[uday]

Anyone know of any (unix) software that can compute the par score for a deal ?

[Free]

Can't you use Deep Finesse to calculate how many tricks every side has in each possible contract? Or does that take too much time? 5 contracts (and recalculate for higher bids), 26 possible leads (both sides might play), and that for both pairs.

[uday]

What I'm curious about is whether we can use +/- imps against par as a (basis for? absolute) measure of the strength of the players (this is an idea from zeusie). I suppose I could do as you say ( and I might have to if i pursue this and that is all I have ) but I'm hoping to find a program that

- runs on linux ( DF needs windows )
- accepts (hand,vul) and returns par score

so that I can compute my #s with a minimum of fuss using one of our spare linux servers .

[paulhar]

I'm not sure how computing par score helps you determine anything about skill. This was discussed in these two threads:

http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/~bridge2/...6&hl=par+result

http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/~bridge2/...5&hl=par+result

Quote

measure of the strength of the players

Why do you want this? In this thread:

http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/~bridge2/...5&hl=par+result

I was all in favor of measuring the strength of the players but as you'll see, my position was extremely unpopular.

[Cascade]

I know nothing about Linux but I imagine that the gib engine can run there since it is written in C. Of course I am not sure about the availability of the gib engine. If my memory serves me correctly there used to be a freeware version of the engine possibly with source code.

I would not think that IMPs against par would be an absolute measure of the players strengths at best it would be a relative measure of players strengths.

Since par is some theoretical measure that might or might not be reasonably attainable in practice I think it would be better to measure relative strengths by comparing with what other players do in practice (actual results) rather than some theoretical number that is not real bridge.

e.g.

If everyone is in 4♥ and the ♥K is singleton offside and the only way to make is by dropping the ♥K then 4♥-1 will be the normal result and 4♥= might be the par result. Everyone or nearly everyone sitting one way will do better than par and everyone the other way worse. This doesn't seem a good measure of skill.

I have used actual results as a measure of relative skill to grade members at the local club. It seemed to work ok for me.

[EricK]

There are a lot of downsides for comparing against par. Probably the biggest is that at IMPS the correct play is often to guarantee your contract rather than try for overtiricks (even if those overtricks are quite likely) or to try and defeat a contract even if failure means not taking all the tricks you are entitled to.

In those situations, attaining par is the sign of a bad player not a good one.

Eric

[DrTodd13]

Just not going after overtricks will leave you very close to the par result. It is how much you fall below the par result on a relative basis that matters, not just a binary question of whether you beat par or not.

It seems to me that par is much more suited to IMPs than it is to matchpoints. Getting that overtrick is so valuable in MP that a comparison against a par result is not so valuable there.

Todd

[uday]

Quote

I'm not sure how computing par score helps you determine anything about skill. This was discussed in these two threads:

They say it all and i'll put this thought on hold. Thx much.