How To Win Rock, Paper, Scissors Every Time?

Many believe Rock, Paper, Scissors is simply a game of chance and luck. However, like chess or Super Mario Kart, RPS is a game of strategy, observation and intelligence.

Rock, Paper, Scissors is a zero-sum hand game usually played between two people, in which each player simultaneously forms one of three shapes with an outstretched hand. These shapes are “rock” (a simple fist), “paper” (a flat hand), and “scissors” (a fist with the index and middle fingers together forming a V).

The game has only three possible outcomes other than a tie: a player who decides to play rock will beat another player who has chosen scissors (“rock crushes scissors”) but will lose to one who has played paper (“paper covers rock”); a play of paper will lose to a play of scissors (“scissors cut paper”). If both players throw the same shape, the game is tied and is usually immediately replayed to break the tie.

Other names for the game in the English-speaking world include roshambo and other orderings of the three items, sometimes with “rock” being called “stone”.

The earliest form of RPS was seen in 18th century Japan, called Jan-ken-pon. Nowadays you can even take part in world championships of the game.

Read about the history of this fun game and learn the strategy of winning. The infographic shows eight easy steps to winning every time.