Greedy algorithm for stochastic matching is a 2-approximation

Abstract

Motivated by applications in online dating and kidney exchange, the stochastic matching problem was introduced by Chen, Immorlica, Karlin, Mahdian and Rudra (2009). They have proven a 4-approximation of a simple greedy strategy, but conjectured that it is in fact a 2-approximation. In this paper we confirm this hypothesis.