[Math] Game theory problem, 3×3 matrix: pure and mixed strategies

game theorynash-equilibrium

From the following matrix:
$$ \left(
\begin{array}{c|ccc}
& L & C & R\\
\hline
T &3,0& 1,1 &4,2\\
M &3,4& 1,2 &2,3\\
B &1,3& 0,2 &3,0
\end{array}
\right) $$

I have derived the following Nash Equilibrium: ($M$,$L$) and ($T$,$R$). But I cannot, it seems, solve it w.r.t. mixed strategies. I have used an embarrassing amount of time trying to do so. Could somebody please help me solve the matrix for mixed strategies?

Thanks in advance.

Best Answer

Here's one sensible sequence of steps:

Step 1: Notice that T strictly dominates $B$, since $(3,1,4)$ is componentwise strictly greater than $(1,0,3)$. Remove $B$ and we are left with a $2 \times 3$ game.

Step 2: In this new game, with $B$ removed, $R$ dominates $C$, since $(2,3)$ is componentwise strictly greater than $(1,2)$. After removing $C$ we are left with a $2 \times 2$ game:

$$ \left( \begin{array}{c|cc} & L & R\\ \hline T &3,0& 4,2\\ M &3,4& 2,3\\ \end{array} \right) $$

Step 3: Having found two pure equilibria already, look for non-pure equilibria. Player 2 can be made indifferent between $L$ and $R$ as we see below. But, player 1 cannot be made indifferent between $T$ and $M$ because $T$ weakly dominates $M$: as soon as there is any positive probability on $R$, player 1 strictly prefers $T$. Thus player 2 cannot mix in equilibrium, and actually the pure equilibrium $(M, L)$ is actually only the endpoint of a range of equilibria:

$$ ((1-p, p), L)\ \text{where } p \in [2/3, 1] $$

The threshold of $p=2/3$ is the point at which player II is indifferent between $L$ and $R$ against $(1-p,p)$. When $p=2/3$ both L and R give expected payoff $1/3 \cdot 0 + 2/3 \cdot 4 = 1/3 \cdot 2 + 2/3 \cdot 3 = 8/3$.

A range of equilibria like this is only possible is a degenerate game. A $2 \times 2$ game is necessarily degenerate. More generally, a game is degenerate if there exists a mixed strategy $x$ with support size $k$ (i.e. , $|\{x_i \ | \ x_i >0\}| = k$) and more than $k$ best responses against $x$. In this example, the strategy $x$ is the pure strategy $L$, which has support size 1 but two best responses against it, $TM$ and $M$.

You can check the equilibria at:

The output from the former for this game is:

2 x 2 Payoff matrix A:

  3  4
  3  2



2 x 2 Payoff matrix B:

  0  2
  4  3

EE = Extreme Equilibrium, EP = Expected Payoff

Decimal Output

  EE  1  P1:  (1)  0.333333333333  0.666666666667  EP=  3.0  P2:  (1)  1.0  0.0  EP=  2.66666666667
  EE  2  P1:  (2)             1.0             0.0  EP=  4.0  P2:  (2)  0.0  1.0  EP=            2.0
  EE  3  P1:  (3)             0.0             1.0  EP=  3.0  P2:  (1)  1.0  0.0  EP=            4.0

Rational Output

  EE  1  P1:  (1)  1/3  2/3  EP=  3  P2:  (1)  1  0  EP=  8/3
  EE  2  P1:  (2)    1    0  EP=  4  P2:  (2)  0  1  EP=    2
  EE  3  P1:  (3)    0    1  EP=  3  P2:  (1)  1  0  EP=    4

Connected component 1:
{1, 3}  x  {1}

Connected component 2:
{2}  x  {2}

Here one of the two equilibrium components (the range of equilibria described above in terms of $p$) is denoted by

Connected component 1:
{1, 3}  x  {1}

The other equilibrium component is the pure strategy equilibrium $(T,R)$.

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