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The duality gap for two-team zero-sum games

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  • Schulman, Leonard J.
  • Vazirani, Umesh V.

Abstract

We consider multiplayer games in which the players fall in two teams of size k, with payoffs equal within, and of opposite sign across, the two teams. In the classical case of k=1, such zero-sum games possess a unique value, independent of order of play. However, this fails for all k>1; we can measure this failure by a duality gap, which quantifies the benefit of being the team to commit last to its strategy. We show that the gap equals 2(1−21−k) for m=2 and 2(1−m−(1−o(1))k) for m>2, with m being the size of the action space of each player. Extensions hold also for different-size teams and players with various-size action spaces.

Suggested Citation

  • Schulman, Leonard J. & Vazirani, Umesh V., 2019. "The duality gap for two-team zero-sum games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 336-345.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:115:y:2019:i:c:p:336-345
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2019.03.011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Teams; Duality gap; Weak selection model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games

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