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A Non-Zero-Sum Game of Football

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2009

Extract

A recent unusual event in the First Division of the English (Association) Football League provides an interesting example of how a game that is normally zero-sum can be converted into a non-zero-sum game. The political implications are, I hope, obvious. If politics consists of zero-sum games such as Diplomacy, Marx's conception of class conflict, or some non-Marxists' conceptions of ethnic, language, or boundary disputes, then no long-run co-operation between the players is possible and war is a seemingly inevitable continuation of policy by other means. If it consists of non-zero-sum games such as Prisoners' Dilemma, most non-Marxists' conceptions of class conflict, or some Marxists' conceptions of ethnic, language, or boundary disputes, then there is scope for co-operation as well as for competition. The present example, originally developed as an undergraduate teaching aid, may be of some general interest.

Type
Notes and Comments
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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References

1 Journal, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 20 05 1977.Google Scholar

2 Taylor, M., Anarchy and Co-operation (New York, London: Wiley, 1976), pp. 70–4.Google Scholar

3 The payoff matrix for Game VII was calculated as follows, (1) CC, CD, DC were assumed to lead unconditionally to a draw, a Bristol win, and a Coventry win respectively. (2) These were then modified by the respective effects of a Sunderland win, a draw, and an Everton win on the probability assumptions stated above. (3) The values for outcome DD were obtained by the following formula (the example given is for VII(d). The analogous process for VII(a) to (c) and (e) can be easily checked).

Set Psund = Pdraw = Pcov = Pbrist = . Expression then simplifies to