Return highest number from distinct date - sql

Question

Data:
Name | Score | Date
==
John | 10 | 09/01/2012
John | 20 | 09/01/2012
John | 5 | 09/01/2012
Frank | 20 | 11/01/2012
I want to run an SQL statement that will pull only the highest score from each day only, so I don't want three scores from one date, only the highest. So the return I'd like from SQL would be:
John | 20 | 09/01/2012
Frank | 20 | 11/01/2012
Is it possible to do this via SQL, currently I can do it after pulling everything by checking dates. But would be great if it's possible to do it direct from the DB.
I have tried a few solutions but as Date and Score aren't distinct, as I want the highest I am unsure of where to proceed. The SQL is being used with a MS Access database.

Answer 1

Here's a complete example. I did it in Oracle, so you might have to tweak the syntax a bit for Access.
CREATE TABLE tbl1 (NAME VARCHAR2(100), score INT, Dt DATE);
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',10,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',20,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',5,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('Harry',15,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('Frank',20,to_date('20121101','YYYYMMDD'));
select a.dt
, b.name
, a.score
FROM (SELECT dt
, MAX(score) score
FROM tbl1
GROUP BY dt) a
, (SELECT NAME
, dt
, MAX(score) score
FROM tbl1
GROUP BY name, dt) b
WHERE a.dt = b.dt
AND a.score = b.score
Output:
1 11/1/2012 Frank 20
2 9/1/2012 John 20
Note that if two people have highest score for given day, it will print them both. For example:
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',10,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',20,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('John',5,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('Harry',20,to_date('20120901','YYYYMMDD'));
INSERT INTO tbl1 VALUES ('Frank',20,to_date('20121101','YYYYMMDD'));
select a.dt
, b.name
, a.score
FROM (SELECT dt
, MAX(score) score
FROM tbl1
GROUP BY dt) a
, (SELECT NAME
, dt
, MAX(score) score
FROM tbl1
GROUP BY name, dt) b
WHERE a.dt = b.dt
AND a.score = b.score
Output:
DT NAME SCORE
1 11/1/2012 Frank 20
2 9/1/2012 John 20
3 9/1/2012 Harry 20

Answer 2

I guess it is pretty simple
Select [Name], max([score]) as Score, [Date] from scoresTable
group by [Date], [Name]
Edited:
More accurate but a little complex
select o.[Name], i.[Date], i.Score from scoresTable o
inner join (select [Date], max(Score) as Score
from scoresTable group by [Date]) as i
on o.[Date] = i.[Date] and i.Score = o.Score
Even More, if your date field contains time too
select o.[Name], i.[Date], i.Score from scoresTable o
inner join (select convert(varchar, [Date], 101) as Date, max(Score) as Score
from scoresTable
group by convert(varchar, [Date], 101)) as i
on convert(varchar, o.[Date], 101) = i.[Date] and i.Score = o.Score