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

Explanation of features

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

List of games

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Game Players Strategies
per player
No. of pure strategy
Nash equilibria
Sequential Perfect information Zero sum Move by nature
Battle of the sexes 2 2 2 No No No No
Blotto games 2 variable variable No No Yes No
Cake cutting N, usually 2 infinite variable[1] Yes Yes Yes No
Centipede game 2 variable 1 Yes Yes No No
Chicken (aka hawk-dove) 2 2 2 No No No No
Coordination game N variable >2 No No No No
Cournot game 2 infinite[2] 1 No No No No
Deadlock 2 2 1 No No No No
Dictator game 2 infinite[2] 1 N/A[3] N/A[3] Yes No
Diner's dilemma N 2 1 No No No No
Dollar auction 2 2 0 Yes Yes No No
El Farol bar N 2 variable No No No No
Game without a value 2 infinite 0 No No Yes No
Gift-exchange game N, usually 2 variable 1 Yes Yes No No
Guess 2/3 of the average N infinite 1 No No Maybe[4] No
Kuhn poker 2 27 & 64 0 Yes No Yes Yes
Matching pennies 2 2 0 No No Yes No
Minimum effort game aka weak-link game N infinite infinite No No No No
Muddy Children Puzzle N 2 1 Yes No No Yes
Nash bargaining game 2 infinite[2] infinite[2] No No No No
Optional prisoner's dilemma 2 3 1 No No No No
Peace war game N variable >2 Yes No No No
Pirate game N infinite[2] infinite[2] Yes Yes No No
Platonia dilemma N 2 No Yes No No
Princess and monster game 2 infinite 0 No No Yes No
Prisoner's dilemma 2 2 1 No No No No
Public goods N infinite 1 No No No No
Rock, paper, scissors 2 3 0 No No Yes No
Screening game 2 variable variable Yes No No Yes
Signaling game N variable variable Yes No No Yes
Stag hunt 2 2 2 No No No No
Traveler's dilemma 2 N >> 1 1 No No No No
Truel 3 1-3 infinite Yes Yes No No
Trust game 2 infinite 1 Yes Yes No No
Ultimatum game 2 infinite[2] infinite[2] Yes Yes No No
Vickrey auction N infinite 1 No No No Yes[5]
Volunteer's dilemma N 2 2 No No No No
War of attrition 2 2 0 No No No No

Notes

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  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. ^ a b c d e f g h There may be finite strategies depending on how goods are divisible
  3. ^ a b 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

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