Badly approximable points on planar curves and winning (Q1684659)

Let \(i, j > 0\) with \(i+j=1\). A pair of real numbers \((x,y) \in\mathbb{R}^2\) is said to be \((i,j)\)-badly approximable if there is a constant \(c(x,y) > 0\) such that for any \(q \in\mathbb{N}\), \[ \max\{ \Vert qx \Vert^{1/i}, \Vert qy \Vert^{1/j}\} > c(x,y) q^{-1}. \] The set of all such pairs is denoted by \(\mathrm{Bad}(i,j)\). An inhomogeneous analogue is defined in the following way: Let \(\theta=(\gamma, \delta) \in\mathbb{R}^2\) and let \(\mathrm{Bad}_\theta(i,j)\) denote the set of \((x,y) \in\mathbb{R}^2\) for which constant \(c(x,y) > 0\) such that for any \(q \in\mathbb{N}\), \[ \max\{ \Vert qx - \gamma \Vert^{1/i}, \Vert qy - \delta \Vert^{1/j}\} > c(x,y) q^{-1}. \] It is known that these sets have maximal Hausdorff dimension. The intersection properties of these sets have been a subject of interest in recent years. One way of guaranteeing good intersection properties is by proving that the sets in question are winning for the so-called Schmidt game. In the paper under review, the authors show this to be the case for \(\mathrm{Bad}_\theta(i,j) \cap C_f\), whenever \(C_f = \{(x, f(x)) : x \in I\}\) for some interval \(I\) and some function \(f \in C^2(I)\) with \(f''(x) \neq 0\) for all \(x \in I\). In the special case when \(\theta = (0,0)\), this extends results of \textit{D. Badziahin} and \textit{S. Velani} [Math. Ann. 359, No. 3--4, 969--1023 (2014; Zbl 1360.11081)] and \textit{V. Beresnevich} [Invent. Math. 202, No. 3, 1199--1240 (2015; Zbl 1338.11060)]. Additionally, it is shown that if \(C_f\) is replaced by a straight line satisfying certain Diophantine properties, the same conclusion holds true. This extends another result of Badziahin and Velani [loc. cit.]. Finally, using variations on the same method, it is shown that \(\mathrm{Bad}_\theta (i,j)\) is itself a winning subset of \(\mathbb{R}^2\). The proof of the results depend on first establishing the homogeneous (\(\theta = (0,0)\)) result using arithmetical, combinatorial and geometrical methods previously developed for the study of the sets \(\mathrm{Bad}(i,j)\). Subsequently, these are transferred to the inhomogeneous setup.