The Games of Life

A look into Economics 315: Game Theory

Some are short, some are tall. Some are dark, some are light. Some are circular, some are square. Some are solid, some are hollow. This describes the 16 pieces in Quarto, a game invented by Swiss mathematician Blaise Müller. Players take turns choosing a game piece which the other player must place on the board. The winner is the player who first completes a line of four pieces that share a characteristic. Prof. Jon Rork [economics 2010–] uses board games such as this one to teach students about the mathematical modeling of strategy in Economics 315: Game Theory. Starting with tic-tac -toe, and advancing to more complex games like Quarto, Kamisado, Santorini, and GIPF, students learn how to apply the mathematical models from class into their strategic thinking, while sharpening their boardgame skills at the same time. 

Tags: Object of Study, Academics