Scores 8X55  MainChallenge


October 2005 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

The “Finesses of Frankenstein” play contest had 904 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

Participation Stats
Number of participants904
Number of locations114
Highest score60
Median score38
Lowest score22
Average score38.87

Top 100 Places

RankScoreLCName123456
160USnyChris WillenkenCAFCBE
260DERainer HerrmannCAFCBE
360USorBarry WhiteCAFCBE
460HRTomislav BosnjakCAFCBE
560PTManuel PauloCAFCBE
660AUBill PowellCAFCBE
760RUAlex PerlinCAFCBE
859USorJohn LuskyCAFCCE
958UScoDavid CapreraCACCBE
1058INSubhransu PatnaikCACCBE
1158ZWLeif-Erik StabellCACCBE
1258UScaJim MundayCBFCBE
1358UScaPatrick ChyeCAFCBD
1458CAonDale FreemanCACCBE
1558UKenJohn AttheyCAFCBD
1658CNWeidong YangDAFCBE
1757USnvJoshua DonnCAFCAE
1857NLThijs VeugenCACCCE
1957HULajos LinczmayerCAFCAE
2057USmaJoon PahkCDFCBE
2157AUEd BarnesCAFCCD
2257ESJordi SabateCAFCAE
2357TWCheng Chun WeiCAFCAE
2457UKenJohn ReardonCAFCAE
2557UScaRob StevensCAFCAE
2657NLDaniel de Lind van WijngaardenCAFCAE
2757UKenJulian WightwickCAFCAE
2857USwaN. Scott CardellCDFCBE
2956INJai GramaCBFCBD
3056UKwaJulian PottageCAFCBB
3156USinTim DeLaneyCAFCBB
3256PTManuel OliveiraFAFCCE
3356NZJeff MillerCAFCBB
3456BGAntonio KotsevCBFCBD
3556NLPerry GrootCAFCBB
3656TRVolkan DenizciCACCBD
3756USilEugene DilleCAFCCC
3855CNWuping LuCAFCCB
3955FIJoakim FabritiusCBFCBC
4055RORadu VasilescuCAFDBD
4155UScaLen VishnevskyCDFCBD
4255UKenAndrew RobsonCAFCAD
4355CNNing LiuFAFCBD
4455UKenBill MarchCAFFCC
4555USilCharles BlairDAFCAE
4655NLRuud von SeidaCAFCAD
4755CAbcMichael DimichCDFCBD
4855USscJeff ZiemerCACCBC
4955SGJunyi ZhuCACCAE
5055UKenToby KenneyCBFCBC
5155CAabSheldon SpierCAFCBA
5255BGIvan KolevCACCCD
5355UKenDavid HodgeCACCBC
5454AUBruce NeillDAFCBB
5554USmaBrian LeeCACCBB
5654ROAdrian PetculescuCACCCC
5754FRGilles KorngutCACFCD
5853USpaSteve WhiteCAFCAB
5953CAonSheila McDonaldCAFCAB
6053UKenDavid KendrickCAFCAB
6153UKenTeymur TahseenDAFCCB
6253ITValter BoettiCACCCB
6353INSandeep ThakralCAFCAB
6453USnyBrian MeyerFBFCBD
6553FIMatti NiemiCBFCAD
6653USohCarolyn AhlertCAFCAB
6753UKscNigel GuthrieCACCAD
6852UKenGeraint HarkerCDFCAD
6952CApqSolange BouchardCADCBB
7052ITMarco CatellaniCACCAC
7152USilDan GoldfeinCDFCAD
7252CAonKevin ConwayCBCCBB
7352CNQuan ZhangCDCCCD
7452UKenJohn OsmondFAFCAD
7552JPMasayuki HayasakaFAFCAD
7652IEPadraig O’BriainCAFCEC
7752PTCarlos CabrinhaFDFCBD
7852FIMauri SaastamoinenFAFCAD
7951HRDean PokornyCAFBBB
8051USmiJoel SingerBAFCBC
8151CDPaul InbonaDAFBBD
8251NLTommie NooijFAFCCA
8351CNWei Victor ZhangFACCCC
8451UKenJohn HallCBFDCC
8551HKJonathan NgCDFCBF
8651UKenGareth BirdsallCBFCAB
8751UKenStephen TurnerCAFBBB
8851NLGerard VersluisCAFCAF
8951FIJouko PaganusCDCCBB
9051USmnJack RhatiganCBFCED
9151UStxBill ErwinCAFCAF
9251INSivakumar SalemCDDCBD
9351CZLudek AmbrozCFDCBE
9451BYDmitri ShabesCACCAB
9550USohJerry FinkCDFCAB
9650USncHjalmar BeijlFBFDBD
9750ILAmiram MilletDBACBE
9850HULaszlo SztrapkovicsFDFCCC
9950ITFranco GalleniFAFBBD
10050NLKaren de LeeuwDDCCCD

