List of games in game theory

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Game theory studies strategic interaction between individuals in situations called games. Classes of these games have been given names. This is a list of the most commonly studied games

Contents

Explanation of features

Games can have several features, a few of the most common are listed here.

List of games

GamePlayersStrategies
per player
No. of pure strategy
Nash equilibria
Sequential Perfect information Zero sum Move by nature
Battle of the sexes 222NoNoNoNo
Blotto games 2variablevariableNoNoYesNo
Cake cutting N, usually 2infinitevariable [1] YesYesYesNo
Centipede game 2variable1YesYesNoNo
Chicken (aka hawk-dove)222NoNoNoNo
Coordination game N variable>2NoNoNoNo
Cournot game 2infinite [2] 1NoNoNoNo
Deadlock 221NoNoNoNo
Dictator game 2infinite [2] 1N/A [3] N/A [3] YesNo
Diner's dilemma N 21NoNoNoNo
Dollar auction 220YesYesNoNo
El Farol bar N 2variableNoNoNoNo
Game without a value 2infinite0NoNoYesNo
Gift-exchange game N, usually 2variable1YesYesNoNo
Guess 2/3 of the average N infinite1NoNoMaybe [4] No
Hobbesian trap 221NoNoNoNo
Kuhn poker 227 & 640YesNoYesYes
Matching pennies 220NoNoYesNo
Minimum effort game aka weak-link game N infiniteinfiniteNoNoNoNo
Muddy Children Puzzle N 21YesNoNoYes
Nash bargaining game 2infinite [2] infinite [2] NoNoNoNo
Optional prisoner's dilemma 231NoNoNoNo
Peace war game N variable>2YesNoNoNo
Pirate game N infinite [2] infinite [2] YesYesNoNo
Platonia dilemma N 2NoYesNoNo
Princess and monster game 2infinite0NoNoYesNo
Prisoner's dilemma 221NoNoNoNo
Public goods N infinite1NoNoNoNo
Rock, paper, scissors 230NoNoYesNo
Screening game 2variablevariableYesNoNoYes
Signaling game N variablevariableYesNoNoYes
Stag hunt 222NoNoNoNo
Traveler's dilemma 2N >> 11NoNoNoNo
Truel 31-3infiniteYesYesNoNo
Trust game 2infinite1YesYesNoNo
Ultimatum game 2infinite [2] infinite [2] YesYesNoNo
Vickrey auction N infinite1NoNoNoYes [5]
Volunteer's dilemma N 22NoNoNoNo
War of attrition 220NoNoNoNo

Notes

  1. For the cake cutting problem, there is a simple solution if the object to be divided is homogenous; one person cuts, the other chooses who gets which piece (continued for each player). With a non-homogenous object, such as a half chocolate/half vanilla cake or a patch of land with a single source of water, the solutions are far more complex.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 There may be finite strategies depending on how goods are divisible
  3. 1 2 Since the dictator game only involves one player actually choosing a strategy (the other does nothing), it cannot really be classified as sequential or perfect information.
  4. Potentially zero-sum, provided that the prize is split among all players who make an optimal guess. Otherwise non-zero sum.
  5. The real value of the auctioned item is random, as well as the perceived value.

References