Rating: 
Summary: Shoot into the Air
Review: Larry, Mo and Curly have undertaken a three-way duel. There will be two rounds. In the first round, each player gets one shot - first Larry, then Mo, then Curly. At the end of the first round, each survivor gets a second shot, in the same order. Larry is a poor shot, with a 30 percent success rate. Mo is better: he hits 50 percent. Curly never misses. What should Larry do? The answer is that he should shoot into the air. By wasting his shot, he maximizes his chances of survival. Such is the analysis of the authors of this remarkable introduction to game theory. One virtue of this book is its geniality: For Dixit and Nalebuff, game theory is full of anecdote and surprise, and they give you the sense that they like nothing better than to share their enthusiasm with others. (Geniality footnote: I probbly shouldn't noise this around, but one day I ran into a problem with an equation in a (different) Dixit book. I sent him an email; I got a response in an hour). A tradeoff for geniality is that they pay a price in structure: to get a coherent framework - even for some of their own best stories - you may have to go elsewhere (Professor Rappaport's textbook may be a good second choice). But it is hard to find any book that does better at conveying a sense of the excitement and challenge of game theory as a discipline). Comparison shopper's note: I've used this in working with law students. Game Theory for Lawyers, by Baird, Gertner and Jackson, might seem closer on point. But it lacks those little four-block boxes that are a staple of game theory instruction, and for a beginner is bound to be pretty impenetrable without them.
Rating: 
Summary: Introduction to Game Theory
Review: Superlative book. Sound introduction to the topic without too many technicalities to trouble a reader more interested in insight and application.
Rating:
Summary: Applied Game Theory
Review: The authors explain what Game Theory is and HOW it can be applied to REAL life challenges. Quantitative stuff is left out. Loads of examples make you "thinking and understanding" Game Theory, but you have to re-read and re-read it... Nalebuff had "Getting to Yes" (as interviewed)in mind: simplicity, readbility, and knowledge that is of practical relevance. They totally succeeded! One of my MBA mates remarked "That's the thinking they try to teach you at business schools".
Rating:
Summary: Applied Game Theory
Review: The authors explain what Game Theory is and HOW it can be applied to REAL life challenges. Quantitative stuff is left out. Loads of examples make you "thinking and understanding" Game Theory, but you have to re-read and re-read it... Nalebuff had "Getting to Yes" (as interviewed)in mind: simplicity, readbility, and knowledge that is of practical relevance. They totally succeeded! One of my MBA mates remarked "That's the thinking they try to teach you at business schools".
Rating:
Summary: Applied Game Theory
Review: The authors explain what Game Theory is and HOW it can be applied to REAL life challenges. Quantitative stuff is left out. Loads of examples make you "thinking and understanding" Game Theory, but you have to re-read and re-read it... Nalebuff had "Getting to Yes" (as interviewed)in mind: simplicity, readbility, and knowledge that is of practical relevance. They totally succeeded! One of my MBA mates remarked "That's the thinking they try to teach you at business schools".
Rating:
Summary: A concise and readable popularisation of Game Theory.
Review: The authors write with clarity in a field which they have both
academic and practical experience. If you are interested at all in Game Theory (and you should be), then this is a great
introduction. Note: some mathematical thinking is involved.
Rating: 
Summary: Limited use
Review: The book is full of examples of using game theory. It shows how to calculate it and how it works. Fine in theory. It maybe be useful in a classroom. The problem in real life is that so such is unknown. In real life both of you do not have all the facts. What is important and what is not. Often you do not know the rules of the game until you are deep inside of it. The logic may be clear later on but not while you are their. You have no idea of the costs or benefits until its to late. Nor do your competitors.
Rating:
Summary: Pop version of game theory
Review: This book is a good read as far as story-telling goes. However, from the perspective of game theory, it leaves much to be desired, as it does not seek to define the major theories and it does not provide a reasonable explanation for the particular tools and their application. It is clear that the book is written for those not interested in the more technical aspects of game theory, so if that is you, you should consider this book. It seems to me, however, that the organization of this book is missing exactly what the book purports to deliver: strategic thinking.
Rating:
Summary: Pop version of game theory
Review: This book is a good read as far as story-telling goes. However, from the perspective of game theory, it leaves much to be desired, as it does not seek to define the major theories and it does not provide a reasonable explanation for the particular tools and their application. It is clear that the book is written for those not interested in the more technical aspects of game theory, so if that is you, you should consider this book. It seems to me, however, that the organization of this book is missing exactly what the book purports to deliver: strategic thinking.
Rating:
Summary: A Must for all involved in competition
Review: This book is by far the best (and most entertaining) book I've read on the subject of strategy. It gives examples and theories that can be applied to a business, sports or personal environment. Game theory will never be the same again.
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