A Simple Game Model of Kidnapping

Hostage taking situations such as kidnapping a rich person in order to extort ransom money undoubtedly have some game theoretical aspects. In the following a very simple game model will be developed which cannot claim to be more than a first attempt to gain some insight into the strategic problems faced by a kidnapper — he will be called player K — and by the hostage’s family, called player F who has to pay the ransom money.