Quantum Information Processing (2019) 18:10
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11128-018-2113-5
Quantization and experimental realization of the Colonel
Blotto game
A. C. Maioli
1,3
· M. H. M. Passos
1,3
· W. F. Balthazar
2
· C. E. R. Souza
3,4
·
J. A. O. Huguenin
1,3
· A. G. M. Schmidt
1,3
Received: 26 July 2018 / Accepted: 7 November 2018
© Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
We present a quantum mechanical version of the Colonel Blotto game, where two
players, Blotto and Enemy, collocate their soldiers (resources) sequentially in a finite
number of territories. We analyse the representative classical cases of this game as well
as the trivial case—which on its turn has no interest at all in the point of view of classical
game theory—where, surprisingly, a player that could control a single parameter can
win the game even if he/she is greatly outnumbered by his/her opponent. Besides the
theoretical study we present an experimental realization of classical game by using
linear optics circuits as well as a proposal of an experimental investigation of the
quantized game. Finally, in order to check our quantization scheme we also present
computer simulation results.
Keywords Quantum games · Optical circuits · Transverse modes · Polarization
modes
1 Introduction
Game theory plays a very important role in the analysis of decision-making; it serves
to model mathematically situations where agents, or players, are in some conflict
situation. The paradigm of cooperation is the well-known prisoner’s dilemma—in
fact, despite it is the most studied game, recently Dyson and Press [1] uncovered new
B A. G. M. Schmidt
agmschmidt@gmail.com
1
Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal Fluminense, CEP 27213-145 Volta Redonda -
RJ, Brazil
2
Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 27215-350 Volta Redonda - RJ, Brazil
3
Programa de Pós Graduação em Física Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense,
CEP 24210-346 Niterói - RJ, Brazil
4
Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal Fluminense, CEP 24210-346 Niterói - RJ, Brazil
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