Auction mechanism design is a subfield of game theory dedicated to manipulating the rules of an auction so as to achieve specific goals. The complexity of the dynamics of auctions, especially continuous double auctions, makes it difficult to apply the usual analytic game-theoretic methods to do this. This paper takes an experimental approach, searching a parameterized space of possible auction types, and presents a new pricing policy for continuous double auctions. The paper further demonstrates how this policy, together with a shout improvement rule, helps to reduce the fluctuation of transaction prices in auctions involving agents with minimum intelligence while keeping the overall efficiency high.

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This paper analyzes the entrants to the 2007 tac Market Design Game. We present a classification of the entries to the competition, and use this classification to compare these entries. The paper also attempts to relate market dynamics to the auction rules adopted by these entries and their adaptive strategies via a set of post-tournament experiments. Based on this analysis, the paper speculates about the design of effective auction mechanisms, both in the setting of this competition and in the more general case.

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