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All Random Solved Random Open
OPEN
Let $\epsilon >0$. Is it true that, if $k$ is sufficiently large, then \[R(G)>(1-\epsilon)^kR(k)\] for every graph $G$ with chromatic number $\chi(G)=k$?

Even stronger, is there some $c>0$ such that, for all large $k$, $R(G)>cR(k)$ for every graph $G$ with chromatic number $\chi(G)=k$?

Erdős originally conjectured that $R(G)\geq R(k)$, which is trivial for $k=3$, but fails already for $k=4$, as Faudree and McKay [FaMc93] showed that $R(W)=17$ for the pentagonal wheel $W$.

Since $R(k)\leq 4^k$ this is trivial for $\epsilon\geq 3/4$. Yuval Wigderson points out that $R(G)\gg 2^{k/2}$ for any $G$ with chromatic number $k$ (via a random colouring), which asymptotically matches the best-known lower bounds for $R(k)$.

This problem is #12 and #13 in Ramsey Theory in the graphs problem collection.

Additional thanks to: Yuval Wigderson