Improved initialization of players in leapfrogging optimization

•Leapfrogging is a multi-player (particle) direct search optimization algorithm.•For the leap-over, the player with the worst objective function value is relocated to a random position in decision variable space on the other side of the player with the best value.•This work develops and demonstrates a player initialization strategy that reduces the number of function evaluations required for a specified probability of finding the global optimum.

A method to determine the initial number of players (particles) in Leapfrogging, a multi-player optimization algorithm, to best balance the probability of finding the global minimum with fewest objective function evaluations is developed and demonstrated.