<p>Sutton and Barto give an example of an MDP where the optimal stochastic policy strictly dominates the best deterministic one, should answer all your questions</p>
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2024-05-26T11:09:56.250Z
2024-05-26T11:09:56.250Z
Alberto
<p>I know that in a MDP there always exists a unique optimal deterministic policy. Does a statement like this also exist for optimal stochastic policies? Is there also always a unique optimal stochastic policy? Can it be better than the optimal deterministic policy?</p>

<reinforcement-learning><markov-decision-process><policies>
Are there problems where the optimal policy is stochastic?
craaaft
# Are there problems where the optimal policy is stochastic?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-05-25)

I know that in a MDP there always exists a unique optimal deterministic policy. Does a statement like this also exist for optimal stochastic policies? Is there also always a unique optimal stochastic policy? Can it be better than the optimal deterministic policy?

**Tags:** reinforcement-learning, markov-decision-process, policies


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-05-26. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Sutton and Barto give an example of an MDP where the optimal stochastic policy strictly dominates the best deterministic one, should answer all your questions

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/AJGmNug8.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/AJGmNug8.png)


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