An Optimal Strategy for Two-person Zero-sum Games by Daerin Hwang & Andrew Megalaa ’24

Mathematics Colloquium: Discovering the Existence of an Optimal Strategy for Two-person Zero-sum Games by Daerin Hwang & Andrew Megalaa ’24, Wednesday February 14th, 1:00 – 1:50pm, North Science Building 113, Wachenheim

Abstract:

We have all played two-player games such as rock-paper-scissors, checkers, or chess. In a zero-sum game, one player’s winnings directly results in another player’s losses. In the case of rock-paper-scissors, checkers or chess, one person emerges as the winner while the other inevitably becomes the loser. The total gains and losses at the end of the game always sums to zero.

In our colloquium, we will discuss the existence of an optimal strategy for all two-person zero sum games. This strategy, which enables the player to minimize their maximum possible loss, is given by the von Neumann minimax Theorem.