Outplayed: How Game Theory Is Used Against Us

by David Lockwood

How Game Theory Is Used Against Us will show you the ways in which people try to take advantage of you. It will guide you on how to structure incentives to get others to work with and not against you. It will help you determine when to cooperate―and when to compete. Outplayed is a book about game theory. Game theory is fundamentally about strategy and thus has applications far beyond poker, chess, or checkers. Game theory is part of our everyday lives, and it plays an important role in economics, finance, political science, and biology. After reading this book, you will understand how game theory is used against you. You will learn that the optimal strategy for a game undertaken only once is completely different from that of a game played repeatedly. You will come to know that if you want others to work with you, an Old Testament “an eye-for-an-eye” strategy is better than a New Testament “Turn the other cheek.” You will gain a different perspective on the differences between males and females and why the strategies of monogamy and polygamy are the primary weapons in the “battle of the sexes.” You will come to know why game theory sometimes determines who wins elections, and you will learn to question the assumptions behind the most important game currently being played―the game known as mutual assured destruction, or MAD, a deadly version of the prisoner’s dilemma. Previous books on game theory were inaccessible to most, due to the high level of mathematical fluency required. But there are no equations or proofs here. Lockwood, a former member of the faculty of the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, applies game theory to a broad range of topics without the formulas.

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2022

Reviews

[Jim Gise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with misleading title. “Outplayed: How Game Theory is Used Against Us” sounds way more conspiratorial that it reads. Instead it is a nice survey of the history and practical applications of game theory.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book started really good and the first 80 pages were very informative especially for someone who first touches the subject of Game theory. However the rest of the book went to unnecessary details and not related points on GT.
However, it was an easy read and managed to learn more about different subjects.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very accessible introduction to game theory for me. It brought up ideas without getting mired in the mathematics. It looks at different aspects of game theory and discusses its relevance to different contemporary issues.

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved most of this book. Lockwood did a great job putting highly technical information in reader-friendly terms. I struggled through the last chapter; that one just didn't click the way the others did. Definitely would read again.

[Daniel Sellers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected but I still really liked it!