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Game Theory Introduction

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Game Theory Background An Illustrative Example Course Structure

Introduction to Game Theory
Econ 414
Jeff Borowitz

Summer I 2010

Jeff Borowitz

Introduction to Game Theory

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Game Theory Background An Illustrative Example Course Structure

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What is Game Theory?

Game Theory is really “Multi-Party Decision Theory” Outside of game theory, we think of just one actor (firms maximizing profits, workers deciding how much to work, etc.) Decisions involving many parties are very relevant to economics
Oligopoly Public Goods Working together on a team project

Jeff Borowitz

Introduction to Game Theory

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Game Theory Background An Illustrative Example Course Structure

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What is a game? Formally
A game consists of
Players The actions that the players can take How much each player values each potential outcome What each player knows

Definition (A Game)
A game Γ = (S, U) is a list of possible actions by each player S = (S1 , S2 , . . . , Sn ), and a list of payoff functions for each player under all possible combinations of actions by each other player U = (u1 (S), u2 (S), . . . , un (S))

Jeff Borowitz

Introduction to Game Theory

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Game Theory Background An Illustrative Example Course Structure

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What is a game? Informally

Games
Fantasy Football (drafting, picking line-ups depend on what others do) Rock-Paper-Scissors Risk

Not Games
Football (depends on skill, strength, etc, rather than decisions) Pool

Jeff Borowitz

Introduction to Game Theory

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Question

Is poker a game?
1 2

Yes No

Question

Is poker a game?
1 2

Yes No

Yes. It is ultimately just a series of decisions that have to be made, with randomness added in.

Game Theory Background An Illustrative Example Course Structure

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