Scores 8X95 MainChallenge


August 2006 Scores


Analyses by Richard Pavlicek

“The Twelfth of Never” play contest had 1001 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 participants1001
Number of locations111
Highest score60
Median score43
Lowest score19
Average score43.51

Top 100

RankScoreCCName123456
160UKenAnthony GoldingDECCFB
260UKenToby KenneyDECCFB
360USohJerry FinkDECCFB
460UScaGrant PeacockDECCFB
560DERainer HerrmannDECCFB
660RORadu MihaiDECCFB
760AUBruce NeillDECCFB
860USinTim DeLaneyDECCFB
960CNNing LiuDECCFB
1060USilJon GreimanDECCFB
1160UKenDavid KenwardDECCFB
1260ZWLeif-Erik StabellDECCFB
1360USwaN. Scott CardellDECCFB
1460FIMauri SaastamoinenDECCFB
1560USilCharles BlairDECCFB
1660UKenJulian WightwickDECCFB
1760UKenJonathan MestelDECCFB
1860UKenDouglas DunnDECCFB
1960AUBill PowellDECCFB
2060JPTong XuDECCFB
2160UScaRob BalasDECCFB
2259PLDarek KardasDECCFD
2359UKenJohn ReardonDECCFD
2459NLJan TesselaarDECCFD
2559BEBernard DanloyDEDCFB
2659RUAlex PerlinDEDCFB
2759CAonDale FreemanDECAFB
2859CNRoy TitanDECAFB
2959UScaRod RoarkDEDCFB
3059UScaJim MundayDECCFD
3159INMadhukar BapuDECCFD
3259CNWeidong YangDECAFB
3359UScaRob StevensDECCFD
3459FIErkki MalkamakiDECCFD
3558NLThijs VeugenDFCCFB
3658PLJulka KowalskaDECCFE
3758ESDavid de PartearroyoDECAFD
3858USohCarolyn AhlertDECCFE
3958JPMasayuki HayasakaBECCFB
4058CAonKevin ConwayDEDCFD
4158CAonDaniel KorbelDFCCFB
4258CAonDavid GraingerDFCCFB
4358UScaPatrick ChyeDECAFD
4458CAnbDavid InghamDEDCFD
4558USmaRoger WebbDFCCFB
4658UKscNigel GuthrieDECCCB
4758BESebastien LouveauxDFCCFB
4858TRUfuk CotukDECAFD
4958USorJohn LuskyDFCCFB
5058INNeelotpal SahaiDECAFD
5157CNXiaoxin LuDEDAFD
5257RORadu VasilescuDEDAFD
5357USmdBrad TheurerDECCDB
5457USpaSteve WhiteDFCCFD
5557HKAbby ChiuDEDCFE
5657ITMarco CatellaniDEDCCB
5757USmiGordon ParnesDFDCFB
5857BGRossen GeorgievDFCAFB
5957HRDean PokornyBECCFD
6057USilNikolay DemirevDACCFB
6157CNCong ZhangBECAFB
6257LVAigars GermanisDFCCFD
6357CApqNorm GordonDFCCFD
6457USilJon SorkinDFCCFD
6557ESJordi SabateDECCDB
6657RUArtem ArikovDEDAFD
6757HULajos LinczmayerBEDCFB
6857FRJean-Christophe ClementDFCCFD
6957NLFrans BuijsenDEDCCB
7056CNWei Victor ZhangDACCFD
7156CZMichal KopeckyDFDCFD
7256EGSamih KhalilBEDCFD
7356USohWalter BeinDEECFB
7456USorBarry WhiteDECCDD
7556USnyGerald CohenDACCFD
7656PLJacek MasiarekDECCFC
7756PLMarcin ZbrojaDECCFC
7856UKenJohn HaslegraveDFDAFB
7956SECarsten KofoedDACCFD
8055FIJuuso LeikolaDFCCCD
8155HKPui Kong ChiuDECCED
8255IDWafiak MiftahDFDCCB
8355FIOlli PitkanenDDDCFB
8455UScoDavid CapreraDECCED
8555BGGregory GorshkovDFCCCD
8655PLWojtek UrbanDDCCFD
8755PTMario BebianoBEDAFD
8855SITomaz ButinaDFDAFD
8955PTNeves FernandoDEDCDD
9055FIJyrki LahtonenDACAFD
9155PLAndrzej KrakowiakDDCCFD
9254SGShen Ting AngAECCFE
9354NLRonald KuipDADCFE
9454USnhRon MakDECAED
9554USflRonald MichaelsDFCCDD
9654USnjLeonard HelfgottDFCADB
9754UScaLen VishnevskyDECCEE
9854UStxGreg HinzeBADCFB
9954USmaRobert LavinDEDCED
10054FRGuy LedanoisDDCCCB

