A symmetric minimax theorem without linear structure (Q1263075)

For a topological space X, let U(X) be the set of all real-valued upper semi-continuous functions on X. Let \(0<t<1\), a set F in U(X) is said to be t-convex on X if for any f, g in F, there exists an element h in F such that h(x)\(\leq t\) \(\max \{f(x),g(x)\}+(1-t)\min \{f(x),g(x)\}\) for all x in X. Similarly, X is said to be t-concave on F if for any x,y in X, there exists an element z in X such that f(x)\(\geq t\max \{f(x),f(y)\}+(1-t)\min \{f(x),g(x)\}\) for all f in F. Using elementary arguments, a constructive proof is given showing that if X is a compact space and F is a subset in U(X) such that there exists s,t in (0,1) with the properties that X is s-concave on F and F is t-convex on X then \(\inf_{F}\sup_{X}f(x)=\sup_{X}\inf_{F}f(x).\) This generalizes the minimax theorem of \textit{H. König} [Arch. Math. 19, 482-487 (1968; Zbl 0179.210)] and \textit{Ky Fan} [Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 39, 42-47 (1953; Zbl 0050.065)]. For related minimax theorems, see \textit{A. Irle} [Z. Oper. Res., Ser. A 29, 229-247 (1985; Zbl 0691.90100)], \textit{J. Kindler} [On a minimax theorem of Terkelson's, Arch. Math. (to appear)] and \textit{S. Simons} [An upward-downward minimax theorem, Arch. Math. (to appear); Minimax theorems with staircases (preprint)].