Scores 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreLCName123456
10150USmdBrad TheurerCBFBAE
10249PLDarek KardasCAFAEE
10349LBFadi FattoucheBBFCCD
10449BEAlan PiotrowskiFDFCCB
10549USnhRon MakCABCBC
10649USnhLawrence CheethamFDFCCB
10749USnyAndrew NitzbergFDFCCB
10849FIJyrki LahtonenFACDBC
10949ZASid IsmailCBACCD
11049ROAdrian PopescuBDFCBD
11149HKSimon CheungCBCCAB
11249USwaCraig ZasteraCAAFCC
11349CAnsGerald MurphyCDFCEC
11449UKenDavid DawsonCAFCEF
11548USnyBarry RigalFAFCAF
11648NLJ.J. GassCFFDCC
11748USazRobb GordonCBFBAD
11848NLNiels de GrootCFFBBD
11948UScaMarvin FrenchCFFCAB
12048HKMo Yee SumFBCCAD
12148UScaRichard SteinDAFCDD
12248BEAlon AmselFACCED
12348USalJ. Larry MilesFFCCBD
12448USmnGabrielle UzDDFCED
12548PLWojtek UrbanCAFBED
12648UKenJonathan MestelCAFCDB
12748CAonKen WarrenDACFAB
12848INGowniyan VaideeshwarCFDCCD
12948NLBas OosthoekFBCCAD
13048UKenDouglas DunnCAFCDB
13148UKenJohn HaslegraveCAAFCB
13247JPMark LaForgeFBFBBC
13347TRM. Fahir UzumcuDBECBD
13447HKTheo ChinCBFAAD
13547UKenWeiping XuBAFCCF
13647INSatish DiwanjiFAECBC
13747NLGeert-Jan FleischeuerFDCCAD
13847NLKees KaiserFBFBCD
13947HRBoris RichterFBFCEC
14047USwiBob MarheineFFFCAD
14147ROBogdan MitranCAFAED
14247CNXiongwen GuCDFBCB
14347USilGeorge KlemicCAABBD
14447FRDidier Saint-PastouFFCCBC
14547PLKazik DrozdzCAFBEC
14647PLJacek MasiarekCAFAED
14746MYTimothy Liang KanFFFCBF
14846USnhAlice Bruist-MakCBFCDB
14946CAonJoseph SauroFFFCCA
15046PTJorge CruzeiroFAFFFB
15146JPAtsushi MochizukiFFFFBA
15246DEGeorg EdelmannCAFCDF
15346LVRobert LusisBFFCCD
15446INMihir JhaBAFCEC
15546UStxKevin PheifferFEFCBB
15646HKWing-Kai HonDAFCDB
15746RODan MoraruCAFFDA
15846BGChavdar KochkovCCACBE
15946NLRob WijmanCABCAC
16046PLSlawek CwiekCAFBEB
16146PLAndrzej KrakowiakCAFAEC
16246PLMarcin ZbrojaCAFBEB
16346ROAdrian IoanCAFCDF
16446CAabDorothy MorrisonCBCABB
16546USohRussell HaneyCFDCBA
16645AUDavid WiltshireBAFCAF
16745UKenGabriel IpFAFABF
16845USnyGene SaxeFACCDD
16945ROMarius CosmaCAABCC
17045UKenDom GoodwinFDACBC
17145CAnsAlan DoaneFADCEC
17245TROsman OzcanBAFCAF
17345USnyGerald CohenFBFCFB
17445USorJames WeiderFEFCAD
17545PTMiguel MatosFAECBA
17645USnyTom BarryFFFBBD
17745UKenDaniel MillerFBFCFB
17845USnyAlbert FeasleyBDFCAC
17945CAonBala IyerFBFCDD
18045GRTasos KoukouselisBEFCBD
18145FIJussi TamminenFDCCED
18245INSoumik SardarFDAFBD
18345LVAigars GermanisFDDFCC
18445USmsWendel ArcherDBABBE
18545USmdTed YingCDCCFB
18645PLJulka KowalskaCAFAEB
18745ROLiviu OpreaCAAEBD
18845CAnsBryson CrowellFBFCEA
18945IDTommy SuhendraDDECBC
19045CAnsJim MathersFACECD
19145SKStefan ChomaFBAFCD
19244NZFraser RewFFDCCC
19344USnvRaija DavisFDFEBC
19444TRUgur TasBFFCAD
19544CAonRandy BreuerFFACBD
19644USmaFrench WallFDFCFB
19744UScaStephen SeagrenDBBCBB
19844CAonJordan CohenCFACAD
19944ILIlana LoonsteinBBACBD
20044USmaJack ShenFFACBD