Scores 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 Scores

Places 101-200

RankScoreCCName123456
10154CAmbJohn VanwalleghemDADCFE
10254EEMeelis TiitsonDFDCDB
10354GRLazaros KaragiannopoulosDFCACD
10454ITMark PerottoBDCCFB
10554CAonJeff MayhewDADCFE
10654NLFrank MulderBACAFB
10754USilLes MillerDFCCDD
10854TRTamer CokgorDFCCDD
10953BGOgnian SmilianovDBCCFD
11053ITRenato EuterpeDFDCDD
11153USazMike LevyDFDACD
11253USmaMurat AzizogluDFDCEB
11353UStxPeter HudsonBFCDFB
11453UScaMark BartusekDFDACD
11553NLNiels de GrootDFDCDD
11653NLDennis KruisBFDCCB
11753IDPika PiskantoDDDCCB
11853UKenShahid HamidDACCDD
11953UScaKevin LaneDFCACE
12053USpaMike GieslerDEACFD
12153FRJerome RombautDEDAED
12253ZASid IsmailBFDAFD
12353UKenAnne WrightDECCFF
12453USnhRobert EachusDFDADB
12553FRNigel WeedenDBCCFD
12653USnyChuck LampreyEFCCFB
12753CNWayne SzetoDBCCFD
12853CAabDick YuenDFDCEB
12953PLSlawek CwiekDECDFC
13053NLDennis PenguinDFCADD
13153SEJohann DischlerDADCCD
13253UKenRobert TeesdaleDFCAEB
13353DKSkafti JonssonBECAEB
13453USilAmnon HarelDACACD
13553USvaMark ChenDFDCEB
13653PLMarek MalowidzkiDBDCFB
13753USnjCetin OkcuogluDFDCDD
13852USorMelvin RappaportBEECFE
13952NZMartin ReidDFDCED
14052CAbcGary WrightDFECFE
14152UKenAndrew RobsonBADCCB
14252UScoMary MarxBDDCFD
14352TWStar ChenDDCCDD
14452INSuresh AdinaBEDCDE
14552SEPontus SilowDFCCEE
14652CAbcDavid HooeyDFDCED
14752UStxRobert WhitcherDECFFB
14852CNYixiang ZhangDFDCED
14952NOMagnus GulbrandsenBEECFE
15052SIJure VehovecDEDAEE
15152CLAndres HonoratoBEDACE
15252CAonTed MercerDEACFE
15352UKscMartin KaneBEDAEB
15452USwaJosh SinnettDDDCDB
15552PLKazik DrozdzDDCCFC
15652ATPeter SeidnitzerDFDCED
15752CAbcMichael DimichDACCED
15852HKYee Sum MoBFCCDD
15952CAnsGerald MurphyDFEAFD
16052AMArthur AntonyanDEDAEE
16152CAbcRon DixonBDCCFE
16252EGAndrew de SosaDACCED
16351UKenAudrey KuehBEFCFE
16451ITAlberto GioanniniBFDCDD
16551USmaJoon PahkDECCFA
16651AUDavid BrooksDBCCDB
16751CAonWilliam KoskiDFDAED
16851AUDavid SternBFCCED
16951PTManuel PauloDECCFA
17051NLSimon de WijsDEDFFB
17151USflDavid MarynDEBCCB
17251CNHongjun ZhongDADCED
17351TRSuleyman Ufuk KocDADACE
17451USpaKen CohenBBDCFB
17551CHEric WilliamsonDFBCFB
17651SEJon HelgasonEEECFB
17751CNYixin GuanAEDCEB
17851USnyPetar LjubicicDDDCDD
17951CApqDavid SaltsmanDFACFD
18051PTPaulino CorreaBECCFF
18151BRPaulinho BrumDACCEE
18251CAonSigitas KerasDCCCFB
18350UScaPaul NelsonDADCEE
18450FIJussi TamminenBFDCED
18550ITFranco GalleniDDDCED
18650CAabArt AitkenDEAACD
18750TWCheng Chun WeiDEDFFD
18850USazJeff LesserDCDCFB
18950UStxCurtis PolkBFDACE
19050USnjSteven ShulmanDADCEE
19150USpaTodd HertzbergDEFCDE
19250USilBob FashDEFACE
19350NLSjoerd van der SchuitDADCEE
19450EEHendrik NigulDEEAED
19550INSubhransu PatnaikDACCFF
19650CAnsDel KnoxBFECFE
19750USazSteven PriceBFDCED
19850UScaRichard SteinBACCED
19950DEHarro WimmelDFECDD
20050AUEd BarnesEFCCCD

