Noncooperative Game Theory

Abstract

Playing is something profoundly human, and the ability to play is tightly tied to the intelligence of human beings, to their capability of thinking foresightedly and strategically, of choosing a particularly profitable move among all possible moves, of anticipating possible response moves by their adversaries, and thus to their capability of maximizing their own profit. By playing a game we here mean, in general, an interaction under preassigned rules, amongst several players each interested in maximizing their gains and acting strategically to this end. Games are encountered everywhere, be it as a party game, a card game, a computer game, or a game of hazard, be it as an individual or team sport such as chess, foil fencing, soccer, or ice hockey, be it companies organizing their strategies in a market economy, or states and other global players deciding on their geopolitical strategies.