{"approach": "Spread 4 only (self.s == 4; every other spread runs the base code path unchanged). Measured on 400 tuning runs: the rival's bids take about 20 $/run of retail-sell edge, and the base's own bid fills earn most from cb+1. The base places its inside bid at cb+1; when the rival's ask at cb+5 is used up, the rival's replacement bid lands at that tick behind our order, so we hold first place at the rival's price. The base then cancels that front order as soon as its one-step size rule shrinks (keep cap 1.5 x one-step size), which gives up first place. Change: while the bid is at the rival's tick cb (which the base only does while an order of ours placed there first has >= 2 shares left) and phat is at least 2 ticks above cb, the size used to keep/cancel is 4x the one-step size (capped at 3000 shares). The front order is kept for its life instead of being cancelled; no order is ever added behind the rival. The 2-tick distance guard matters: the same rule with no guard or a 1-tick guard lost money in jump runs (one run lost 275 to the arbitrageur). Two constants (4x, 2 ticks), chosen on tuning seeds 8000-15999 spread-4 runs 0-599 and confirmed on spread-4 tuning runs 600-1299, which were not used to choose them (+0.059, se 0.021).", "blocked": null, "spread": 4, "base_mean_edge": 98.4694596619638, "base_unseen": {"mean_edge": 163.47813945343543, "retail_edge": 191.20763318061364, "arb_edge": -27.729493727194825}, "holdout": {"mean_edge": 163.52993146776436, "retail_edge": 191.29879202281754, "arb_edge": -27.76886055506884, "failures": 0}, "diff": {"mean": 0.051792014328919854, "standard_error": 0.012644173743880268, "retail": 0.09115884220389603, "arb": -0.0393668278740158}, "others_identical": {"runs": 900, "identical": true}, "seconds": {"base": 67.5692147470545, "yours": 66.84266982902773}, "code": "\"\"\"Crossing-cover base with isolated spread overrides; spread 4 keeps first place at the rival bid.\"\"\"\nimport math\nfrom orderbook_pm_challenge.strategy import BaseStrategy\nfrom orderbook_pm_challenge.types import CancelOrder, PlaceOrder, Side\n\nP = dict(lam_r=0.25, m=5.0, sig_n=1.2, lam_j=0.0019, sig_j=0.35, sig=0.02,\n         qmax=3000.0, rmin=2, kA=0.7, kL=0.15, pL=0.05,\n         ammo=1.0, ydem=0.4, W=200.0, fy=0.6, ammo_q=60.0, ammo_pmax=0.05, ammo_maxpay=0.02,\n         fb=0.9, fu=0.7, xu=0.1, sticky=1.0, min_ahead=2.0, keep_hi=1.5, keep_lo=0.7, Hu=300.0, bins=8.0, filt=1.0, uni=0.01, jumpinfo=1.0, dmin=0.0, kLb=0.08, kLf=0.08, pinf=1.0, pre=0.0, H1=100.0,\n         ydf=0.6, Wf=2000.0, g_hi=0.15, g_lo=0.15, qf=400.0, pmaxf=0.05, pre_gap=1.0,\n         ydf1=0.6, g1=5.0, f1=0.6, a1=100.0, nb1=0.0, gs=1.0, p1t=1.0, m1=1.0, zd=1.0, pfl=0.0005, lifeM=0.0, lifeD=0.0)\nSQ2 = math.sqrt(2.0)\nSQ2PI = math.sqrt(2.0 * math.pi)\ndef cdf(x): return 0.5 * (1.0 + math.erf(x / SQ2))\ndef pdf(x): return math.exp(-0.5 * x * x) / SQ2PI\ndef inv(p):\n    p = min(max(p, 1e-9), 1 - 1e-9)\n    t = math.sqrt(-2.0 * math.log(min(p, 1 - p)))\n    x = t - (2.515517 + 0.802853 * t + 0.010328 * t * t) / (1 + 1.432788 * t + 0.189269 * t * t + 0.001308 * t ** 3)\n    x = -x if p < 0.5 else x\n    for _ in range(2):\n        d = pdf(x)\n        if d < 1e-12:\n            break\n        x -= (cdf(x) - p) / d\n    return x\ndef lpm(k):\n    return pdf(k) + k * cdf(k)\ndef fl(q):\n    return math.floor(q * 100 + 1e-9) / 100\n\nNODES = [(-2.2, .06), (-1.3, .17), (-0.6, .27), (0.6, .27), (1.3, .17), (2.2, .06)]\nPROBE = 0.01\n\n\nclass Strategy(BaseStrategy):\n    def __init__(self):\n        self.n = 0\n        self.ahead = set()     # main orders placed strictly ahead of any competitor order at their tick\n        self.res = {}          # order id -> uncovered quantity at placement\n        self.bc = None         # belief: sub-tick grid centres (ticks)\n        self.bw = None         # belief: weights\n        self.st = 0.5          # last one-step sd in ticks\n        self.pcb = self.pca = None\n        self.pb = set()\n        self.pa = set()\n        self.tb = 0\n        self.s = None          # competitor spread parameter\n        self.flow_notional = 0.0\n        self.flow_exposure = 0\n        self.last_ask_tick = None\n        self.last_quote_exposed = False\n        self.last_flow_ca = None\n        self.last_flow_cap = 0.0\n        self.last_flow_correction = 1.0\n        self.params = P.copy()\n\n    def _oid(self, tag):\n        self.n += 1\n        return tag + str(self.n)\n\n    def on_step(self, state):\n        H = max(1, state.steps_remaining)\n        cb = state.competitor_best_bid_ticks or 0\n        ca = state.competitor_best_ask_ticks or 100\n        if self.s is None:\n            self.s = max(1, (ca - cb + 1) // 2)\n            if self.s == 1:\n                self.params.update({'dmin': 0.3, 'pfl': 1e-06})\n            if self.s == 4:\n                self.params.update({'lifeM': 4.0, 'lifeD': 2.0})\n            if self.s == 3:\n                self.params.update({'flow_prior': 200, 'flow_level': 0.6, 'flow_strength': 1.0, 'flow_safety': 2.0, 'flow_exposure_min': 5.0})\n        P = self.params\n        if self.s == 3 and self.last_quote_exposed and ca <= self.last_flow_ca + 1:\n            self.flow_exposure += 1\n            self.flow_notional += min(self.last_flow_cap, state.sell_filled_quantity * self.last_ask_tick / 100.0) * self.last_flow_correction\n        lo, hi = cb, ca\n        for o in state.own_orders:\n            if o.side is Side.BUY:\n                lo = max(lo, o.price_ticks)\n            else:\n                hi = min(hi, o.price_ticks)\n        if P['pinf'] > 0:\n            sb = {o.price_ticks for o in state.own_orders if o.side is Side.BUY and o.remaining_quantity <= PROBE + 1e-9}\n            sa = {o.price_ticks for o in state.own_orders if o.side is Side.SELL and o.remaining_quantity <= PROBE + 1e-9}\n            ea = self.pa - sa\n            eb = self.pb - sb\n            if sa and ea:\n                lo = max(lo, min(max(ea), hi))\n            if eb and (sb or min(eb) <= P['p1t']):\n                hi = min(hi, max(min(eb), lo))\n        if P['jumpinfo'] > 0 and self.pcb is not None:\n            if ca > self.pca + 1:\n                lo = max(lo, ca - 1)\n            if cb < self.pcb - 1:\n                hi = min(hi, cb + 1)\n        self.pcb, self.pca = cb, ca\n        if lo > hi:\n            lo, hi = hi, lo\n        # sub-tick belief over p_(t-1): predict with one-step noise, truncate to [lo, hi]\n        wid = max(hi - lo, 1e-6)\n        nb = max(2, min(48, int(round(wid * P['bins']))))\n        cs = [lo + (i + 0.5) * wid / nb for i in range(nb)]\n        if self.bc is None or P['filt'] <= 0:\n            ws = [1.0 / nb] * nb\n        else:\n            sg = max(self.st, 0.6 * wid / nb)\n            k = -0.5 / (sg * sg)\n            ws = []\n            uni = P['uni'] * sg\n            for c in cs:\n                t = uni\n                for ci, wi in zip(self.bc, self.bw):\n                    d = c - ci\n                    d2 = d * d * k\n                    if d2 > -12.5:\n                        t += wi * math.exp(d2)\n                ws.append(t)\n            tot = sum(ws)\n            ws = [w / tot for w in ws]\n        self.bc, self.bw = cs, ws\n        mean_t = sum(c * w for c, w in zip(cs, ws))\n        var_t = max(sum(c * c * w for c, w in zip(cs, ws)) - mean_t * mean_t, 0.0)\n        phat = min(max(mean_t / 100.0, 0.002), 0.998)\n        var = P['sig'] ** 2 + P['lam_j'] * P['sig_j'] ** 2\n        sd = math.sqrt(H * var)\n        self.tb = self.tb + 1 if hi <= 1 else 0\n        if self.tb > 0 and P['zd'] > 0:\n            # below the last tick there is no probe: the score keeps walking away from it\n            phat = min(phat, max(P['pfl'], cdf(inv(0.01) - P['zd'] * 0.02 * math.sqrt(self.tb) / sd)))\n        z = inv(phat)\n        Z = z * sd\n        sp = pdf(z) / sd * P['sig']\n        self.st = sp * 100.0\n        s = math.sqrt(sp * sp + var_t / 1e4 + 1e-8)\n        sd1 = math.sqrt(max(1.0, H - 1.0) * var)\n        jp = [(cdf((Z + n * P['sig_j']) / sd1), w) for n, w in NODES]\n        lj = P['lam_j']\n\n        def AB(x):\n            k = (x - phat) / s\n            a = s * lpm(k)\n            b = a - (x - phat)\n            ja = sum(w * max(0.0, x - p) for p, w in jp)\n            jb = sum(w * max(0.0, p - x) for p, w in jp)\n            return (1 - lj) * a + lj * ja, (1 - lj) * b + lj * jb\n\n        if H == 1:\n            def AB(x):\n                return (1 - phat) * x, phat * (1 - x)\n        rho = P['lam_r'] * 0.5\n        mu = math.log(P['m']) - 0.5 * P['sig_n'] ** 2\n        kA = P['kL'] if phat < P['pL'] else P['kA']\n\n        def qsize(loss, gain, px):\n            loss *= kA\n            if gain <= 0:\n                return 0.0\n            tail = loss / (rho * gain)\n            if tail >= 1.0:\n                return 0.0\n            return min(P['qmax'], math.exp(mu + P['sig_n'] * inv(1 - max(tail, 1e-6))) / px)\n\n        ptk = phat * 100\n        def qbid(t):\n            if not 1 <= t <= 99:\n                return 0.0\n            a, b = AB(t / 100.0)\n            if phat * 100 - t < P['dmin']:\n                return 0.0\n            if P['nb1'] > 0 and self.s == 1 and t == 1 and ptk < 1.0:\n                return 0.0\n            if phat < P['pL']:\n                ytg = P['ydem'] * min(H, P['W']) / max(ca - 1, ptk + 1) * 100.0\n                a *= (P['kLb'] if state.yes_inventory < ytg else P['kLf']) / P['kL']\n            return qsize(a, b, max(phat, 0.05))\n\n        def qask(t):\n            if not 1 <= t <= 99:\n                return 0.0\n            a, b = AB(t / 100.0)\n            if t - phat * 100 < P['dmin']:\n                return 0.0\n            return qsize(b, a, t / 100.0)\n\n        bids = [o for o in state.own_orders if o.side is Side.BUY and o.remaining_quantity > PROBE + 1e-9]\n        asks = [o for o in state.own_orders if o.side is Side.SELL and o.remaining_quantity > PROBE + 1e-9]\n        sticky = P['sticky'] > 0\n        def top(orders, comp, step):\n            if sticky and sum(o.remaining_quantity for o in orders if