Scores 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 Scores

Places 201-300

RankScoreLCName123456
20144USflIrv FeinglassFEDCBD
20244USazSteven PriceDEFCAB
20344SEEnar BergstromFDFFFC
20444CNRoger SunDAAFAB
20544DEZuzana HerrmannCAFBEF
20644CNHong LiFDAFCD
20744USmnAndy CaranicasFACFEA
20844CAabNicolae VartosuFFFABD
20944UScaDamo NairCBCFDC
21044INNeelotpal SahaiFCFBBE
21144SECarsten KofoedCBFEAB
21244UKniIan HamiltonFBACAD
21343NLPeter LinssenBCFCBC
21443CAonJohn CunninghamCFECAD
21543TROkan OzcanFDFCDC
21643FITaru SuppulaBABFBD
21743NOMagnus SkaarFDACBA
21843USilRick KirbyFBAFBA
21943USwvJim BuckCDCAAC
22043ITStefano BertorelliFEFBBD
22143PKAhsan QureshiFFECBD
22243UKenAndrew DoyeFBFBED
22343UKenDafydd JonesFACBED
22443USflJim SaxonCFFCFF
22543USwaJim WiitalaDEDCCC
22643CApqSebastien LachanceFFECBD
22743UScaWilliam MaxedonFECCBA
22843LVIvars RubenisCDFBEB
22943UKscTim McKayFBFBED
23043USmdJay WeinsteinFDACBA
23143HUBalazs KovacsFABDBC
23243UKenDipak ShahCFADCD
23343CApqAnsar BurneyFDAFBB
23443AUNed StokesBDACBD
23543FRPire CusiFCFFCB
23643UScaSteve MagerDFFDED
23743AUDavid SternFBFBED
23843NOJohn AasanCBECDE
23943USnyJay LevyCABFEC
24043UKenCharlotte VineFDECBB
24143TRNoyan EkiciFBCCEA
24243CApqAlain LacourseFAECCF
24343AUDavid BrooksCBBCCF
24443EEAllar PadariFDFCFA
24543ILMichael TillesFBBCBB
24643HUPeter BreuerFABCBF
24743USkyJane WiningerFFCCED
24843USalJohn RandallFDCEBD
24943PTPaulino CorreaFAFCDF
25043USnjJames ConnellFDECBB
25142ILAvi MeidanBAACCA
25242USnjLeonard HelfgottBBDCAC
25342FIJuha TamminenDFEFCD
25442HKKen YipFFFBBA
25542ROVlad RusuCDEBBC
25642DEMartin RehderBAFBAB
25742NLPeter van CasterenCBCDDC
25842USnyGene MarksFAECFD
25942USscRick GilesFBABBD
26042CApqPeter SchwartzFBACED
26142USmaDonald CaplinFBCEBB
26242NLArno EversdijkFDADCD
26342USflGene PetreyFDFCFF
26442USndNoreen BraunFEACBD
26542ZABrad Ross-JonesDBADBA
26642USmnDale TaylorDFBCBC
26742CAbcAllan BeckerFDACBF
26842CHMiriam KullCBEBCC
26942CNMichael LiuBAFBAB
27042SGJulian LimDDFEBF
27142SELeif LundbergFDACAC
27242UScaPhil PecsokFFECCD
27342CNCong ZhangCCECBC
27442UStxRichard HigginsCABCEA
27542USilJohn GoringCFACED
27642USnjPaul QuodomineFDFABF
27742USwaKeller WightmanCEFECC
27842BGTatiana TrendafilovaFBDEBD
27942UScoCharles GoudeyFDADCD
28042USnyRita RedlichFFACCC
28142USohSteve MoeseFEFABD
28242FRJean-Christophe ClementFFFCEA
28342ITAlberto CialdeaCDEDBA
28442CAonRobert AveryFFFBCB
28542HRTomislav GracinFBACED
28642TRUgur OzbekCDAFEC
28742CAnbDavid InghamCCFCDD
28841NOGeir NostdahlFDEDCD
28941USscRich ReganCFCACA
29041HKWing Ho LoFCFBCD
29141USnjAleksandar LishkovCFEFCA
29241USwaHendrik SharplesFACBFC
29341UKenGareth StoneFECBBD
29441UKenAndy HollandEFCCBA
29541HUJozsef SzikszaiBDFCFB
29641USmaCathy VintonFECACE
29741USnyBill DalyCBFBDB
29841UScaAlex HuttonABFCFD
29941USohBob StittFFFABA
30041CApeRon ButlerBBDCCF

