Playing Games

So we’ve got ourselves 1000 Sciences Po students, 200 courses, a choice of around 9 courses and a multitude of timetable combinations. Do these course choices manage to escape the realms of Game Theory. Not likely, add to that mix that you have a whole range of emotions and payoffs to take into account and I think we’ve got ourselves an interesting Game to analyse.

That’s right our course choices are a game – In the words of Mary Poppins – oh yes I’m quoting Mary Poppins - “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. Find the fun and *click* the job’s a game”.

Let’s simplify things and see what we come up with. I’ve taken two hapless students and placed them in separate rooms, just to add atmosphere to the situation. They can choose between three courses.

So what have we got:
Players: all students I = {1,2}
Strategy Sets: Si = S1 = S2 = {Maths, Security}
Payoffs:
Player 1 Maths: + 7 career,  - 4 hates maths, + 3 good teacher
Player 2 Maths: +7 career, + 2 likes maths, +3 good teacher
Player 1 Security: +3 career, +5 likes subject, +1 ok teacher
Player 2 Security: 0 career, +3 likes subject, +1 ok teacher
Player 1 and 2: Maths, Maths, (+10 player 1 – work together)(+5 player 2)
1. Maths 2 Security (-1 player 1 – work alone)(0 player 2)
2 Security 2. Maths (+0,+0)
Security Security (+2, +2) camaraderie.

			Student 2
		Maths	Security
Student 1	Maths	(16, 17)	(5, 4)
	Security	(9, 12)	(11, 6)

So which one should they choose?

(For those who haven’t seen the match please look away now)

Through iterated deletion of dominated strategies student two will choose Maths so there’s only one Nash Equilibrium – Maths, Maths.

Next term when you’re choosing your courses, remember don’t worry, it’s all just a game… and furthermore that’s how you ended up with ‘that’ class!