639USohCharles BisesiDAFFEB
33739PTVitor LopesEAEEAA
33839CDPaul InbonaDFFABE
33939CApqMichel LalondeAAEADB
34039BEBram AmselDDFAAC
34139PTPedro MatosEEFCAB
34239PTPaulino CorreaBFEAEF
34339HKEddy ChoiABFABC
34439SITomaz ButinaDAEAFF
34539UKscTim McKayAAAABF
34639NZAndrei SharkoBAFADC
34739BCKoldo SanchezBFFEBB
34839USwaMichael DekkerAFFEBC
34939UScaJohn ChenBEFAAF
35039CAabNicolae VartosuAAFAAC
35139ZAPhilip van ZijlEDFABF
35239NLRinus BalkenendeDAFCAA
35339DEJoerg WenschAAFEAE
35439AUAngela NorrisCAAFEC
35539CApqPascale GaudreaultAAFCBF
35638NZPaul CarterFDFBDE
35738UKenAudrey KuehFDFEFF
35838UScaDan HirschbergDAEEBC
35938UKenAshley SawyerFAEFBF
36038UKenJohn EnglandBFFABF
36138USflMark RaphaelsonDAECAC
36238UScaSteven HoughDDFFAF
36338CNTong HeEAFAFF
36438NZStephen CullenFDEFDF
36538DEFalko GleichmannDAFFAC
36638TRNaci AltinayFDFCBF
36738AUNiels KjellerupBFFFAF
36838SEOve SarnkvistEAFFAB
36938TRAzer InalABBFBB
37038NOHans LahneEAFABB
37138USncJim MassonDDFABF
37238USnjGerald GoodmanDAFABC
37338INBonny D’LimaDAAFBF
37438CAbcAlan ChapelleBAFACC
37538UScaPaul MissoCEFFBF
37638USwaBarry BalofDDFFAF
37738CAonMatthew MasonDAFCFF
37838USvaDavid WalkerEABFAE
37938USflJeanne TwaitDAAFAB
38038UKenCharlotte VineCAFFFF
38138USnmMark JarmieEAFABB
38238USilDan EnglishADBBAB
38338TRMurat YavuzBAFAAD
38438USnhRichard BatorAAFABF
38538USflBarbara TateDFABEE
38638USpaRoger WolfDAFFAC
38738UScaJoseph ChinFDFFCB
38838CAonDoreen MacMillanFAFFEB
38938CAmbJanet DugleCAEFAC
39038CNPinghui ZhuangEEFFAF
39138USHomer WangDAFFAC
39238UScaLee HazeAAFFAF
39338PTAugusto LopesDAEFAD
39438USnyMaureen WatkinsCAFFEC
39538USmaDavid RockEAFFBF
39638UStnDiane BlackwoodDAFEFB
39738USmaHelene PortnoyBAFFDF
39838CNJet ChjDAEFCC
39938CApqPearl CooperDAFABC
40038USmaMark GreenbergABFFAB

Scores 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2004 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreCCName123456
40138USgaRichard WimberleyDAFFAC
40238FIErkki MalkamakiDAFCBB
40338CAonRichard PapineauDDEFCF
40438USvaKeith HungateEAFBBC
40538TRGuven DalkilicDAAFBF
40638UStxRobert SzafranskiAAFAAB
40738AUDavid HarrisDEFAAC
40838FRJean-Christophe ClementAAFFAF
40938ZASid IsmailDAFCBB

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 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 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
145.4421PLPoland16
244.673HUHungary6
343.572USorOregon7
442.501ESSpain6
541.284CNChina36
640.8849FRFrance8
740.8059ITItaly5
840.5797USazArizona7
940.2461INIndia21
1040.17107CAabAlberta6
1140.1387CAnsNova Scotia8
1239.6044NLNetherlands20
1339.56149USvaVirginia9
1439.50163USpaPennsylvania12
1539.3357USwaWashington12
1639.1862FIFinland11
1739.118AUAustralia28
1838.5050BEBelgium8
1938.3240USnyNew York19
2038.1415USmaMassachusetts21
2138.075UKenEngland60
2238.0039NZNew Zealand13
2337.9535RORomania22
2437.9143ZASouth Africa11
2537.86104DEGermany7
2637.8332USohOhio12
2737.83114IDIndonesia6
2837.8056SESweden10
2937.6411UScaCalifornia55
3037.54144UStxTexas13
3137.4813CAonOntario31
3237.4372UScoColorado7
3337.38216NONorway8
3437.3391ILIsrael9
3537.0054BGBulgaria7
3636.80134CAbcBritish Columbia15
3736.729USilIllinois18
3836.67142ATAustria6
3936.5798SGSingapore7
4036.38190HKHong Kong8
4136.1331CApqQuebec23
4236.0034USctConnecticut7
4335.69102TRTurkey16
4435.4427PTPortugal18
4535.33327EEEstonia6
4635.23276USnjNew Jersey13
4734.83135SISlovenia6
4834.50209USmdMaryland8
4934.44245USgaGeorgia9
5034.33182IEIreland9
5133.86323USncNorth Carolina7
5233.15116USflFlorida34
5332.40229CHSwitzerland5

