Game Theory Tactics

Game Theory

Why Minimax Is the ‘First Principle’ of Rational Decision Making

Picture a chess grandmaster staring at the board, twenty moves deep into a game. Every piece movement branches into countless ...
Backward Induction

Is Backward Induction the Most Powerful Tool in Game Theory?

Picture a chess grandmaster staring at the board, eyes glazed over in concentration. What separates them from an amateur isn’t ...
Never Be the Sucker: Apply Tit for Tat Effectively
Cooperative Games

Never Be the Sucker: Apply Tit for Tat Effectively (Game Theory)

In the complex dance of human interaction, there’s a primal fear that keeps us awake at night: the fear of ...

Cooperative & Non-Cooperative Games

The Volunteer's Dilemma- When Everyone Wants Help But Nobody Wants to Help
Cooperative Games

The Volunteer’s Dilemma: When Everyone Wants Help But Nobody Wants to Help

Picture a subway car rolling through the city at rush hour. A passenger collapses in the middle of the aisle. ...
Grim Trigger- When One Strike Means You're Out Forever
Cooperative Games

Grim Trigger: When One Strike Means You’re Out Forever

Imagine a friendship where the first lie ends everything. No second chances. No explanations. No forgiveness. Just a door that ...
Matching Pennies

Why Matching Pennies Has No Pure Strategy Solution

Two children sit across from each other at a worn kitchen table, each clutching a penny. The rules are simple. ...
It's Just a Price War (No, It's Bertrand Competition, and It's Worse)
Bertrand Competition

“It’s Just a Price War” (No, It’s Bertrand Competition, and It’s Worse)

Business executives love their euphemisms. When competitors slash prices, the boardroom buzzes with phrases like “aggressive pricing strategy” or “market ...

Repeat & One-Shot Games

One-Shot Games

Ultimatum Game: Where Being Greedy Guarantees You Get Nothing

Picture two strangers sitting across from each other. One holds ten crisp dollar bills. The other holds something far more …

Never Be the Sucker: Apply Tit for Tat Effectively
Cooperative Games

Never Be the Sucker: Apply Tit for Tat Effectively (Game Theory)

In the complex dance of human interaction, there’s a primal fear that keeps us awake at ...
Game Theory

Beyond One-Shot: What Happens When Games Are Played Over and Over?

In the neat, tidy world of classical game theory, many scenarios unfold in a single moment. ...

Complete & Incomplete Information

Complete Information

The Difference Between Poker and Chess: Complete vs. Incomplete Information

In the world of strategic games, few comparisons are as instructive as that between poker and chess. Game theory allows …

Notable Games

Poker, War, and Wall Street- The Hierarchy of Beliefs in Action
Game TheoryHierarchy of Beliefs

Poker, War, and Wall Street: The Hierarchy of Beliefs in Action

The poker player stares across the felt. The general studies the terrain map. The trader watches the ticker. Three different ...
Game TheoryPerfect Recall

What Happens When You Never Forget a Move? (Perfect Recall)

Picture a chess grandmaster who remembers every game they ever played. Every opening trap, every middle game blunder, every endgame ...
Why Being Unpredictable Is Worth More Than Being Right (Mixed Strategy Game Theory)
Game TheoryMixed Strategy

Why Being Unpredictable Is Worth More Than Being Right (Mixed Strategy Game Theory)

The best move in any game is often the one nobody sees coming. Not because it’s brilliant, but because it’s ...