Hacks

Guide to Winning in Scissors-Paper-Stone Based on Statistics & Studies

2018-08-02 , 3:40 pm

Last Updated on 2022-10-09 , 5:32 pm

If you thought scissors paper stone was another childish, random game to settle frivolous arguments or decide who was going to be the one to order all the drinks at the kopitiam, think again.

Apparently, there’s a World Rock, Paper, Scissors (RPS) Society that holds worldwide tournaments in Toronto, Canada, and they’ve got secrets to tell you!

Paper is a good bet

Apparently, the massive amount of times they’ve played RPS have allowed them to collect some very interesting results; rock appears 35.4% of the time, paper appears 35% of the time and scissors 29.6% of the time.

Thus, your first rule of thumb is to throw paper when you play RPS – if you’re playing only one game, and if you’re playing against someone who isn’t a…pro.

Rock for the ladies

On the other hand, some psychoanalysis reveals some interesting facts; since rock is a symbol of power and testosterone, men are more likely to throw rock while women are more likely to throw scissors.

Thus, your second rule of thumb is to throw rock if you’re playing against a lady.

People don’t throw the same thing twice in a row

Most people won’t play the same thing more than twice in a row, because it just doesn’t make sense to be that predictable in a game that seems to be random.

Simply play the thing that would lose to whatever your opponent has played twice in a row, because it would be impossible to lose.

Losers tend to change signs

If you’re playing best of three, a person who loses is much more likely to throw a different thing because of the perceived negativity that comes with it. In addition, they are likely to subconsciously go for the sign that beat them previously, so throw accordingly.

Call out your sign and stick with it

Before you throw, tell your opponent what you’re doing to throw. This is something that Ji Suk Jin of Running Man does often, but often fails at doing because he’s doing it wrong; he chooses another sign.

Call out what you plan to throw, and stick with it; most people won’t believe you and you will end up winning or getting a tie.

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