Let the quantum games begin

WHETHER we want to or not, we all play games – and not just at Christmas. Every day we face situations that require us to make the best decision based on our knowledge and past experience. The trouble is that our information is often incomplete, situations change, and – worse still – there may be hundreds of other people trying to do the same thing. Many aspects of life, such as trying to find a seat on a train or playing the stock market, can be viewed as a competitive game that we repeatedly try to "win". There are also many situations where it is better to co-operate, for instance at work or in a sports team.