Rock, Paper, Scissors
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Rock, Paper, Scissors chart |
Rock, Paper, Scissors, also known in Japan as
Janken, is a
hand game most often played by children. It is often used as a
selection method in a similar way to
coin flipping,
Odd or Even,
throwing dice or
drawing straws to randomly select a person for some purpose, though unlike truly
random selections it can be played with skill if the game extends over many sessions, because one can often recognize and exploit the non-random behavior of an opponent.
Various sports may use Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine which team gets the opening play (rather than a coin toss). Similarly, uncertain calls, or even the whole game in case of rain, may be decided by the game. It is also often used as a method for creating appropriately non-biased random results in
live action role-playing games, as it requires no equipment.
 | SssStein.jpg |
|  | SssPapier.jpg |
|  | SssSchere.jpg |
| | Each of the three basic hand-signs ( from left to right: rock, paper and scissors ) beats one of the other two. |
The players count together to 3 counts, most commonly either using the name of the game (e.g. Rock! Paper! Scissors! or Ro! Sham! Bo!) or simply numbers. At the end of the third count, the players simultaneously change their fists into any of three "objects", which they then "throw" by extending it towards their opponent:
*
Rock: a clenched fist.
*
Paper : all fingers extended, palm facing downwards, upwards, or sideways.
*
Scissors: forefinger and middle finger extended and separated into a "V" shape.
The objective is to defeat the opponent by selecting a weapon which defeats their choice under the following rules:
#Rock smashes (or breaks or blunts) Scissors (rock wins)
if in overtime middle fingers ARE allowed#Scissors cut Paper (scissors win)#Paper covers Rock (paper wins)If players choose the same weapon, the game is a tie and is played again.
In International competition, the weapon is thrown on the
fourth count ("1 ... 2 ... 3 ... THROW"). This is called "International Style." In "American Style," the throw comes on the
third count ("1 ... 2 ... THROW").
Typically, the game is played in a "best 2 out of 3" match.
While in essence the same game, the Japanese version, known as Janken, varies slightly.
*
clenched fist: is called
gu*
flat hand : is called
pa*
two-finger V-shape: is called
chokiThe game begins with both players simultaneously saying the phrase
"saisho wa gu", meaning "first is fist" and extending a
gu hand to signal the start of the exchange. Then both players slowly pull back their hands while saying "jan ken..." and then on the word "poi" or "pon" (the final word varies by region) "throw" either
gu,
pa, or
choki. The relationships between the three possible throws are the same as in most other versions of the game in other parts of the world.
Should both players make the same throw, the players say
"aiko desho" (meaning "it's a tie") and on
desho, make another throw. This can be repeated for unlimited ties, should they occur in sequence.
One of the first tricks learned by a Rock-Paper-Scissors novice is to hold back a throw of paper until the last possible moment to dupe an opponent into believing that one may actually be throwing a rock. Both paper and scissors have this ability; however, unless one is employing a "double-back" strategy, cloaking a paper throw is likely to draw an instinctive paper from one's opponent.
A common variation on the opening ritual is to have both players hold their hands behind their backs and reveal their already formed throw after the count of three. The intention is to prevent any sort of timing based cheating.
See Rock, Paper, Scissors variationsThere are many different variations of Rock, Paper, Scissors which range from simple changes in the names of the objects to increasing the number of players or objects. While interesting, most rule variations suffer from one problem or another, making them less interesting games. Versions of this game are also observed in many different cultures. It is usually known by direct translations of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" although some cultures have slightly different names or even entirely different elements representing the different objects. For example in Japan there is a variation which uses a tiger, a chief and the chief's mother as the three elements (the tiger beating the chief's mother, the chief beating the tiger and the chief's mother beating the chief). In Indonesia another version is played with the elements as an elephant, a man and an ant (the elephant crushing the man, the man crushing the ant and ant humorously defeating the elephant by crawling into the animal's ear and making it go insane)[
1]. The Chinese and Koreans use Cloth along with Rock and Scissors, while the Japanese have adopted Paper.[
2] Minor variation is also observed in the standard game play.
