Game Theory

Teachers

Included in study programs

Teaching results

The aim of the course is to provide students with basic knowledge of game theory. The student will gain an overview of the basic types of games that can be applied to real situations, he will be able to find optimal strategies in various decision-making situations, whether it will be a situation corresponding to non-cooperative games or cooperative games, in which he also learns to work in team. Students will also practice the connection of game theory with real situations in voting games, where it is important to know which coalitions are advantageous and why. The student will get acquainted with the basic models of the market and with the basic types of auctions.
Knowledge:
At the theoretical level student has the necessary knowledge of the basic definitions of game theory, he knows ways to find optimal strategies, methods how to solve matrix and bimatrix games, he has an overview of possible solutions in situations corresponding to decision-making for risks and uncertainties, he knows definitions and principles of non-cooperative and cooperative games and has knowledge of coalition formation, the basic market models and the basic types of auctions.
Skills:
The student is able to apply the concepts of game theory to real situations, to solve basic types of games, to find the optimal solution of matrix games, non-cooperative and cooperative games. He is able to deciside in situations corresponding to games against nature. The student's ability to work in a team will be used in solving cooperative games and creating coalitions.
Competences:
After completing the course, student has basic knowledge of game theory and their use in solving specific tasks, especially those of an economic nature, which he demonstrates by the project developing and its subsequent presentation. Student is able to apply the gained knowledge in real situations such as the selection of a suitable partner in the company, the selection of a suitable location for the company or the selection of a suitable strategy for the competition fight on the market.

Indicative content

Lectures:
1. Basic concepts of modeling conflict situations.
2. Games in normal form, games in extensive form, non-conflict decision situations.
3. Two player games. Definition of antagonistic conflict. Matrix games and methods of their solution. Optimal player strategies, their existence and properties. Fictitious game method, dominance in matrix games.
4. Bimatrix games.
5. Endless antagonistic conflicts - finding a balanced strategy of the game.
6. Von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function.
7. Decision making for risks and uncertainties. Games against nature.
8. Non-cooperative games n players. Equilibrium points in pure and mixed strategies. Optimal decision making in non-cooperative games.
9. Cooperative games n players. Coalitions and their characteristic functions. The core of the game. Shapley's value of the game.
10. Voting games. Shapley force index. Banzhaf's strength index. Coalition formation theory.
11. Market models in game theory. Monopoly, duopoly, oligopoly.
12. Introduction to auction theory.
13. Applications of game theory in the economic environment, paradoxes of economic laws.
Seminars:
1. Basic concepts of modeling conflict situations.
2. Games in normal form, games in extensive form, non-conflict decision situations.
3. Two player games. Definition of antagonistic conflict. Matrix games and methods of their solution. Optimal player strategies, their existence and properties. Fictitious game method, dominance in matrix games.
4. Bimatrix games.
5. Endless antagonistic conflicts - finding a balanced strategy of the game.
6. Von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function.
7. Decision making for risks and uncertainties. Games against nature.
8. Non-cooperative games n players. Equilibrium points in pure and mixed strategies. Optimal decision making in non-cooperative games.
9. Cooperative games n players. Coalitions and their characteristic functions. The core of the game. Shapley's value of the game.
10. Voting games. Shapley force index. Banzhaf's strength index. Coalition formation theory.
11. Test.
12. Projects presentations.
13. Projects presentations.

Support literature

1. CORCHÓN, L. C. – MARINI, M. A. 2018. Handbook of Game Theory and Industrial Organization, Volume I. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2018. ISBN: 978-1-78536-327-6
2. CORCHÓN, L. C. – MARINI, M. A. 2018. Handbook of Game Theory and Industrial Organization, Volume II. Edward Elgar Publishing. 2018. ISBN: 978- 1-78811-277-2
3. DLOUHÝ, M. – FIALA, P. 2020. Teórie ekonomických a politických her. Oeconomica, 2020. ISBN: 978-80-245-2366-8
4. DÉMUTH, A. 2013. Teória hier a problém rozhodovania. Filozofická fakulta Trnavskej univerzity v Trnave, 2013. ISBN: 978-80-8082-580-5
5. GOGA, M. 2013. Teória hier. Ekonómia, Iura Edition, 2013.
6. MUNOZ-GARCIA, F. – TORO-GONZALES, D. 2016. Strategy and Game Theory: Practice Excercises with Answers. Springer International Publishing Switzerland. 2016. ISBN: 978-3319329628.
7. MUROS, F. J. 2018. Cooperative Game Theory Tools in Coalitional Control Networks. Springer, Cham. 2018. ISBN: 978-3-030-10489-4
8. PETROSYAN, L. A.- ZENKEVICH, N. A. 2016. Game Theory. Second Edition. World Scientific Publishing. 2016.
9. VESELOVSKÁ, L. 2018. Aplikácia teórie hier v manažérskom rozhodovaní. Vydavateľstvo Belianum, Univerzita Mateja Bela, Banská Bystrica, 2018. ISBN 978-80-557-1528-5
10. KUHN, H. W. (ed.) 1997. Classics in Game Theory. Princeton : Princeton University Press, 1997.
11. OWEN, G. 1995. Game theory. Academic Press, London, 1995.
12. PETERSON, M. 2010. An Introduction to Decision Theory. Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Syllabus

Lectures: 1. Basic concepts of modeling conflict situations. 2. Games in normal form, games in extensive form, non-conflict decision situations. 3. Two player games. Definition of antagonistic conflict. Matrix games and methods of their solution. Optimal player strategies, their existence and properties. Fictitious game method, dominance in matrix games. 4. Bimatrix games. 5. Endless antagonistic conflicts - finding a balanced strategy of the game. 6. Von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function. 7. Decision making for risks and uncertainties. Games against nature. 8. Non-cooperative games n players. Equilibrium points in pure and mixed strategies. Optimal decision making in non-cooperative games. 9. Cooperative games n players. Coalitions and their characteristic functions. The core of the game. Shapley's value of the game. 10. Voting games. Shapley force index. Banzhaf's strength index. Coalition formation theory. 11. Market models in game theory. Monopoly, duopoly, oligopoly. 12. Introduction to auction theory. 13. Applications of game theory in the economic environment, paradoxes of economic laws. Seminars: 1. Basic concepts of modeling conflict situations. 2. Games in normal form, games in extensive form, non-conflict decision situations. 3. Two player games. Definition of antagonistic conflict. Matrix games and methods of their solution. Optimal player strategies, their existence and properties. Fictitious game method, dominance in matrix games. 4. Bimatrix games. 5. Endless antagonistic conflicts - finding a balanced strategy of the game. 6. Von Neumann-Morgenstern utility function. 7. Decision making for risks and uncertainties. Games against nature. 8. Non-cooperative games n players. Equilibrium points in pure and mixed strategies. Optimal decision making in non-cooperative games. 9. Cooperative games n players. Coalitions and their characteristic functions. The core of the game. Shapley's value of the game. 10. Voting games. Shapley force index. Banzhaf's strength index. Coalition formation theory. 11. Test. 12. Projects presentations. 13. Projects presentations.

Requirements to complete the course

project, test
written exam
• project – 20 %
• test – 20 %
• written exam – 60 %

Student workload

• participation in lectures - 26 hours
• participation in exercises - 26 hours
• preparation for exercises - 10 hours
• preparation for the semester test - 10 hours
• project processing - 10 hours
• preparation for the exam - 22 hours
Total: 104 hours

Language whose command is required to complete the course

Slovak

Date of approval: 15.02.2023

Date of the latest change: 28.11.2022