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Subject: Re: A statistically-significant champion.

Author: Bruce Moreland

Date: 22:05:06 12/24/00

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On December 24, 2000 at 17:44:30, Roger D Davis wrote:

>They should play a set number of games, say 5 or ten. At the end of that
>tournament, if the results are not statistically significant, they should play
>on until the results ARE statistically significant. If you look at all past
>world champions, it appears that there have seldom been enough games played to
>make a statistically significant champion. Sad, but true. The world championship
>is rather like Junior 6 v. Shredder and one program coming out on top by one
>game. We all know that proves nothing.
>
>I do not mind there being someone called "world champion," but I think there
>should also be a "statistically significant champion." Only the statistically
>significant champion can be the real champion.
>
>Roger

This would work great if one of them were much stronger than the other.  But
they aren't, they are close together.  You might be years trying to get
statistical significance.  I can't think of another sport where any effort is
made to attain statistical significance.  Quite the contrary.  You can find many
championships that are decided on the basis of one match.

bruce




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