We prove that a deterministic n-person shortest path game has a Nash equlibrium in pure and stationary strategies if it is edge-symmetric (that is (u, v) is a move whenever (v, u) is, apart from moves entering terminal vertices) and the length of every move is positive for each player. Both conditions are essential, though it remains an open problem whether there exists a NE-free 2-person non-edge-symmetric game with positive lengths. We provide examples for NE-free 2-person edge-symmetric games that are not positive. We also consider the special case of terminal games (shortest path games in which only terminal moves have nonzero length, possibly negative) and prove that edge-symmetric n-person terminal games always have Nash equilibria in pure and stationary strategies. Furthermore, we prove that an edge- symmetric 2-person terminal game has a uniform (subgame perfect) Nash equilibrium, provided any infinite play is worse than any of the terminals for both players

Deterministic n-person shortest path and terminal games on symmetric digraphs have Nash equilibria in pure stationary strategies / Boros, Endre; Franciosa, Paolo Giulio; Gurvich, Vladimir; Vyalyi, Michael. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GAME THEORY. - ISSN 0020-7276. - (2023), pp. 1-25. [10.1007/s00182-023-00875-y]

Deterministic n-person shortest path and terminal games on symmetric digraphs have Nash equilibria in pure stationary strategies

Paolo Giulio Franciosa
;
2023

Abstract

We prove that a deterministic n-person shortest path game has a Nash equlibrium in pure and stationary strategies if it is edge-symmetric (that is (u, v) is a move whenever (v, u) is, apart from moves entering terminal vertices) and the length of every move is positive for each player. Both conditions are essential, though it remains an open problem whether there exists a NE-free 2-person non-edge-symmetric game with positive lengths. We provide examples for NE-free 2-person edge-symmetric games that are not positive. We also consider the special case of terminal games (shortest path games in which only terminal moves have nonzero length, possibly negative) and prove that edge-symmetric n-person terminal games always have Nash equilibria in pure and stationary strategies. Furthermore, we prove that an edge- symmetric 2-person terminal game has a uniform (subgame perfect) Nash equilibrium, provided any infinite play is worse than any of the terminals for both players
2023
Nash equilibrium; n-person deterministic graphical games; shortest path games; terminal games
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
Deterministic n-person shortest path and terminal games on symmetric digraphs have Nash equilibria in pure stationary strategies / Boros, Endre; Franciosa, Paolo Giulio; Gurvich, Vladimir; Vyalyi, Michael. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GAME THEORY. - ISSN 0020-7276. - (2023), pp. 1-25. [10.1007/s00182-023-00875-y]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1690018
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