Scores 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 Scores

Places 201-300

RankScoreCCName123456
20150USkyRuss HoltzclawDADCEE
20250USnjGary GordonDDDADD
20350USidPaul AllmanDDDACE
20450AUWarren MullerDDFCFD
20550HUJozsef SzikszaiDEEAED
20650USflLinda PoppellDEEADE
20750UScaCurt ReevesBFEAFD
20850USnjJon BessingerBFDCED
20950EGMagdy Shohdy MesdaryBDDCCD
21050BGTatiana TrendafilovaDAEAFE
21150USctHenry AndrewsCEDCDB
21250UKenMark ReeveAEECFE
21350CNRu ShangguanBEFCDB
21450USilSherrie FosterDEECEE
21550SGJunyi ZhuBDCACD
21650AUPeter TallDEEADE
21750CApqAlain LacourseDEFAEB
21850USazTom SchlangenDCCCFD
21950VEKatia ZirovnikDEFADD
22050NLMichiel GeelenBADADB
22150BYDmitri ShabesDCCCFD
22249USpaDavid KlausAEFCFE
22349UKenPhil AndrewsCEDCCE
22449CAabDavid JohnsonDFBAFD
22549IERichard KingDEAADD
22649ESMargaret SpaargarenEEECCB
22749USncFaye SattinAEDADE
22849DKMogens BarslevDEEAEE
22949TRHakan PeksenDDDADE
23049USmiRoss LinsenmierBEBCCB
23149CAnbPeter CoatesBEEDFE
23249NLSipke BreimerEEEAFD
23349UKenDavid SimsBEDADC
23449UScaFred TheurkaufDFDECD
23549UScaBilly BlanchardDAACFE
23649USnyBarry RigalDFDFFB
23749UKenEddie RichartBEBCFE
23849NLDale RudrumDABAFB
23949ILAmiram MilletBEDAFF
24049DEChristiane MielkeBEACDB
24149DEFalko GleichmannBEACDB
24249CAbcAlan ChapelleDDEAFE
24349USalJohn RandallBDDCCE
24449BEAlan PiotrowskiDFFCDD
24549CAnsJim SotvedtDEDEDE
24649ZACarin VerburgBEEACE
24749BGValio KovachevDADAEE
24849CAbcAllan BeckerDFEACE
24949TRNoyan EkiciDDDCEE
25049UStxRobert SzafranskiDFACCD
25149IDNoer Imanzal KartamadjanaBEFCDD
25249PTPedro MatosBFECDB
25349HKWing-Kai HonBFBCFB
25449USnySheng LiBFECDB
25549UKenRoger MortonBFECDB
25649USctPierina GraebeDEFADE
25749AUPaul ShermanDEDABD
25849CApqDanny KatzDEAACE
25949AUDavid HarrisDAECEB
26049USmdJoan MillerDEEAEE
26149UKenNeil PrebbleDFDCBB
26249FIUrho SyngelmaEADCCB
26349USmoJames YeagerBEBCFE
26449USnjStephen StraussDFBCFE
26549AUDavid MatthewsDAACFE
26649USilGeorge KlemicDFCFFD
26749UKenGareth BirdsallDCCCCB
26849USwaThomas ImelBEEDFE
26948PLStanislaw MakowkaDEDBDE
27048USlaCarolyn SongyDDBCFD
27148USflLee EltonEEECCD
27248USilRobert HowardDADBFE
27348UStnRoscoe DjabboEFECFD
27448USorJohn WeatherwaxBADADE
27548USazDick AugurFECAFE
27648USilDan EnglishDFEAED
27748BEAlon AmselDCCCCD
27848INJai GramaDAFCDD
27948USncAlan CochranDDECEB
28048ZACarl MalcomessDEAADE
28148CAbcFred RobbinsDAECDE
28248UKenJohn EnglandDEDABE
28348UScoPaula WarrenAEFAFE
28448UKenDean SwallowDFCCBE
28548HKJonathan NgBABCFB
28648HUGreg UdvariDAECDE
28748IEColin CarthyBAACFD
28848PTFernando MascarenhasBFECDD
28948UStxBill BreslinCEEAFD
29048INVenkatesh RamanathanDFECEE
29148PTManuel OliveiraDFCFCB
29248CNRoger SunBDDCDE
29348USneLarry GreggDEACEE
29448USorDottie AllisonDEAADE
29548USnyRichard KanterDABAFD
29648UKenCarlos DabeziesBFDDEB
29748AUSinnathamby JeyakumarDEBADD
29848USnyBruce HandBAAAFB
29948USorStuart NewbergerBEDCBD
30048CAonJack GemmellCFDAFE