Scores 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 Scores

Places 301-400

RankScoreLCName123456
30141CAabBill PatersonFDAFCA
30241USncOwen LienFAEEBD
30341GRThanos KalentzosFEFABC
30441USorPaul FlashenbergDFECCB
30541CAonRichard PapineauFBABAE
30641TRAltay AlpFBEBBD
30741USgaTom RoushCEADBC
30841AUBruce CarrollFEAFBD
30941USnhRichard BatorFBEDBB
31041ATHarry RopperFDABBD
31141NZPeter WilsonFCACBD
31241UScaJojo SarkarBFACBD
31341PLStanislaw MakowkaFDACED
31441SEJorgen PetersonFEDCBA
31541CAonRagnar PaulsonDCECBD
31641TRMahmut ColakFECCED
31741AUMichael SeldonFFECCC
31841USflKay JonesFDECCA
31941USazKurt OelzeCDEDBF
32041INAshok SreenivasFBCACA
32141ROAdrian CraciunFAABBA
32241USvaPrahalad RajkumarFCFCEC
32341TREmrah SenBBCBCC
32441UScaAlan HolmesCFACFD
32541BGPeter LudnevCDABBA
32641MZPaul FauvetFFACCB
32741UScaBill CubleyFFCABC
32841CApqDanny KatzFFACBA
32941CAbcWilliam GroverBBCABC
33041CApqLouise CoteFDACED
33141NLFrans BuijsenDDECED
33241UKenPaul HugginsFDACED
33341ESJavier CarboneroBACCEF
33441HRZoran BohacekCBEEBC
33540DKJacob GrabowskiFFAFBA
33640CAabDick YuenFFFCFF
33740UScaSandy BarnesFBEFAB
33840HRBozidar PutanecDEABBE
33940PLZbych BednarekFDCCDB
34040UKenAudrey KuehFFCDCF
34140USflPeter MooneyFDABCD
34240SIJure VehovecFBEDAD
34340HRSrdjan KatusicFDFBFC
34440SGCharles LeongFBABCC
34540AUTania GariepyFFADCD
34640ROViorica MladinFBCBAA
34740ZACarin VerburgFAADEC
34840IEConor FoxFFACCA
34940UKscMyles EllisonFABFFD
35040USohBarbara BisesiBDDDCC
35140TWStar ChenFFFCFF
35240AUWarren MullerFDABCD
35340UScaLarry HarrisFDFEED
35440ROGeza Stanca-VassFFFCFF
35540CAonDavid ColbertCFFEFD
35640USorDottie AllisonFDADBA
35740USwaRobert GetzFFFCFF
35840CNMan FeiFBAFFD
35940USvaDonald WhalenDDABCC
36040INRahul ChhabraCDADAA
36140USpaDottie AbelFFCEBC
36240CNChina CaacFEFFAF
36340PTJose EgrejaFCACCD
36440UKenDavid SimsBCDCBD
36540UKenAllan ThomasFFACAC
36640USnyBrian UniversalFDEFCA
36740INNilanjan RayFEECBC
36840ESElisa Linares-RivasCDABCA
36940UScaBob KleinFBBDBB
37040UStxMark JacksonCCCBBA
37140USpaJim BoyerBEFBBD
37240CApqMaxine SandersFBAACD
37340UKenNigel MarlowFCACBC
37440CAabThomas WangEBAFBB
37540TRYavuz OvacikCDECFB
37640UScoJess CohenFFFCFF
37740USnyWilliam BascomFFECCB
37840PTMario CorreiaFDABCD
37940USflEloise JohnsonFECBBC
38040USnyArthur LauferFEAFCD
38140AMGagik ArzumanyanFECCEC
38239USmoThomas KniestCDCEFC
38339NLGerbrand HopDDAECD
38439SEAnders AslundFFFBEC
38539SEJohnny JohanssonFFBCAD
38639USflBob BernhardFDACFC
38739USnyCarl GueliEDFAAD
38839INNatarajan KrishnamoorthyFFACED
38939USnyGrace LloydFAEBCA
39039TRAhmet Rifat SahinDFECAB
39139UScaSteven YangBBFDFB
39239VGBeverly WashburnFFACED
39339USinJohn HuusBFACBB
39439CApqJean-Pierre BilodeauFDAFEC
39539UScoJohn BortinsFFACED
39639UKenChris ChallinorFEACAD
39739UScaHank MurphyFDABCC
39839HKPui Kong ChiuBDCCDD
39939HKBill LeungBAEBCD
40039USkyRobert CoffeyBFFABB

