Game Theory

Front 1

Zero sum game

Back 1

there MUST be a winner and a loser; examples are a jury trial and a chess game.

Front 2

Saddle point

Back 2

Lowest in its row, highest in its column

Front 3

Minimax strategy

Back 3

Choosing least damaging outcome

Front 4

Maximax

Back 4

seeks to maximize best possible outcome

not always the wisest

Front 5

Inscrutability

Back 5

Necessary for games - never know where other side is going

Front 6

Saddle v. Non-saddled games

Back 6

people play saddled well but non-saddled very poorly

Front 7

entrapment in escalation

Back 7

3. People will put themselves in a situation where they have to pay more than a dollar for a dollar in order to minimize the cost of losing. Better to pay $1.10 for a dollar than be the runner-up bidder and have to pay $1.09 for nothing at all

Real world example is the inevitably unprofitable Concorde airplane and the British/French government’s investment

the labor strike, which is not economical for either side, but nobody realizes it until they both have lost more than they stand to gain

lawsuits: both sides have $20,000 into a $10,000 lawsuit; they keep playing though hoping to minimize their losses

Front 8

Clausewitz’s checklist

Back 8

M-E-T-T-T
Mission
enemy
terrain
troops
timing

Front 9

COncentrated force

Back 9

old way of fighting was in lines: pick a weak point of their line and concentrate on it.

Front 10

ii. Positional flexibility

Back 10

– need to be able to switch styles; would allow you to avoid being flanked for example

Front 11

iii. Simplicity: “friction”

Back 11

– simplest strategy is the best (similar to Occam’s razor…least moving parts). The “fog of war” – some small detail overlooked can foul up the best of plans.

Front 12

iv. Unified command

Back 12

– got to have a chain of command

Front 13

v. Surprise and paradox

Back 13

– surprise the other side by completely changing your strategy.

Front 14

vii. Protection/command

Back 14

– always protect your commander.

Front 15

Center of gravity

Back 15

opponent will have a concentrated point that, if overrun, will confuse and defeat the enemy.

Front 16

Intital reactive

Back 16

better to be on the initiatve than just reacting

Front 17

Scarcities/attrition

Back 17

figure out what resouces they are scarce on and then cause them to burn up quickly

Front 18

Timing

Back 18

pick it

Front 19

culminating point

Back 19

if you are winning, be careful to cut it off when you are ahead. hitler made a terrible mistake by pushing on toward moscow

Front 20

Fight outnumbered and win

Back 20

Frontal attack
flanking
infultration - drop in troops
penetration
turning movement - attack from the side

Front 21

Lawyer litigation tactics

Back 21

Bring a million different claim theories because you want to maintain flexibility

Concentrated use of force – focus the bulk of your efforts on the best of your claims.