Algorithmic Mechanism Design (Fall 2015)

When: Wednesdays, 9:15-11:00.

Where: Ziskind 261.

Instructor: Shahar Dobzinski (dobzin@gmail.com)

TA: Keren Cohavi (keren.cohavi@weizmann.ac.il)

Please register to the Google group of the course.

Textbook

The course will not follow a specific textbook but "Algorithmic Game Theory" might serve as a useful reference sometimes.

Exercises

• 1. Exercise 1. Due date: 25/11. In q3(c), whenever k players receive a non-empty bundle the payment of each should be at least 1/k. See also the google group.

  2. Exercise 2. Due date: 9/12. Fixed q2(b) (2/12).

  3. Exercise 3. Due date: 30/12. Updated q2 (27/12).

  4. Exercise 4. Due date: 13/1. Q2: fixed a typo in the definition of a sketch.

  5. Exercise 5. Due date: 27/1.

  6. Exam. Due date: 15/2.

Lectures

1. Game theory and computer science, some examples.

2. Some basic game theory, VCG.

3. VCG and Walrasian equilibrium.

Tentative Topics

1. Basics of game theory.

2. Single item auctions.

3. Combinatorial auctions.

4. The VCG mechanism.

5. Incentives and computational considerations.