VON NEUMANN, John (1903-1957). “Zur Theorie der Gesellschatsspiele.” In: Mathematische Annalen, Vol. 100, pp. 295-300. Berlin: Julius Springer, 1928.

8vo. In library buckram, with original printed wrappers and front matter mound at rear; quarter morocco folding case. Provenance: John Crerar Library, Chicago (bookplate with deaccession stamp on pastedown, perforated stamp on title & gilt stamp on spine).

FIRST EDITION OF VON NEUMANN’S FIRST PAPER ON GAME THEORY. The first paper and most important paper by von Neumann related to the Theory of Games, where he established his minimax theorem and offers the first general proof. A fundamentally important contribution to mathematics that has established or significantly enhanced many fields, including business, economics and the social sciences. “…in the 1920s John von Neumann single-handedly invented game theory, introducing the general mathematical concept of 'strategy' in a paper on games of chance [the present paper]. This contained the proof of his famous 'minimax' theorem that says 'a strategy exists that guarantees, for each player, a maximum payoff assuming that the adversary acts so as to minimize that payoff’” (Norman). See Origins of Cyberspace 953 (discussed in entry for his joint work with Morgenstern, Theory of Games and Economic Behavior).

VON NEUMANN, John (1903-1957). “Zur Theorie der Gesellschatsspiele.” In: Mathematische Annalen, Vol. 100, pp. 295-300. Berlin: Julius Springer, 1928.