o.price_ticks == comp and o.order_id in self.ahead) >= P['min_ahead']:\n                return comp\n            return comp + step\n        bid_t = top(bids, cb, 1)\n        ask_t = top(asks, ca, -1)\n        qb = qbid(bid_t)\n        if self.s == 4 and P['lifeM'] > 0 and qb > 0 and bid_t == cb and ptk - cb >= P['lifeD']:\n            # spread 4: a front order at the rival's bid, 2+ ticks under p, is kept for its life, not cancelled for one-step size\n            qb = min(P['qmax'], qb * P['lifeM'])\n        qa = qask(ask_t)\n\n        Y = state.yes_inventory\n        if ask_t == 1 and H > P['H1'] and P['pre'] > 0:\n            qa = qa if Y >= P['a1'] > 0 else 0.0          # let the competitor's 2-tick ask erode instead of fronting it for nothing\n        # ammunition: hold YES so that low asks are covered\n        ptick = phat * 100\n        amt = 0\n        qam = 0.0\n        if P['ammo'] > 0 and ask_t >= 2 and phat < max(P['ammo_pmax'], P['pmaxf']):\n            wealth = state.cash + Y * phat\n            x = max(ask_t, ptick + 1) / 100.0\n            capw = P['fy'] * wealth / max(phat, 0.005)\n            target = min(P['ydem'] * min(H, P['W']) / x, capw)\n            full = min(P['ydf'] * min(H, P['Wf']) / x, capw) if phat < P['pmaxf'] else 0.0\n            t = max(1, min(99, int(math.ceil(ptick + 1e-9))))\n            g = t - ptick\n            if Y < full and g <= P['g_hi'] and bid_t <= t < ask_t:\n                amt, qam = t, min(P['qf'], full - Y)     # a tick p has just crossed: nearly free\n            elif Y < target and phat < P['ammo_pmax'] and bid_t <= t < ask_t and t / 100.0 - phat < P['ammo_maxpay']:\n                amt, qam = t, min(P['ammo_q'], target - Y)\n            elif Y < full and t >= 2 and 1.0 - g <= P['g_lo']:\n                amt, qam = t - 1, min(P['qf'], full - Y)  # rest just under p: filled only on the crossing, or by retail\n\n        if P['pre'] > 0 and ca == 2 and phat < 0.01 and H > P['H1'] and Y < P['pre'] and not qam and 1.0 - ptick < P['pre_gap']:\n            amt, qam = 1, min(P['ammo_q'], P['pre'] - Y)\n        q1 = 0.0\n        if P['ydf1'] > 0 and P['m1'] < ptick < P['g1'] + 1.0 and amt != 1:\n            stock_rate = P['ydf1']\n            if self.s == 3:\n                flow = (self.flow_notional + P['flow_prior'] * P['flow_level']) / (P['flow_prior'] + self.flow_exposure)\n                scale = max(0.5, min(2.0, flow / P['flow_level']))\n                stock_rate *= 1.0 + P['flow_strength'] * (scale - 1.0)\n            q1 = max(0.0, stock_rate * min(H, P['Wf']) / (self.s / 100.0) - Y)\n\n        # Bridge expected retail demand until another tick crossing is available.\n        if 0.02 < phat < 0.1:\n            ct = max(2, min(99, int(math.floor(ptick))))\n            wealth = state.cash + Y * phat\n            goal = min(1 * qa, 0.3 * max(wealth, 0.0) / phat)\n            if Y < goal and ct < ask_t:\n                amt, qam = ct, min(3000.0, goal - Y)\n        # order management\n        actions = []\n        free = state.free_cash - 2.0\n        keep_ask = 0.0\n        new_b = []\n        new_a = []\n        def cancel(o):\n            nonlocal free\n            actions.append(CancelOrder(o.order_id))\n            x = o.price_ticks / 100.0\n            if o.side is Side.BUY:\n                free += x * o.remaining_quantity\n            else:\n                