Scores 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 Scores

Places 301-400

RankScoreCCName123456
30148AUFen NethDDDDDD
30248UScaPhil PecsokDBCCEE
30348BRGiovanni ZoliDFFCED
30448USflEugene GreenbergDEFCFF
30548UKenDom GoodwinDAEAEB
30648HRZoran BohacekBDDADD
30748NLBas OosthoekDCCCDB
30848TRMehmet KomcuDADFFB
30948SAMohammad SiddiqueDEEDDE
31047MYTimothy Liang KanDFACED
31147RSZoran RadojcicAAEAFD
31247UKenBob AshbyDACCBE
31347HRKarlo BrguljanDFAAEB
31447THRichard FricksDACCBE
31547USgaJoe SinkeyDEBADE
31647USnjMark WhitmanDEDAEF
31747INVijay RamchandranAEAAFE
31847UScaRichard AronsonEAECFD
31947USazPaul ReederEACADD
32047USmeMike CharlesBAECEB
32147IEKarel de RaeymaekerDFBCDD
32247BGGeorgi BachevDDEADD
32347USscRick GilesBEBCDD
32447USflPatrick ThomasDEBCEE
32547CHMiriam KullBEBADB
32647SIEgon NovakBABCFD
32747CNLiqiang HeBFCFFD
32847USvaRichard PadgettCFFCFB
32947USnyAdam WildavskyDECCEA
33047USmiArthur WassermanEFDCDE
33147USflNicki CaplanBEBCCE
33247TRSemi AlpBDBCFB
33347USmiRonald RasanskyAEBCFE
33447UScaPaul McEleneyBEACED
33547UKenClaire RobinsonBEFADE
33647USlaRobert BlackBEACDE
33747USwaRobert GetzDFACDE
33847NLJohn van der MeijDFEAEE
33947USwiDavid MelinDFDCBE
34047USmdNoble ShoreDCDACB
34147CAnsElianor KennieDDBCFE
34247CAmbDoug JobbinsDEBCEE
34347PTFrancisco EspregueiraDEEAAD
34447NOMagnus SkaarDDECED
34547CAonChris PedersenBEBCEB
34647USilEugene DilleDEDCDA
34747CAabDaniel BertrandDADFFD
34847USiaDavid StarkDFDFFE
34947HRBozidar PutanecBAEACD
35047TREmre NoyanDEECAE
35147UScaJimmie SwanDEFBFE
35247UScaPhil SwanDEFBFE
35346CNXiangmin GaoBFCAFA
35446UScaWally GoldfrankDEADDE
35546EGMohamed AbdallahBAEACE
35646USinKenneth WoodmanDFDABE
35746USnvRichard CoatesDEDFDE
35846UScoNelson BrentlingerDEABFE
35946SGBudi SantosoCADCEB
36046CNQing YeAFEDFD
36146USilWill ShepherdCEEACD
36246NLBas TammensBEACEE
36346USksSteve DayBBACFB
36446ROGeza Stanca-VassDFBAEB
36546CAabDerek MartinDEECBE
36646USnyGrace LloydCEACFE
36746CApqSolange BouchardBBDCED
36846NLTommie NooijBFEADE
36946USncFred LavinFECADD
37046USflDavid GoldsteinDEADDE
37146THSomyod JaideeAEEADE
37246UKwaJulian PottageFEDCDD
37346CAonLinda WolburghFEEAFB
37446SEJohnny JohanssonBFDCBD
37546ESJavier CarboneroEECFFD
37646USnyBruce RossDEECBE
37746CAonRagnar PaulsonAFAAFD
37846BEPierre BoesDFFEFE
37946ROAdrian PopescuDFBCED
38046CAnsBryson CrowellDCDACD
38146USohDavid StuckeyBEACEE
38246TRGuven DalkilicBAEAEB
38346CAonMichael MooreBDACFE
38446FIHarri Kivi-KoskinenDAADFE
38546TRAykut AksuEEEADD
38646AUClive KlugmanDDDCAE
38745CHEric WalshDEEBDE
38845USnyNicholas FranceEECFFE
38945USvaBen DickenFFDCDB
39045UKenTim DickinsonDBCCFA
39145TRBulent BalogluAEACDE
39245SIAles VavpeticBADDEE
39345ROHoria GarbeaDEEBDE
39445CApqLise LapointeDFECFA
39545USflBob BernhardBEACAB
39645CAmbDavid SiredDEEABE
39745USnyTom GibbonsAEADCB
39845USilJack HagertyDEFBCE
39945UKenGeoff BowleyBEECFA
40045UKenDodo GeorgevicAEBCCE

