Peter Birchler

Economics B.Sc., University of Zurich


I study economics in Zurich and write about competition, collusion detection and market design. Most of what I make ends up here or on Substack.

Writing

  • 2026 · Bachelor's thesis

    Detecting Collusion in Swiss Meat TRQ Auctions

    Two structurally identical import-quota auctions, one of which clears at near-zero prices. A Kolmogorov–Smirnov screen on market-share changes finds no evidence of collusion; the gap is under-subscription instead.

  • May 2025 · Paper

    Efficiently Assigning Bogey Teams

    The 2025 Counter-Strike Blast Bounty tournament let lower-rated teams choose their opponents. Its matchmaking rule doesn't maximise organiser utility — here's one that does.

  • March 2025 · Essay

    Gary's Bad Economics

    Where Gary Stevenson's master's thesis — the basis of much of his public commentary — breaks down.

CV

Elsewhere