free += (1 - x) * min(self.res.get(o.order_id, 0.0), o.remaining_quantity)\n            self.ahead.discard(o.order_id)\n            self.res.pop(o.order_id, None)\n        for o in state.own_orders:\n            if o.remaining_quantity <= PROBE + 1e-9:\n                cancel(o)\n        kept_ids = set()\n        def manage(orders, t, q, comp):\n            kept = 0.0\n            for o in orders:\n                if o.price_ticks == t and q > 0 and kept + o.remaining_quantity <= max(q * P['keep_hi'], 1.0):\n                    kept += o.remaining_quantity\n                    kept_ids.add(o.order_id)\n                else:\n                    cancel(o)\n            return kept\n        kb = manage(bids, bid_t, qb, cb)\n        ka = manage(asks, ask_t, qa, ca)\n        add_b = (qb - kb) if (kb < qb * P['keep_lo'] and bid_t != cb) else 0.0\n        add_a = (qa - ka) if (ka < qa * P['keep_lo'] and ask_t != ca) else 0.0\n\n        budget = P['fb'] * max(free, 0.0)\n        cost = add_b * bid_t / 100.0 + qam * amt / 100.0\n        if cost > budget:\n            f = budget / cost\n            add_b *= f\n            qam *= f\n            cost = budget\n        out = []\n        q1 = min(q1, P['f1'] * max(budget - cost, 0.0) * 100.0)\n        if q1 >= 0.01:\n            out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.BUY, price_ticks=1, quantity=fl(q1)))\n            free -= fl(q1) / 100.0 + 1e-6\n        if amt and qam >= 0.01:\n            q = fl(qam)\n            out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.BUY, price_ticks=amt, quantity=q))\n            free -= q * amt / 100.0 + 1e-6\n        if bid_t >= 1 and add_b >= 0.01:\n            q = fl(add_b)\n            oid = self._oid('b')\n            out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.BUY, price_ticks=bid_t, quantity=q, client_order_id=oid))\n            free -= q * bid_t / 100.0 + 1e-6\n            if bid_t > cb:\n                self.ahead.add(oid)\n        if ask_t <= 99 and add_a >= 0.01:\n            x = ask_t / 100.0\n            covk = sum(o.remaining_quantity - min(self.res.get(o.order_id, 0.0), o.remaining_quantity)\n                       for o in asks if o.order_id in kept_ids)\n            cov = max(0.0, Y - covk - 0.1)\n            unc = max(0.0, add_a - cov)\n            if unc > 0:\n                ub = max(0.0, free - (1 - P['fu']) * max(state.cash, 0.0)) if x >= P['xu'] else 0.0\n                if H < P['Hu'] and phat < 0.05:\n                    ub = max(0.0, free * (1 - H / P['Hu']))\n                unc = min(unc, ub / (1 - x))\n            q = fl(min(add_a, cov + unc))\n            if q >= 0.01:\n                oid = self._oid('a')\n                out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.SELL, price_ticks=ask_t, quantity=q, client_order_id=oid))\n                r = max(0.0, q - cov)\n                self.res[oid] = r\n                free -= r * (1 - x) + 1e-6\n                if ask_t < ca:\n                    self.ahead.add(oid)\n\n        # probes: tiny orders that the arbitrageur removes when p crosses them\n        f = int(math.floor(ptick + 1e-9))\n        r = max(int(P['rmin']), int(math.ceil(2.0 * s * 100)))\n        self.pb = set()\n        self.pa = set()\n        if free > 1.0:\n            for t in range(f, f + r + 1):\n                if cb < t < ca and 1 <= t <= 