{"approach": "The base's low-price bids had adverse direct fills, yet removing them worsened the full strategy. Preserve their prices and the bid sizing when YES inventory is below the existing target. For spread 2 only, double kLf from 0.08 to 0.16 so main bids shrink after stock reaches that target; this reduced arbitrage loss more than retail edge on tuning runs. The only code change is inside the self.s == 2 initialization branch; other spreads use the base unchanged. Simulator commit b244530ee2a6247b5f930830eeca9dd950da0e7e, default configuration, 2000 steps, no sandbox. The base CLI 4000-run scorer exactly reproduced 98.4694596619638. Spread-2 tuning used all 1967 eligible seeds in 8000-15999, with discovery on the first 400 and validation on the next 600 and last 967. The file was frozen before the 1987 spread-2 unseen seeds in 60000-67999 were examined. Differences are paired by seed and arb edge is signed; standard error is the sample standard deviation of paired total-edge differences divided by sqrt(n). Timing alternates base and candidate over 200 identical spread-2 tuning seeds in one process after warmup, excluding configuration sampling and strategy loading. These are local simulator results, not a leaderboard submission.", "blocked": null, "python_version": "3.12.3", "spread": 2, "base_mean_edge": 98.4694596619638, "runs": {"tuning": 1967, "unseen": 1987}, "base_unseen": {"mean_edge": 75.37891657984132, "retail_edge": 102.41461084785999, "arb_edge": -27.035694268030902}, "holdout": {"mean_edge": 75.66493078709345, "retail_edge": 102.24726553715134, "arb_edge": -26.58233475007046, "failures": 0}, "diff": {"mean": 0.28601420725213894, "standard_error": 0.08141218421010098, "retail": -0.16734531070865652, "arb": 0.45335951796044277}, "others_identical": {"runs": 900, "identical": true}, "seconds": {"base": 85.63504222035408, "yours": 85.01423197495751}, "code": "\"\"\"Crossing-cover base with isolated, untuned spread overrides.\"\"\"\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)\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 == 2:\n                self.params.update({'kLf': 0.16})\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        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": "1ab17227d157e40240e616c09b7206362675fb97bc257f68dd520d822760c61f", "tried": ["Base bid-fill split, first 400 spread-2 tuning runs: main ticks 2-4 retail edge 2.6132681514787777, arb edge -3.1798670754583713; stock tick 1 retail 0.07574688225843243, arb -3.1261047527347405 per run.", "Tick-1 stock bid sizing: half target -3.87766481233225 (n=400, se=0.7740563805298475); remove -7.685824170576 (n=400, se=1.287791248862596); double target -1.5054715393345 (n=400, se=0.736449722875902); higher budget share -0.001636215897500044 (n=400, se=0.0041060257198147826).", "Bridge bid: remove -1.0807707758357503 (n=400, se=0.1610259461555925); lower one tick -0.17500689998750057 (n=400, se=0.11878604101144152); cap at 100 shares -0.1048127172150002 (n=400, se=0.08839185138427148).", "Main bid placement: safety gap 0.3 tick -0.24146974531575027 (n=400, se=0.17753857625457883); gap 0.6 -4.085566632186 (n=400, se=0.785655135632836); raise inside widened spread -1.5456328287062502 (n=400, se=0.324329074819428); match competitor at low prices -2.7818989753975 (n=400, se=0.49749237493883536).", "Main bid size: remove ticks 1-4 -4.88983486053375 (n=400, se=0.7688487351649859); 1.5x loss factor at ticks 2-4 0.13031819760349939 (n=400, se=0.08978092299474083), plus independent slice 0.4658472234916671 (n=600, se=0.3435109785638513); aggressive low bids -0.09289675650700023 (n=400, se=0.06790808567205453); aggressive bids above five cents 0.03426224321850006 (n=400, se=0.122644380507959).", "Late-only reduction of main bids at ticks 2-4: 0.10188532698949988 (n=400, se=0.047435479405165015).", "Inventory-dependent main bid sizing, one branch at a time: more below target 0.12059149390874987 (n=400, se=0.0757669377139465); less above target: first slice 0.1542143088629993 (n=400, se=0.14301830092789994), independent slice 0.32570171020766653 (n=600, se=0.1335086018508611), final slice 0.3265070290552227 (n=967, se=0.0899966444552913).", "Inventory-aware two-parameter rule, kLb=0.04 and kLf=0.16: discovery 0.26577659124200004 (n=400, se=0.16547431274492794); independent check 0.23535197875616723 (n=600, se=0.1099791546615774); remaining tuning 0.3593678115328852 (n=967, se=0.09728570766209832); speed failed, 95.57423054473475 versus base 93.76383798755705 seconds on 200 paired runs.", "Best eligible: spread-2 kLf=0.16 alone, with kLb unchanged at 0.08. Discovery 0.1542143088629993 (n=400, se=0.14301830092789994); independent check 0.32570171020766653 (n=600, se=0.1335086018508611); remaining tuning 0.3265070290552227 (n=967, se=0.0899966444552913); full 1967-run paired mean 0.29122473145205896, se 0.06678037280504202; 200-run timing 85.01423197495751 versus base 85.63504222035408 seconds."], "next": "Test whether the final 500 steps need a tighter tick-4 bid after YES stock is high, using fresh training seeds. Preserve the spread-2 guard and verify the candidate remains faster before unseen evaluation."}