It's past midnight here in Australia but 9:00am EST in America, so the Coding Contest has now officially begun. Those of you who are participating - GOOD LUCK!

This years contest begins with Pong. Contestants are going to build a computer player for Pong. But not just classic Pong, three other variants of Pong too.

1. Classic Pong - Tennis
2. Football Pong - A defensive bat and an offensive bat are included in this variant
3. Hockey Pong - Two defensive bats that can move independently are included in this variant
4. Multiball Pong - Five balls move simultaneously around the game arena in this variant

Naturally there is more to this challenge than meets the eye. The contestants have two and a bit days to wrap their head around the intricacies of this contest to make the best player they can muster.

So, good luck to every one involved and may the best computer player win!