99:\n                    out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.BUY, price_ticks=t, quantity=PROBE))\n                    self.pb.add(t)\n            for t in range(f + 1 - r, f + 2):\n                if cb < t < ca and 1 <= t <= 99:\n                    out.append(PlaceOrder(side=Side.SELL, price_ticks=t, quantity=PROBE))\n                    self.pa.add(t)\n        if self.s == 3:\n            self.last_ask_tick = ask_t\n            self.last_flow_ca = ca\n            exposed_qty = ka + sum(o.quantity for o in out if o.side is Side.SELL and o.price_ticks == ask_t and o.quantity > PROBE)\n            self.last_flow_cap = exposed_qty * ask_t / 100.0\n            self.last_quote_exposed = ask_t / 100.0 > phat + max(0.005, P['flow_safety'] * self.st / 100.0) and self.last_flow_cap >= P['flow_exposure_min']\n            if self.last_quote_exposed:\n                logcap = math.log(self.last_flow_cap)\n                mu_flow = math.log(P['m']) - 0.5 * P['sig_n'] ** 2\n                clipped = P['m'] * cdf((logcap - mu_flow - P['sig_n'] ** 2) / P['sig_n']) + self.last_flow_cap * (1.0 - cdf((logcap - mu_flow) / P['sig_n']))\n                self.last_flow_correction = min(3.0, P['m'] / max(clipped, 0.01))\n        return actions + out\n", "code_sha256": "98f05fac7ff29ff878e6a7cf0c54f079ce01d0c742038e670a4f21269b6c088e", "tried": ["Scorer check: 4000 runs from seed 4000, --workers 4: 98.4694596619638 (matches author). Unseen = 2009 spread-4 seeds in 60000-67999; tuning = 2043 spread-4 seeds in 8000-15999 (diffs below are on tuning runs 0-599, base 145.0466, split by seed parity)", "Flow measurement (base, 400 tuning runs): rival bids take retail sells mainly at floor(p) and 1-4 ticks below; p>=20c: d0 284 sh/1.64$, d-1 216 sh/3.17$, d-2 124 sh/3.04$; p 1-2c d0 233 sh/1.32$ per run", "Life-size (x2) any bid at ca-4, the tick where the next rival bid lands: -6.27 (se 0.46), arb -6.99", "x4 at ca-4: -23.46; x4 at ca-4 plus keep front: -20.32", "x2 at ca-4 only when >=2 ticks under p: -4.18; x3 when >=3 ticks under: -2.06 (arb losses to jumps outweigh the extra retail)", "Same restricted to p<5c (x2/x4, >=1 tick): +0.014 / -0.28 (only 72 runs changed)", "Keep front order at cb at 4x one-step size, no distance guard: +0.03 (se 0.17; retail +0.54, arb -0.51; one run -90)", "Keep front x4 with >=1 tick guard: -0.27 (se 0.46; par1 +0.21 but one run -275 to arb); dollar cap on size had no effect", "Keep front x4 with >=2 tick guard (CHOSEN): +0.0305 se 0.017, both parity halves positive; x10 same (+0.0298); confirmed on unused tuning runs 600-1299: +0.059 se 0.021; unseen: +0.051792014328919854 se 0.012644173743880268", "Front-only keep restricted to p<5c: +0.044 se 0.028 (10 runs changed)"], "next": "The bid lead pays only when the front order survives. The gain here is small (+0.05/run) because the base rarely holds first place at the rival bid. A front order arises only when our cb+1 bid sits at ca-4 and the rival's ask at ca is used up. Next seat: estimate the rival ask lot's remaining size (quote notional is fixed per run, so infer it from lots consumed) and life-size the ca-4 bid only in the few steps before that ask is exhausted. Making it bigger at all times lost 2-23/run to the arbitrageur. Also try a jump-aware distance guard (scale the 2-tick guard with the estimated jump sd) instead of the flat 2 ticks."}