Coloring hammer-free graphs with \(\Delta - 1\) colors (Q6177425)

This note focuses on the Borodin-Kostochka conjecture (BKC), which states that the chromatic number $\chi(G)$ of a connected graph $G$ with $\Delta(G)\geq 9$ is less than or equal to the maximum of $\Delta(G)-1$ and the clique number $\omega(G)$. This conjecture proposes a bound on the chromatic number based on the graph's maximum degree and the clique number. This note contributes to the field by proving BKC for a specific class of graphs, termed ``hammer-free'' graphs, where a hammer is defined as a graph formed by identifying one vertex of a triangle and one endpoint of an induced path with three vertices. The significance of focusing on hammer-free graphs lies in narrowing down the conditions under which the conjecture holds, thus making a step towards a general proof. This work is crucial as it advances our comprehension of graph coloring, a fundamental concept in discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science. The insights gained from this study could lead to more efficient algorithms for graph coloring problems and a more profound understanding of graph properties and their impact on graph coloring.