Game theory is the scientific study of puzzles. This website makes learning the field easy.  Based off of the popular YouTube series "Game Theory 101," my video lectures go at your pace, carefully explaining all the important points you need to know to understand this new language.

If you are new, click here for your first lesson, use the bar at the top to navigate through all my lectures, or select one from the complete list below:

  1. The Basics: Strategic (Matrix) Form Games and Nash Equilibrium
    1. The Prisoner's Dilemma and Strict Dominance
    2. Iterated Elimination of Strictly Dominated Strategies
    3. The Stag Hunt and Pure Strategy Nash Equilibrium
    4. What Is a Nash Equilibrium?
    5. Best Responses and Safety in Numbers
      1. Application: Why Are There Antes in Poker?
    6. Matching Pennies and Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibrium
    7. The Mixed Strategy Algorithm
      1. How NOT to Write a Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibrium
      2. Application: Soccer Penalty Kicks
    8. Chicken
    9. Battle of the Sexes
    10. Calculating Payoffs in Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibrium
    11. Mixed Strategies and Strict Dominance
    12. Weak Dominance
      1. A Problem with Iterated Elimination of Weakly Dominated Strategies
    13. Infinitely Many Nash Equilibria
    14. The Odd Rule
  2. Extensive Form Games, Subgame Perfection, and Backward Induction
    1. Selten's Game and Subgame Perfect Equilibrium
    2. Matrices versus Game Trees
    3. Backward Induction
      1. How NOT to Write a Subgame Perfect Equilibrium
      2. Pirates!
      3. Application: How to Fly on a Plane with an Empty Seat Next to You for Free
      4. Application: Words with Friends/Scrabble
    4. Extrapolation
      1. Converting Extensive Form to Strategic Form
    5. Commitment Problems
    6. Tying Hands
    7. The Centipede Game
      1. Problems with Backward Induction
  3. Rationality and Expected Utility Theory
    1. Rationality
    2. Completeness
    3. Transitivity
      1. Preferences over Outcomes, Not Strategies
    4. Lotteries
    5. Independence over Lotteries
      1. The Allias Paradox
    6. Continuity
      1. Lexicographic Prefernces
    7. Linear Transformations of Expected Utilities
    8. Risk Aversion, Neturality, and Acceptance
  4. Matrix Games
    1. Basic Probability Rules
    2. The Prisoner's Dilemma in General Form
    3. Battle of the Sexes in General Form
    4. The Hawk-Dove Game
    5. Comparative Statics
      1. Application: Breaking Balls with a Runner on Third Base
    6. The Volunteer's Dilemma
    7. Knife-Edge Conditions
    8. The Support of Mixed Strategies
    9. Weak Dominance and Mixed Strategies
    10. Rock-Paper-Scissors
    11. Using Matrix Algebra to Find Mixed Strategy Nash Equilibria
  5. Repeated Games
    1. Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma
    2. Infinite Prisoner's Dilemma
    3. Geometric Series
    4. Infinite Payoffs
    5. The ALWAYS DEFECT Equilibrium
    6. GRIM TRIGGER
    7. TIT-FOR-TAT
  6. Bargaining
    1. The Ultimatum Game (Discrete)
    2. The Ultimatum Game with a Counteroffer
    3. Bargaining and Costly Delays
    4. Alternating Offers Bargaining
    5. The Ultimatum Game in the Real World
    6. The Ultimatum Game (Continuous)
    7. Bargaining and the Discount Factor
    8. Geometric Series
    9. Rubinstein Bargaining
    10. Bargaining with Outside Options
    11. What Is Bargaining Power?

If you are looking for my equilibrium calculator (free, 84b), you can find it here.

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