{{Unreferenced|date=July 2007}}

A '''player''' of a [[game]] is a participant therein. The term 'player' is used with this same meaning both in [[game theory]] and in ordinary recreational [[game]]s.

Normally, there are at least two players in a game, but one-player games exist and are collectively known as [[wikt:solitary|solitary]] games (such as the ''[[Solitaire]]'' card game and many [[video game]]s).

==Players in competition==

In most games, one player (or team) is declared the [[wikt:winner|winner]], the player who performed the best. Some multiplayer games can have multiple winners, but in [[Western world|Western]] societies, one player (or team) is normally considered to be the "1st place", or best, among them, and tie-breaking structures are commonly used to ensure a singular "1st place". This is not true universally, however; for example, in [[Japan]], ties are considered to be wins for both sides. Some games use multiple means of [[Score (gaming)|scoring]] or determining the conditions of victory; in these games, it may be possible for two or more players or teams to simultaneously win, which, depending on the game, may be counted as wins for both or simply a tie.

==See also==

* [[Agent (economics)]]

* [[Gamer]]

* [[Player character]]

[[Category:Game terminology]]

[[he:שחקן (ספורט)]]