Normal Pace | Alberta | Bluffbot | Monash | Teddy | Average |
Alberta | x | +50 | +720 | +410 | +390 |
Bluffbot | -50 | x | +530 | -190 | +100 |
Monash | -720 | -530 | x | +1170 | -30 |
Teddy | -410 | +190 | -1170 | x | -460 |
Slower Pace | Alberta | Bluffbot | C M U | Monash | Average |
Alberta | x | +110 | +180 | +730 | +340 |
Bluffbot | -110 | x | +120 | +520 | +180 |
C M U | -180 | -120 | x | +650 | +120 |
Monash | -730 | -520 | -650 | x | -640 |
Numerous duplicate matches were played in each case, in order to obtain statistically significant results. Due to the short timeframe we had to prepare for the competition, we simply used a combination of twoSparbot programs (PsOpti4 and the newPsOpti6). The second place finisher was Teppo Salonen, a hobbyist programmer who built his own version ofSparbot for thePoker Academy software platform.
A highly-publicized entry from Carnegie Mellon University did not perform up to expectations, losing to the U of A and to Bluffbot. No doubt the talented researchers at CMU will be back with a strong contender next year. Their new program will also need to play substantially faster to maintain the normal pace of Limit Hold'em. The special slow event (one minute per game) that was created to accomodate the CMU entry may not be repeated in future tournaments.
More details of the event are available in this press release, and at the competition website. A full analysis of all matches will be performed over the coming weeks.