Another variation is known as RPS-25
[http://www.umop.com/rps25.htm] from umop.com, which is an extreme version of the classic game with 25 different gestures instead of just three.
The additions are: Gun, Dynamite, Nuke, Devil, Boot, Dragon, Alien, Water, Bowl, Air, Moon, Sponge, Wolf, Cockroach, Tree, Man, Woman, Monkey, Snake, Axe, Fire, and Sun.
There is a very complex set of relationships between these gestures, which almost require a chart to play. Simpler variations include RPS-7,
[http://www.umop.com/rps7.htm] RPS-9,
[http://www.umop.com/rps9.htm] RPS-11,
[http://www.umop.com/rps11.htm] and RPS-15.
[http://www.umop.com/rps15.htm]A very popular variation is "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Slap". Two people are locked in a perpetual handshake. When Person A wins, Person A turns the hands so Person B's hand is facing up. Person A then slaps Person B's hand.
Richard Bartle invented a game
Spellbinder in 1977, which may be considered as a quite successful variation of Rock, Paper, Scissors.
Extreme RPS
Extreme RPS uses the same rules as regular RPS except that the winning "weapon" is used to attack the losing player. If you pick rock and lose to paper you get a slap on the upper arm. If you pick paper and lose to scissors you receive a "stinger" on the inside of the elbow where the veins usually come to the surface. A stinger is when you slap with the index and middle
fingers. If you pick scissors and lose to rock you get a punch on the upper arm.
Rock, Paper, Scissors is also often used as an example of the mathematical concept of
non-transitivity. A
transitive relation R is one for which
a R b and
b R c implies
a R c. A
reflexive,
antisymmetric, and
transitive relation on a set is known as a
partial ordering, from which notions of "greater" and "less" follow. A game option which is "greater" than another is closer to being optimal, but such a notion does not exist in Rock, Paper, Scissors: The relation used to determine which throws defeat which is non-transitive. Rock defeats Scissors, and Scissors defeat Paper, but Rock
loses to Paper. In fact, Rock-Paper- Scissors could be called
"antitransitive" because if A strictly defeats B, and B strictly defeats C, A necessarily loses against C.
There are several different popular theories regarding the origin of Rock, Paper, Scissors. The so-called "Asian Theory" states that the game originated in Japan under the name of Jan ken perhaps as early as 200
B.C.E.. It is believed that with increased contact between
eastern and
western civilizations the game spread to Europe in the mid
1700s. Some speculate that during this time Rock, Paper, Scissors became inexplicably associated with
Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, Comte de Rochambeau giving rise to the game's alternative western name Rochambeau or the more commonly spelled
Roshambo. The "African Theory", similar to the "Asian Theory", relies on early development of tools by humans in the region. The "European Theory" contests that the game either started as a
Scandinavian pastime which eventually spread to the rest of the continent or was brought by
Celtic tribes to Portugal, with time reaching the remainder of Europe. One member of the
World RPS Society's website who goes by the name "Joao V de Portugal" states: "Current research undertaken at the
University of Lisbon by
Baltasar Rui Delfim, soon to be published in
Nature and Time, has shown that the origins of the game of Paper, Scissors and Rock (Pihedra, Papelsh e Tijhera) can be attributed to Celtic settlers in the northern regions of Portugal, near the
Portuguese/
Spanish border, around the
6th century BC. . . . It is believed that the game spread to the rest of Portugal in the
3rd century BC and to the rest of the
Spanish peninsula over the next 50 years.
Roman invasion of
Hispania in the
1st century AD made the game popular in
Gallia and
Italia." The user then makes the somewhat difficult to believe and so far unsubstantiated claim that "...the Romans did not introduce the game to the
UK because they believed that the game could make the UK colonies rebel against the
Senate and it was not until the Portuguese
armada of
350 AD came to
England that the game was properly introduced in
Britannia." [
3]
Because of its widespread use by children and adults, Rock Paper Scissors has received substantial references in popular culture.