Scores 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 Scores

All Others Above Average

RankScoreCCName123456
40145CApqPearl CooperAEACDE
40245CAonJackie LesperanceAEEDDD
40345CAonTerry NosanchukFFDCDB
40445UStxJames ThurtellDDFAED
40545USwaDave GrubbsEAFAFD
40645UKenColin StreetAEFCEE
40745USmaJim MooreAEECAB
40845CAnsDoc MorrisonEEFACE
40945CAonRichard PapineauDEFCBE
41045USilMicah FogelDDACED
41145CAbcIvy PyeAEADFE
41245TRLeyla KezerBFEAEE
41345USmnBarbara BuchaDEEDAD
41445AURena KaplanBDDBFE
41545CNMin YanBFACED
41645NLJ.J. GassCAECCB
41745UScaBruce BlakelyDAECBB
41845SELeif LundbergAFEADD
41945LVJanis CiminshBFFDDB
42045USnjTina Gordon DalyBAAADB
42145DEAlbrecht HollsteinEEDEEB
42245INAshok SreenivasBFACED
42345UScaWafik AbdouBDBCFE
42445USgaGladys HardcastleDEEBDE
42545USmaSusan PappasEEDAAD
42645RUVladimir GavrilovDAAEFD
42745USmeLaura LipmanEAECCD
42845USflShirley WertheimBDFADB
42945TRAltay AlpCEEADD
43045IEConor FoxDEBDDE
43145CAbcDauna GustavsonDEDFEE
43245TROsman OzcanCDEAFB
43345NLDaniel de Lind van WijngaardenEECFCB
43445AMArtem BaloyanBAECEE
43545UScaSteve CoopersteinDFDACA
43645USakJoe RussellBFBCEB
43745INGowniyan VaideeshwarBFACED
43845PTAnant RajaniBEBADE
43945NLDick HermansDADBDE
44044AUMichael SeldonBDECEE
44144BWGlyn PuddefootBEBAEE
44244UKenBill MarchFFDCCE
44344UKenPaul HugginsBFAAED
44444CNSchalken ZhuADAAFD
44544USncWilliam SchminkDEFBDE
44644USflLance MarrouBEECBE
44744USazJim KlossEEDBCE
44844USvaWilliam AdamsBEAAFF
44944UKenDavid WouldsFEECCD
45044USmoThomas KniestDDCFDD
45144CAnfBrian DelongADDDDD
45244NLBart TrakselBDACDD
45344USmoGreg PeerDEAAAE
45444UKscTom KelseyEFECDE
45544USpaJim BoyerBEAFFB
45644UScaAkira WatanabeDEADFF
45744USnyMildred SimonFEDADE
45844USflErika GreenfieldAECFCE
45944UScaTodd UyedaAEAADE
46044CNXuejun GuDFDFED
46144USokEric SiegCEBAFE
46244NOGeir NostdahlCDECFE
46344UKenRoger CourtneyCEEAED
46444NLJohn LesmeisterEBDADB
46544USilDarina DemirevBEEABD
46644UStnArt LowenBADCBE
46744USnmMark JohnsonFFECFD
46844UScaSandy BarnesDFEDFF
46944UScoRoger MillerDFEFFE
47044IDSuga DiawaraDEBCAE
47144AMBoris KarapetyanDEEDAE
47244CAbcRob DunnEEAACE
47344USpaWilliam BondDEEDAE