RankAverageBestCCLocationEntries
5456.0022ZWZimbabwe1
5553.3317HRCroatia3
5653.0046USwvWest Virginia1
5752.0048USnvNevada1
5851.0058EGEgypt1
5948.0090UKwaWales1
6046.0010USinIndiana3
6144.00147USarArkansas1
6244.00153USmsMississippi1
6344.00161RURussia1
6443.00164LBLebanon1
6542.5026UKscScotland4
6642.00189MYMalaysia1
6741.5095RSSerbia2
6841.00227MZMozambique1
6941.00230PKPakistan1
7041.00240CAnfNewfoundland1
7141.00253THThailand1
7240.50146USmtMontana2
7340.33192USlaLouisiana3
7440.00126USwiWisconsin3
7539.6714USmoMissouri3
7639.25122USmnMinnesota4
7739.00302USdcWashington DC1
7839.00338CDCongo (Dem Republic)1
7939.00347BCBasque Country1
8038.00238ISIceland2
8137.50132MTMalta2
8237.50202CApePrince Edward Island2
8337.50396UStnTennessee2
8437.33131LVLatvia3
8537.00423USidIdaho1
8637.00454CZCzech Republic1
8736.67391USUnited States3
8836.50241VEVenezuela4
8936.00389CAmbManitoba2
9036.00483ARArgentina1
9136.00503USdeDelaware1
9236.00506CAskSaskatchewan1
9335.00212USkyKentucky4
9435.00511KRKorea (South)1
9535.00533IRIran1
9634.67381USnmNew Mexico3
9734.50510JPJapan2
9834.33561USmiMichigan3
9934.00558CLChile2
10034.00567USriRhode Island1
10134.00569GLGreenland1
10234.00589SASaudi Arabia1
10334.00604SKSlovakia1
10434.00610UKniNorthern Ireland1
10533.67248USiaIowa3
10633.25384USnhNew Hampshire4
10733.00326GRGreece2
10833.00466USalAlabama2
10933.00600USscSouth Carolina2
11033.00637TWTaiwan1
11132.50545USmeMaine2
11232.00702UKUnited Kingdom1
11332.00712USsdSouth Dakota1
11431.50489DKDenmark2
11531.50664USokOklahoma2
11631.00458BRBrazil2
11731.00726MKMacedonia1
11830.00773MXMexico1
11929.00793USakAlaska1
12027.00841COColombia1
12122.00868USksKansas1

Scores 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 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 Bridge Buff, which topped the bots this month with a fantastic 56 (tying the highest bot score ever). This was barely good enough to edge out Jack with 55, and GIB was close behind at 53. Only two other bots, Blue Chip Bridge and Micro Bridge, managed to beat the average human score.

As usual in multiple-choice contests, some of the bots went off the chart with their choices (shown below as Line G or H). None of these lines deserved any special merit, and I’ll skip the descriptions since it’s almost dinner time. Suffice it to say they were inelegant.

*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.

You’ll notice that HAL is up to a new version number this month, actually a hardware change, which its company was gracious to provide on short notice. The previous machine had to be retired after an unfortunate “accident.” I’m not sure whether it was my shot put or hammer throw, but HAL 9001 is rubble.

August 2004 Rankings
RankScoreCCProgram version123456
156CABridge Buff 11.0BDFFFA
255NLJack 2.04ADFFFA
353USGIB 6.1.3ADFDFB
444UKBlue Chip Bridge 4.2.0ADGFFB
540JPMicro Bridge 10.02GAEAFB
626DEQ-plus Bridge 7.1HDBGHF
717USBridge Baron 14.0GBHAGG
814USHAL 9002CCDECF

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 7X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2004 Scores

© 2004 Richard Pavlicek