Seinfeld,
The Simpsons, and
That 70s Show all poke fun at particular characters' incompetence at understanding the game rules. In other shows, mischievous characters are often able to "win" the game by deploying new objects which beat all the others and are subsequently able to convince their slow-witted competitor that deploying the new object is a legitimate move. In
video games,
intransitive relationships (like Rock, Paper, Scissors) often appear either in strategy choices or in weapons' abilities.
"Rock is Dead. Long live Paper and Scissors." is a popular t-shirt among young people wishing to express disdain for the lack of quality rock music available.
Federal case
In 2006, Federal Judge Gregory Presnell from the Middle District of Florida ordered opposing sides in a lengthy court case to settle a trivial (but lengthily debated) point over the appropriate place for a deposition using the game of rock-paper-scissors. He ruled in Avista Management v. Wausau Underwriters:
Upon consideration of the Motion â€" the latest in a series ofGordian knots that the parties have been unable to untangle without enlisting the assistance of the federal courts â€" it is ORDERED that said Motion is DENIED. Instead, the Court will fashion a new form of alternative dispute resolution, to wit: at 4:00 P.M. on Friday, June 30, 2006, counsel shall convene at a neutral site agreeable to both parties. If counsel cannot agree on a neutral site, they shall meet on the front steps of the Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse, 801 North Florida Ave., Tampa, Florida 33602. Each lawyer shall be entitled to be accompanied by one paralegal who shall act as an attendant and witness. At that time and location, counsel shall engage in one (1) game of "rock, paper, scissors." The winner of this engagement shall be entitled to select the location for the 30(b)(6) deposition to be held somewhere in Hillsborough County during the period July 11-12, 2006.
|
The Common Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana) exhibits a Rock-Paper-Scissors pattern in its mating behaviour evolutionary strategy. |
Biologist
Barry Sinervo from the
University of California, Santa Cruz has discovered a Rock-Paper-Scissors
evolutionary strategy in the
mating behaviour of the
side-blotched lizard species
Uta stansburiana. Males have either orange, blue or yellow throats and each type follows a fixed, heritable mating strategy:
[http://www.biology.ucsc.edu/faculty/sinervo.html]* Orange-throated males are strongest and do not form strong pair bonds; instead, they fight orange-throated males for their females. Yellow-throated males, however, manage to snatch females away from them for mating.
* Yellow-throated males are smallest, and their coloration
mimicks females. Under this disguise, they can approach orange-throated males but not the stronger-bonding blue-throated specimens and mate while the orange-throats are engaged in fights.
* Blue-throated males are middle-sized and form strong pair bonds. While they are outcompeted by orange-throated males, they can defend against yellow-throated ones.The proportion of each male type in a
population is similar in the long run, but fluctuates heavily in the short term. For periods of 4-5 years, one strategy predominates, after which it declines in frequency as the strategy that manages to exploit its weakness increases. This corresponds to the stable pattern of the game in the
replicator dynamics where the
dynamical system follows
closed orbits around the
mixed strategy Nash equilibrium.
WRPS Sanctioned Tournaments
Starting in
2002, the
World Rock Paper Scissors Society (WRPS) standardized a set of rules for international play
[http://www.worldrps.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=31] and has overseen annual International World Championships. These open, competitive championships have been widely attended by players from around the world and have attracted widespread international media attention.
[http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20041210-120729-4008r.htm][http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1477870][http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/10/29/earlyshow/contributors/melindamurphy/main580709.shtml][http://www.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2003-10-27-rock-paper_x.htm][http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,188380,00.html][http://www.voiceoftreason.net/hand-to-hand-combat.html] WRPS events are noted for their large cash prizes, elaborate staging, and colourful competitors.
[http://www.worldrps.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=30]In 2004, the championships were broadcast on the U.S. television network
Fox Sports Net.
Professional poker player Phil Gordon conducted what he called "The World Series of Rock-Paper-Scissors" during the 2005 World Series of Poker in which 64 contestents of the WSOP competed in a tournament similar to the NCAA tournament.
