Total connected domination game

The (total) connected domination game on a graph \(G\) is played by two players, Dominator and Staller, according to the standard (total) domination game with the additional requirement that at each stage of the game the selected vertices induce a connected subgraph of \(G\). If Dominator starts the game and both players play optimally, then the number of vertices selected during the game is the (total) connected game domination number (\(\gamma_{\rm tcg}(G)\)) \(\gamma_{\rm cg}(G)\) of \(G\). We show that \(\gamma_{\rm tcg}(G) \in \{\gamma_{\rm cg}(G),\gamma_{\rm cg}(G) + 1,\gamma_{\rm cg}(G) + 2\}\), and consequently define \(G\) as Class \(i\) if \(\gamma_{\rm tcg}(G) = \gamma_{\rm cg} + i\) for \(i \in \{0,1,2\}\). A large family of Class \(0\) graphs is constructed which contains all connected Cartesian product graphs and connected direct product graphs with minumum degree at least \(2\). We show that no tree is Class \(2\) and characterize Class \(1\) trees. We provide an infinite family of Class \(2\) bipartite graphs.

Competition-Independence Game and Domination Game

The domination game is played on a graph by two players, Dominator and Staller, who alternately choose a vertex of G. Dominator aims to finish the game in as few turns as possible while Staller aims to finish the game in as many turns as possible. The game ends when all vertices are dominated. The game domination number, denoted by γ g ( G ) (respectively γ g ′ ( G ) ), is the total number of turns when both players play optimally and when Dominator (respectively Staller) starts the game. In this paper, we study a version of this game where the set of chosen vertices is always independent. This version turns out to be another game known as the competition-independence game. The competition-independence game is played on a graph by two players, Diminisher and Sweller. They take turns in constructing maximal independent set M, where Diminisher tries to minimize | M | and Sweller tries to maximize | M | . Note that, actually, it is the domination game in which the set of played vertices is independent. The competition-independence number, denoted by I d ( G ) (respectively I s ( G ) ) is the optimal size of the final independent set in the competition-independence game if Diminisher (respectively Sweller) starts the game. In this paper, we check whether some well-known results in the domination game hold for the competition-independence game. We compare the competition-independence numbers to the game domination numbers. Moreover, we provide a family of graphs such that many parameters are equal. Finally, we present a realization result on the competition-independence numbers.

Connected domination game played on Cartesian products

The connected domination game on a graph G is played by Dominator and Staller according to the rules of the standard domination game with the additional requirement that at each stage of the game the selected vertices induce a connected subgraph of G. If Dominator starts the game and both players play optimally, then the number of vertices selected during the game is the connected game domination number of G. Here this invariant is studied on Cartesian product graphs. A general upper bound is proved and demonstrated to be sharp on Cartesian products of stars with paths or cycles. The connected game domination number is determined for Cartesian products of P3 with arbitrary paths or cycles, as well as for Cartesian products of an arbitrary graph with Kk for the cases when k is relatively large. A monotonicity theorem is proved for products with one complete factor. A sharp general lower bound on the connected game domination number of Cartesian products is also established.

Fractional Domination Game

Given a graph $G$, a real-valued function $f: V(G) \rightarrow [0,1]$ is a fractional dominating function if $\sum_{u \in N[v]} f(u) \ge 1$ holds for every vertex $v$ and its closed neighborhood $N[v]$ in $G$. The aim is to minimize the sum $\sum_{v \in V(G)} f(v)$. A different approach to graph domination is the domination game, introduced by Brešar et al. [SIAM J. Discrete Math. 24 (2010) 979–991]. It is played on a graph $G$ by two players, namely Dominator and Staller, who take turns choosing a vertex such that at least one previously undominated vertex becomes dominated. The game is over when all vertices are dominated. Dominator wants to finish the game as soon as possible, while Staller wants to delay the end. Assuming that both players play optimally and Dominator starts, the length of the game on $G$ is uniquely determined and is called the game domination number of $G$. We introduce and study the fractional version of the domination game, where the moves are ruled by the condition of fractional domination. Here we prove a fundamental property of this new game, namely the fractional version of the so-called Continuation Principle. Moreover, we present lower and upper bounds on the fractional game domination number of paths and cycles. These estimates are tight apart from a small additive constant. We also prove that the game domination number cannot be bounded above by any linear function of the fractional game domination number.

Connected domination game

In this paper we introduce a domination game based on the notion of connected domination. Let G = (V,E) be a connected graph of order at least 2. We define a connected domination game on G as follows: The game is played by two players, Dominator and Staller. The players alternate taking turns choosing a vertex of G (Dominator starts). A move of a player by choosing a vertex v is legal, if (1) the vertex v dominates at least one additional vertex that was not dominated by the set of previously chosen vertices and (2) the set of all chosen vertices induces a connected subgraph of G. The game ends when none of the players has a legal move (i.e., G is dominated). The aim of Dominator is to finish as soon as possible, Staller has an opposite aim. Let D be the set of played vertices obtained at the end of the connected domination game (D is a connected dominating set of G). The connected game domination number of G, denoted cg(G), is the minimum cardinality of D, when both players played optimally on G. We provide an upper bound on cg(G) in terms of the connected domination number. We also give a tight upper bound on this parameter for the class of 2-trees. Next, we investigate the Cartesian product of a complete graph and a tree, and we give exact values of the connected game domination number for such a product, when the tree is a path or a star. We also consider some variants of the game, in particular, a Staller-start game.

THE DOMINATION GAME ON SPLIT GRAPHS

We investigate the domination game and the game domination number $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}_{g}$ in the class of split graphs. We prove that $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}_{g}(G)\leq n/2$ for any isolate-free $n$-vertex split graph $G$, thus strengthening the conjectured $3n/5$ general bound and supporting Rall’s $\lceil n/2\rceil$-conjecture. We also characterise split graphs of even order with $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}_{g}(G)=n/2$.