Lectures in Game Theory for Computer Scientists

A collection of lectures on various aspects of game theory relevant for computer scientists.

Krzysztof R. Apt (Edited by), Erich Grädel (Edited by)

9780521198660, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 6 January 2011

308 pages, 45 b/w illus. 5 tables 60 exercises
25.4 x 17.9 x 2.3 cm, 0.77 kg

"The last lecture is, from my point of view, the most insightful... it is itself well worth the price of the book."
Fernando Berzal, Computing Reviews

Games provide mathematical models for interaction. Numerous tasks in computer science can be formulated in game-theoretic terms. This fresh and intuitive way of thinking through complex issues reveals underlying algorithmic questions and clarifies the relationships between different domains. This collection of lectures, by specialists in the field, provides an excellent introduction to various aspects of game theory relevant for applications in computer science that concern program design, synthesis, verification, testing and design of multi-agent or distributed systems. Originally devised for a Spring School organised by the GAMES Networking Programme in 2009, these lectures have since been revised and expanded, and range from tutorials concerning fundamental notions and methods to more advanced presentations of current research topics. This volume is a valuable guide to current research on game-based methods in computer science for undergraduate and graduate students. It will also interest researchers working in mathematical logic, computer science and game theory.

List of contributors
Preface Krzysztof R. Apt and Erich Grädel
1. A primer on strategic games Krzysztof R. Apt
2. Infinite games and automata theory Christof Löding
3. Algorithms for solving parity games Marcin Jurdzi?ski
4. Back and forth between logic and games Erich Grädel
5. Turn-based stochastic games Antonín Ku?era
6. Games with imperfect information: theory and algorithms Laurent Doyen and Jean-François Raskin
7. Graph searching games Stephan Kreutzer
8. Beyond Nash equilibrium: solution concepts for the 21st century Joseph Y. Halpern
Index.

Subject Areas: Mathematical theory of computation [UYA], Game theory [PBUD]