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14.12 | Fall 2025 | Undergraduate

# Economic Applications of Game Theory

#### Course Description

Game theory is the mathematical analysis of strategic interaction. It is used to analyze situations in which one person’s best decision depends on the decisions taken by others. Examples include traditional games such as chess and poker, but also collusion by cartels, political competition, voting, bargaining, …
Game theory is the mathematical analysis of strategic interaction. It is used to analyze situations in which one person’s best decision depends on the decisions taken by others. Examples include traditional games such as chess and poker, but also collusion by cartels, political competition, voting, bargaining, auctions, and evolution. This course will introduce the fundamental tools of game theory and use these tools to analyze applications.

## Course Info

### Instructor

- Prof. Ian Ball

### Departments

- Economics

### Topics

- Social Science
  - Economics
  - Game Theory

### Learning Resource Types

grading Exams
notes Lecture Notes
theaters Lecture Videos
assignment Problem Sets
Chess is a classic example of game theory in action. It shows how decision-making, competition, and planning ahead shape outcomes in strategic interactions. (Image by Csaba Fekete on Flickr. License: CC BY-NC-SA).

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