The game coloring number of pseudo partial \(k\)-trees (Q1974537)

The author introduces the class of \((a,b)\)-pseudo partial \(k\)-trees, where the parameters \(a\) and \(b\) measure a graph's deviation from being a partial \(k\)-tree (the case \(a= b= 0\)). It is shown that the game coloring number of an \((a,b)\)-pseudo partial \(k\)-tree is at most \(3k+ 2a+ b+ 2\); for \(a= b= 0\), this greatly improves the bound of \textit{T. Dinski} and the author [Discrete Math. 196, No. 1-3, 109-115 (1999; Zbl 0928.05022)]. It is also shown that the game coloring number of an \((a,b)\)-pseudo partial \(k\)-tree is at most \(a+ b+8\); this leads to an upper bound of \(\lfloor(1/2)(3\sqrt{1+ 48g}+ 23\rfloor\) for the game coloring number of a graph imbeddable in the closed orientable 2-manifold of genus \(g\geq 1\).