World Championship results since 2002
| Year | Host City | Medal | Champion | Gender | Nationality | | 2002 | Toronto | | Peter Lovering | Male | Canadian |
| Moe Asem | Male | Canadian |
| Dave Ferris | Male | Canadian |
| 2003 | | Rob Krueger | Male | Canadian |
| Marc Rigaux | Male | Canadian |
| Patrick Merry | Male | Canadian |
| 2004 | | Lee Rammage | Male | Canadian |
| Heather Birrell | Female | Canadian |
| Chris Berggeren | Male | American |
| 2005 | | Andrew Bergel | Male | Canadian |
| Stan Long | Male | American |
| Stewart Waldman | Male | American |
Tour events
In addition to the International World Championships the WRPS also endorses or sanctions a year-round series of tournaments world wide. "Endorsed" tournaments agree to abide by the WRPS standardized international rules of play and code of conduct, while "Sanctioned" tournaments will net the winner a trip to compete at the International World Championships. Some of the major events of this tour include:
*
Roshambo Winery RPS Championships,
Healdsburg, California*
RPS Keystone Classic,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania*
RPS Philadelphia City League Championship Series, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
*
Rocksdam RPS Charity Tournament,
Potsdam, New York*
Atlantic Yards Smackdown,
Brooklyn, New York*
RPS Australian Championships*
RPS New Zealand ChampionshipsUSARPS Tournaments
In April 2006, the inaugural
USA Rock Paper Scissors League Championship was held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
[http://www.usarps.com] Following months of regional qualifying tournaments held across the US, 257 players were flown to Las Vegas for a single-elimination tournament at the House of Blues where the winner received $50,000. The tournament aired on A&E on June 12, 2006.
At the first ever USA Rock Paper Scissors League Championship, "Drill" McGill defeated "Fast Twitch" Twitchel to win the tournament.
Programming Competitions
In Rock Paper Scissors programming competitions,
[http://www.cs.ualberta.ca/~darse/rsbpc2.html] competitors will play hundreds of rounds in order to give them an opportunity to detect patterns in their opponents, less than optimal play which can be exploited.
* Sogawa, Tsuneo (2000). "Janken".
Monthly Sinica, Vol.11, No.5. (Japanese)
* Culin, Stewart. (1895).
Korean Games, With Notes on the Corresponding Games at China and Japan. (evidence of nonexistence of Rock, Paper, Scissors in the West)
* Gomme, Alice Bertha. (1894, 1898).
The traditional games of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 2 vols. (ditto)
* Opie, Iona and Peter (1969).
Children's Games in Street and Playground Oxford University Press, London. (Details some variants on Rock, Paper, Scissors such as 'Man, Earwig, Elephant' in Indonesia, and presents evidence for the existence of 'finger throwing games' in Egypt as early as 2000 B.C.)
* Alonzo, S.H. and Sinervo, B. (2001). "Mate choice games, context-dependent good genes, and genetic cycles in the side-blotched lizard, Uta stansburiana".
Behavioral Ecology Sociobiology Vol.49, pp.176-186
* Sinervo, B., and Lively, C. (1996). "The Rock-Paper-Scissors Game and the evolution of alternative male strategies".
Nature Vol.380, pp.240-243
* Walker, Douglas & Graham (2004). "The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide" Fireside (RPS strategy, tips and culture from the World Rock Paper Scissors Society).
*
USA Rock Paper Scissors League*
RPSFilm A comprehensive documentary on the sport's evolution*
Roshambo Winery's Annual Championships*
Play RPS against real people over the internet.*
Play Rock Paper Scissors Now, RPS Super Challenge*
PRPS Format, Rules and Strategy*
World Rock Paper Scissors Society*
Regional variations on Rock Paper Scissors, from the "Multiculturalpedia"
*
RoShamBo Programming Competition*
BombBeatsThemAll, an AIM Rock Paper Scissors bot that allows two people to play RPS over AIM
*
Stanford University's RoshamBot, an
artificial intelligence RPS player
*
Skill Extreme's Roshambo multiplayer online game*
Free RPS game*
Javascript RPS game at CoolToons*
stensakspapir.dk - Challenge a friend and watch the match (Flash based)*
Article from Forbes FYI*
Dr. Barry Sinervo's web page on the lizards' mating strategy*
Challenge the world or a friend and play live (Flash Based)*
Exasperated judge resorts to child's game