47444USmiJoseph MountEEAADD
47544SGFabian TanBFACEE
47644CAonBala IyerBFAADE
47744USnjRobert GalloEEEDCE
47844NLKaren de LeeuwBEADDE
47944INShyam SashitalCACCAB
48044IEMaire O’KeeffeEEBCFC
48144USwaRonald JakoshEEACDE
48244SGRyan LeungDEFABE
48344USnjNoel KohnDBECEE
48444USmnTony AmesDABDDB
48544ESDeirdre ActonDECBBE
48644USilSerge BondarBDBAFE
48744TRYavuz OvacikDBBAFE
48844ROLiviu OpreaDDBDFE
48944ROAdrian PetculescuBCDCDD
49044USpaJoyce HornFEDADE
49144USmaJeffrey GertzEDDAED
49244USdcStephen RoseDDACEE
49344USmdTibor RobertsDDDFDB
49444UKenMike PowersDDAAED
49544USorIsolde KnaapCACBFD
49644USflPhil BenamyBEEABD

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 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 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
150.8037ESSpain5
250.2958BGBulgaria7
348.6922PLPoland13
448.2082IDIndonesia5
548.2088SISlovenia5
648.0072EGEgypt6
747.9214FIFinland13
847.849CNChina25
946.8067HUHungary5
1046.635DEGermany8
1146.63111USazArizona8
1246.14128CAabAlberta7
1346.1155HKHong Kong9
1445.7556ITItaly8
1545.6768FRFrance9
1645.2624NLNetherlands35
1745.0049USorOregon12
1845.0096USnjNew Jersey15
1944.7525BEBelgium8
2044.6910USilIllinois29
2144.5448TRTurkey24
2244.466RORomania13
2344.441UKenEngland63
2444.40102EEEstonia5
2544.40159CAnsNova Scotia10
2644.1353USmdMaryland8
2743.8187PTPortugal16
2843.767AUAustralia37
2943.7557USmiMichigan8
3043.6746UKscScotland6
3143.5479SESweden13
3243.50263USmoMissouri6
3343.4754USpaPennsylvania19
3443.2945USmaMassachusetts14
3543.2084UScoColorado10
3643.1727CAonOntario36
3743.0563CApqQuebec19
3842.83122ZASouth Africa6
3942.5831INIndia24
4042.5513USwaWashington11
4142.25225IEIreland8
4242.05140CAbcBritish Columbia20
4342.004UScaCalifornia66
4442.00175CHSwitzerland7
4541.923USohOhio12
4641.92227USncNorth Carolina12
4741.9092SGSingapore10
4841.75211USctConnecticut8
4941.17139NZNew Zealand6
5041.17239ILIsrael6
5141.14101CAmbManitoba7
5241.00143TWTaiwan5
5340.89135USvaVirginia9
5440.7575USnyNew York36
5540.7598UStxTexas20
5640.50149NONorway10
5740.1495USflFlorida44
5840.00339USwiWisconsin5
5939.57315USgaGeorgia7
6037.78103GRGreece9
6136.22323USscSouth Carolina9

