Polynomial algorithms computing two lexicographically safe Nash equilibria in finite two-person games with tight game forms given by oracles
Abstract
In 1975 the first author proved that every finite tight two-person game form is Nash-solvable, that is, for every payoffs and of two players the obtained game , in normal form, has a Nash equilibrium (NE) in pure strategies. This result was extended in several directions; here we strengthen it further. We construct two special NE realized by a lexicographically safe (lexsafe) strategy of one player and a best response of the other. We obtain a polynomial algorithm computing these lexsafe NE. This is trivial when game form is given explicitly. Yet, in applications is frequently realized by an oracle such that size of is exponential in size of . We assume that game form generated by is tight and that an arbitrary {\em win-lose game} (in which payoffs and are zero-sum and take only values ) can be solved, in time polynomial in . These assumptions allow us to construct an algorithm computing two (one for each player) lexsafe NE in time polynomial in . We consider four types of oracles known in the literature and show that all four satisfy the above assumptions.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2108.05469,
title = {Polynomial algorithms computing two lexicographically safe Nash equilibria in finite two-person games with tight game forms given by oracles},
author = {Vladimir Gurvich and Mariya Naumova},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2108.05469},
year = {2023}
}