Lectures in Game Theory for Computer Scientists

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 Jurdzinski; 4. Back and forth between logic and games Erich Grädel; 5. Turn-based stochastic games Antonín Kucera; 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.

An excellent introduction to various aspects of game theory relevant for many applications in computer science. Lectures range from tutorials concerning fundamental notions and methods to more advanced presentations of current research topics. This is a valuable guide to current research for both students and researchers alike.

Krzysztof R. Apt is Professor at the University of Amsterdam and a Fellow at Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica (CWI) in Amsterdam.
Erich Grädel is Professor for Mathematical Foundations of Computer Science at RWTH Aachen University in Germany.