Customer Reviews

An Introduction to Game Theory

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I have quite a few game theory books, including the Fudenberg and Tirole, the Gibbons, the Mayerson and the other Osborne book. This one is absolutely the best introductory book you will find. The writing is extremely clear, with no unnecessary math, but with very rigorous treatment of concepts and theorems. The author makes remarkable effort in explaining the stuff, and succeeds beyond my expection in offering intuitions and ideas behind the concepts and theorems. It is a perfect intro-level book, if what you want is the combination of accessibility, rigor, and comprehensiveness.

I used Osborne's book for an introductory course on game theory I took as an undergraduate. While Osborne provides a great general overview of game theory, I find this book lacking in a number of respects.

First, theorems are presented in this book inuitively, as opposed to rigorously. Therefore, in place of using proofs to justify a theorem or a given result, many of the theorems are illustrated through words. This method, however, proves to be confusing at many points in the book.

In addition to this, the book is heavily invested in the use of examples to illustrate the numerous applications of particular theorems or results. While I generally applaud the extensive use of examples, this also proves to be very confusing at times since the logical steps Osborne seems to make are not always explicitly stated. This caused me some trouble in trying to solve several problems in the textbook. The one saving grace was that Osborne has posted several (though not all) solutions on his website.

This book does require knowledge of algebra and a little calculus. Some microeconomic theory wouldn't hurt, either--especially for the sections on Stackelburg and Cournot duopolies. Becuase most economics programs in the US stress mathematics, I would recommend an alternative textbook that is more rigorous. Principally, I used Roger Myerson's "Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict" to supplement the shortcomings of this book. Myerson's book is thoroughly rigorous and is, I believe, used as a graduate textbook for game theory in many departments. If, however, you are interested in a general overview of the field or do not feel comfortable with technical mathematics, I would definately recommend this book.

This is a into great book that works well in companion with the more advanced "A Course in Game Theory," by Osborne and Rubinstein. That said it is not layperson's guide to Game Theory, if such a thing could possibly exist.

Complaints of a pervious reviewer seem unfounded. Yes, game theory requires math. Game thoery, like most other theory, is also not packaged to be directly ported to the "real world." It requires the use of stylized models to make any ground. Figuring out how to apply a subject like game thoery to the real world is not something that can really be conveyed in a book. Rather, one should try to internlize the concepts contained in the thoery by working simple examples.

I had the misfortune of having this book as the required text for a course. It was expensive, unreadable and useless. Osborne avoids basic mathematics to the extent that he uses symmetry to find the turning point of quadratics. This is extremely frustrating because while he shuns basic mathematical techniques and ideas that can make matters simpler, he presents basic game theoretic ideas in a dense, abstruse mass of mathematical symbols. I have a lot more experience in pure mathematics than in economics, but even I found all the symbols and arcane functions difficult to digest, especially when the idea being presented could be expressed FAR more clearly and concisely using a few words.

There are no proofs, very few theorems and very few realistic applications. The book is neither suited to those mathematically inclined individuals who are interested in the theoretical game theory nor to those interested in real life applications.

If you love mathematics, stay away from this book, the lack of proofs and rigour will frustrate you. If you hate mathematics, stay away from this book, the abstruse symbols and obfuscated explanations will frustrate you.

By far the worst textbook I've bought.

As a grad student preparing for his comprehensive exams, I searched long for an exemplary introduction to game theory. The descriptions of this book which I found on the web led me to believe Osborne's book was the one I needed. The book starts off promising enough. The preface exclaims that "the only way to appreciate the theory....is to put it into action" and that over 280 exercises will allow you to do this.

Then comes the part they don't tell you - those 280+ exercises have no solutions. They are not included in the text. Even after contacting the author he refused access to the solutions.

So what may have just been the best intro to game theory ever done is useless to a self-motivated learner. The only purpose I can see that it serves is as a required text book for a course.

Bottom line - unless you HAVE to have this for a class, don't waste your money. It will be very wisely spent elsewhere.

Osborne's book is the most complete introduction
to game theory available. It's formal but also
reader friendly with a lot of examples. It's
considerably better than the usual game
theory textbooks used in economics (Gibbons,
Kreps and others). Simply great!

As part of my M.Sc. in Operations Research and Decisions, I took two courses that are developed to teach the basics and slightly advanced concepts of Game Theory: 'Models of conflict' and 'Economic models of games with incomplete information'. Since I am highly interested in the subject, I decided to buy a book that summarizes the field in an intuitive (but not shallow) way. I left the mathematical theorems and proofs for the class. The professor that teaches both courses indicated this book to me and despite the high price I decided to buy it.

I believe that I did not receive what the book promised on its description. While the book does not intend to be a mathematics coursebook, it is not an intuitive overview as well. In the end, it got stuck in middle! The book reminds me of a quote by Laurence J. Peter: "Some problems are so complex that you have to be highly intelligent and well informed just to be undecided about them."

The book explains most of the theoretical concepts and gives very interesting historical information on Game Theory and its thinkers. However, it is surely TOO high-priced.

I bought this book as a required coursebook for a class on game theory. At first, I hated this book. There are no solutions to the exercises contained within the book, as another reviewer has noted. If you want to self-teach, you may struggle. However, after performing due diligence, I found that there exists online a pdf of solutions to most exercises within the book, available for free.

I can not speak for whether this book is best in comparison to others, because I have not read others, nor would I have the in-depth knowledge to compare, as this is not my field.

What I can tell you is that I have learned a lot from this book, but only once I found the self-published solutions manual from the author, available here:

[...]
If you buy this book, that's pretty necessary if you plan to go forward alone.

This book manages to teach game theory in depth while avoiding any mathematics beyond rudimentary calculus and set theory. It was used as the basis for an undergraduate course that I took, and none of the texts I've used as a graduate student can compare in terms of clarity. This is a book that takes its time, letting ideas sink in rather than abandoning students who don't grasp new concepts right away. The problems given are interesting, and many have clearly-written solutions available online.

If you are looking for a more advanced text, then Ken Binmore's recent Playing for Real stands out above the crowd.

If you really want to know if this is the book for you, just go to the author's website (a Google search of Osborne game theory ought to bring it up). The text and solutions to many of the problems are available there.