Scores 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreLCName123456
40139CAmbDavid SiredFDFBEA
40239TRSenih InalFFACED
40339USmnBrian WeikleCDEBBF
40439USidGeoff BridgesFCACCC
40539UScaMartin HertzFDECFD
40639BGGeorgi BachevFEFBBF
40739USflAlan KravetzFDDFEA
40839ROGelu SerpoiBDFCFF
40939HKAnthony LeungFEECBB
41039UKenRoger MortonBADCEF
41139CAnsKerry LaffertyFDABCC
41239UStxJack LacyFDEBCD
41339NZPaul CarterCEABBC
41439MTSimona ArdeleanFDEBBC
41539USnjJames RinnovatoreFFFBEC
41639NOKay StrandBFECBC
41739INNita BanerjiFBABAD
41839CApqSergepier BrunetteEECDBD
41939BGOgnian SmilianovFABDED
42039ROAndrei SecheleaFFEDBC
42139NLJan TesselaarBAFFDF
42239USmaSusan PappasDFAABD
42339CAonMichel PaquetteFDAACD
42439USflPricilla KatonFDCACF
42539USmaCharles AltmanFEACBA
42639USflArthur HoffmanBEACBD
42739TRGuven DalkilicFCFBEE
42839INKrishna ChakravartulaBFFFEB
42939UScaMark KornmannEDFCEF

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 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 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
146.8019HUHungary5
246.173USorOregon6
345.864HRCroatia7
445.6439FIFinland11
543.7116CNChina17
643.6218NLNetherlands26
743.5585HKHong Kong11
843.2562ITItaly8
943.25102PLPoland12
1042.6140RORomania18
1142.2990USmnMinnesota7
1242.2715UKenEngland55
1341.29105USnhNew Hampshire7
1440.7810INIndia27
1540.0737USilIllinois14
1639.5022ESSpain6
1739.4628USwaWashington13
1839.259UScoColorado8
1939.2533NZNew Zealand8
2039.2549SGSingapore8
2139.091USnyNew York33
2239.00109ZASouth Africa6
2338.7336TRTurkey26
2438.71217NONorway7
2538.6951CAabAlberta13
2638.6434BGBulgaria11
2738.2520USmaMassachusetts16
2838.18113CAnsNova Scotia11
2938.155PTPortugal20
3038.00101USmdMaryland9
3137.8648USscSouth Carolina7
3237.8391UStxTexas12
3337.786AUAustralia32
3437.7847CAbcBritish Columbia9
3537.6614CAonOntario35
3637.552DEGermany11
3737.36203SESweden11
3837.2712UScaCalifornia55
3937.1897ILIsrael11
4037.0080USmiMichigan5
4136.7357FRFrance11
4236.6469CApqQuebec22
4336.6066USohOhio15
4435.83104BEBelgium12
4535.7596USncNorth Carolina8
4635.7176IEIreland7
4735.57250USnjNew Jersey21
4834.20492USlaLouisiana5
4934.0758USpaPennsylvania15
5033.41201USflFlorida39
5132.50307USgaGeorgia8