RankAverageBestCCLocationEntries
6260.0012ZWZimbabwe1
6356.0071CZCzech Republic1
6453.6726RURussia3
6553.5044CAnbNew Brunswick2
6651.0062LVLatvia2
6750.0094USnhNew Hampshire3
6850.00221BYBelarus1
6949.7559HRCroatia4
7049.0020JPJapan4
7149.00243USalAlabama1
7248.00293USneNebraska1
7348.00309SASaudi Arabia1
7447.50156ATAustria2
7547.00160AMArmenia3
7647.00310MYMalaysia1
7747.00348USiaIowa1
7846.50314THThailand2
7946.33181BRBrazil3
8046.00273UStnTennessee2
8146.00320USmeMaine2
8245.008USinIndiana4
8345.00219VEVenezuela3
8445.00436USakAlaska1
8544.25133DKDenmark4
8644.00357USnvNevada2
8744.00441BWBotswana1
8844.00451CAnfNewfoundland1
8944.00467USnmNew Mexico1
9043.00201USkyKentucky3
9143.00523MTMalta1
9242.50413USmnMinnesota4
9342.25270USlaLouisiana4
9442.00372UKwaWales3
9542.00553MXMexico1
9641.50151CLChile4
9741.00363USksKansas4
9841.00461USokOklahoma2
9939.00492USdcWashington DC2
10039.00716PKPakistan1
10138.67696USwyWyoming3
10238.00311RSSerbia3
10338.00743BMBermuda1
10438.00761USdeDelaware1
10537.33203USidIdaho3
10634.00873LBLebanon1
10734.00876USwvWest Virginia1
10832.50738CApePrince Edward Island2
10932.50848ISIceland2
11030.00964CDCongo (Dem Republic)1
11127.00988USndNorth Dakota1

Scores 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 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 Jack (Netherlands), which won easily with a solid 51. A distant second went to GIB (United States) with 45. Jack and GIB were the only bots to top the average human score of 43.51. The win vaulted Jack into the overall lead, surpassing archrival GIB, which held the lead for a long time.

As usual, some of the lines of play chosen were not listed on my chart (or close enough to be effectively the same). Sometimes these wayward techniques prove to have some merit (better than at least one of my choices) and are indicated as Line G. On Problem 2, GIB ruffed a club, drew two trumps and led a heart, eventually playing for East to have S K-x or Q-x, awarded 3. On Problem 4, Blue Chip Bridge led D A-K-Q immediately, while Bridge Baron took a devious path with about the same chances, also awarded 3. Plays without merit beyond my worst choice are indicated as Line H (think hopeless) and best left undescribed — surely it must be dinner time somewhere in the world.

As a side activity, I was curious how many bots would follow the proper technique on Problem 1 of cashing the S A and ruffing a spade (as designated before my problem). Kudos to Jack, GIB and Bridge Buff for doing exactly that. Bridge Baron ruffed a spade without cashing the ace; Micro Bridge and Q-plus Bridge took the club finesse first; and Blue Chip Bridge took the heart finesse.

HAL forced me to come up with a new designation this month (I for idiot’s play), as its plays on Problems 2 and 6 would make Line H almost heroic. Perhaps HAL had its microchips aimed at a new job with our Federal Government (CIA? FBI?) — at least there’s no future in bridge.

August 2006 Rankings
RankScoreCCProgram version123456
151NLJack 3.01BEEAFE
245USGIB 6.1.3DGDCFF
342DEQ-plus Bridge 7.1DBEAFF
440JPMicro Bridge 11.00ADAADE
536USBridge Baron 16.0AEDGHC
629UKBlue Chip Bridge 4.2.9CHEGDE
724CABridge Buff 11.0BHHAHH
814USHAL 9004CIAFBI

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 8X95 MainChallengeAnalysesTop August 2006 Scores

© 2006 Richard Pavlicek