RankAverageBestLCLocationEntries
5258.0011ZWZimbabwe1
5351.0081CDCongo (Dem Republic)1
5451.0094BYBelarus1
5550.5017USnvNevada2
5649.00103LBLebanon1
5748.507RURussia2
5848.3375JPJapan3
5946.00147MYMalaysia1
6045.00184USmsMississippi1
6145.00189IDIndonesia1
6244.5030UKwaWales2
6344.00212UKniNorthern Ireland1
6443.2567UKscScotland4
6543.0023TWTaiwan3
6643.00219USwvWest Virginia1
6743.00221PKPakistan1
6842.00264USndNorth Dakota1
6942.00287CAnbNew Brunswick1
7041.75153LVLatvia4
7141.00300CApePrince Edward Island1
7241.00326MZMozambique1
7340.75117USazArizona4
7440.5031USinIndiana4
7540.5093CZCzech Republic2
7640.00123USalAlabama4
7740.00381AMArmenia1
7839.50191SKSlovakia2
7939.00335DKDenmark2
8039.00392VGVirgin Islands UK1
8139.00414MTMalta1
8238.50404USidIdaho2
8338.25180GRGreece4
8438.00247USkyKentucky3
8538.00434SASaudi Arabia1
8638.00438USvtVermont1
8738.00463UYUruguay1
8837.75140USwiWisconsin4
8937.00342SISlovenia4
9036.75382USmoMissouri4
9136.25268CHSwitzerland4
9236.00442USakAlaska2
9336.00518USdcWashington DC1
9436.00521UKjeJersey & Guernsey1
9535.75244EEEstonia4
9635.50322USvaVirginia4
9735.50401CAmbManitoba2
9834.50526USmeMaine2
9934.00310ATAustria3
10034.00454THThailand3
10134.00487USctConnecticut3
10234.00581USnmNew Mexico2
10334.00588VEVenezuela2
10434.00617USsdSouth Dakota1
10534.00652USriRhode Island1
10633.00439CLChile3
10733.00593EGEgypt2
10831.00674USksKansas2
10931.00765USmtMontana1
11031.00782USdeDelaware1
11130.00817BWBotswana1
11228.00847UStnTennessee1
11327.00869RSSerbia1
11427.00878USwyWyoming1

Scores 8X55 MainChallengeAnalysesTop October 2005 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 3.4 GHz CPU with 512 MB RAM, running Windows 98.

Congratulations to Q-plus Bridge (Germany) which scored a modest 35, winning only by tiebreaker over Bridge Baron (US). Blue Chip Bridge (UK) and Jack (Netherlands) were close behind with 34. The mediocre bot scores (well below the human average of 38.87) offer evidence that defense is the weakest area in bridge computer programming. One reason is that good defense requires partnership cooperation (LOL, Fritz?) involving delicate signals, which is difficult to program.

Only three finesses were refused by the bots: Blue Chip Bridge ducked the S J on Problem 1; Q-plus Bridge ducked the H Q on Problem 2; and Q-plus Bridge ducked at both opportunities on Problem 4. (Only on Problem 4 was the holdup correct.) This suggests a tendency to “win tricks and think later” — been there, done that. No doubt, many computer algorithms adopt shortcuts, or dispense with longer search paths, when following suit. This is certainly understandable, as users would be irritated with programs that tanked at every opportunity.

The bots were well behaved this month, as only one defensive choice went off my chart. On Problem 4, GIB chose to win the D K and return the same suit, which is similar in principle to the three inferior options (ranked by the voting) so I awarded it the median 4. HAL objected fiercely, arguing that unlisted answers should get zero, period. Actually, HAL was just pissed with another last-place finish after implementing its new “palindromic vowel” algorithm. Sorry, HAL; even Vanna White can’t help your game.

October 2005 Rankings
RankScoreLCProgram version123456
135DEQ-plus Bridge 7.1BFACEC
235USBridge Baron 16.0DEABCB
334UKBlue Chip Bridge 4.2.6FBBBEC
434NLJack 3.01DCAACC
530JPMicro Bridge 11.00BEAABA
630USGIB 6.1.3DEAGEB
727CABridge Buff 11.0BEABEB
822USHAL 9003AEAAEA

Bots Tested (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

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© 2005 Richard Pavlicek