Q&A for How to Play Rock, Paper, Scissors

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  • Question
    I don't understand why scissors beats paper. Can't you just fold the paper?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    Sure, you can fold paper, but it's not like scissors can't cut through folded paper!
  • Question
    How many rounds are possible?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    As many rounds as you'd like! If you're playing to settle a decision, choose the number of rounds ahead of time. People often play "best of 5" (meaning the first player to win 3 games wins the match).
  • Question
    Why do some people say "shoot" to indicate when to throw up their symbol?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    It's a personal choice. The tempo between these two options actually matches "on your mark, get set, go" and "ready, on your mark, get set, go." For some people, the first option is more comfortable. For others, the second feels more natural. It's just a matter of personal taste.
  • Question
    If there are three friends, how do we play?
    Community Answer
    The same way. If there's a tie between two winners, the third is out and the two final ones do it up.
  • Question
    Is there dynamite in rock paper scissors?
    Community Answer
    Not according to the original rules, but you could change the rules to include dynamite.
  • Question
    What does it mean "paper covers rock?".
    Community Answer
    That means that the paper gesture will win (if one is paper gesture and another is the rock gesture).
  • Question
    How fast do I have to choose rock, paper or scissors?
    Community Answer
    Ideally, be 10-15% slower than your opponent (at a still-fast pace). Not enough to be obvious to your opponent, but at that final decisive moment, you can predict with 60-80% accuracy their choice of hand, and correspondingly so can beat them. Here's how: If, when they beat their hand, they begin to rotate it 90 degrees at the last second, they're most likely going for paper. If they don't begin to rotate their hand, but you see any fingers begin to extend, they're likely going for scissors. No rotation and no finger movement is rock.
  • Question
    Can a rock break a scissor?
    Caeiia
    Top Answerer
    Yes, that's the only thing rock defeats.
  • Question
    What are the chances of winning when I always do the same shape?
    Community Answer
    Statistically, assuming a purely random chance of opposition, you would have a 1/3 chance every time. Your chances of always winning would shrink by (1/3)^x where x is the number of times you play the game. However, in reality, the more you play with a single partner the more likely they will notice your lack of variety, and your chances of winning would be even less than (1/3)^X.
  • Question
    Couldn't a rock break through paper?
    Community Answer
    In real life, yes. But not according to the rules of the game!
  • Question
    I don't understand. Why wouldn't everybody just choose rock?
    Community Answer
    Each object has a unique way of winning or losing when played against other objects. Rock in particular is vulnerable to being enveloped by paper. Therefore, you theoretically have an equal chance of victory regardless of what you play. This is where the wild card of chance comes in, though there may be a bit of strategy involved in predicting what your opponent will play based on patterns they display.
  • Question
    I saw 7 or 8 people playing this game at a time. How would they decide the winner?
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Each player probably paired off with another player, then played a round, after which the loser stepped out of the game, until there were two players left, and they played one last round against each other.
  • Question
    If three players shoot and two players throw scissors and one throws rock, does the rock win, or is the rock singled out?
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    The rock wins, because rock trumps scissors. However, if there were two rocks and one scissors, then the scissors gets singled out.
  • Question
    I always played this game with the countdown "Rock, paper, scissors, say shoot!" Is this not how it is played?
    Cool⚡️KID
    Community Answer
    You can play the game however you want! It's more popular, though, for people to say "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"
  • Question
    Why is the countdown "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!"?
    Raner
    Community Answer
    "Shoot" is to let people know when to show either Rock, Paper, or Scissors.
  • Question
    Can I play without saying, "shoot?"
    NerfLoverNumber14
    Community Answer
    Of course you can. It is just an option to let your opponent(s) know when you and they should show what they chose: rock, paper, or scissors.
  • Question
    Is "Shoot" an option when they say, "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot"?
    Raner
    Community Answer
    No. It's just to let people know when to show their chosen object from Rock, Paper, or Scissors.
  • Question
    How do you know which sign wins? Is one of the signs better than the others? Why? If it is better, both parties will use it, yes?
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    Each sign is equally good. Rock trumps scissors, scissors trumps paper, and paper trumps rock.
  • Question
    Is it OK if I put a pencil in the game?
    Andreaslag
    Community Answer
    It is used in some variations. The pencil can write on paper, but it can be smashed by scissors and rock, so it's not a very good move to use.
  • Question
    Why is it necessary to have a guide on playing rock, paper, scissors?
    Ellie
    Community Answer
    Some people just don't know how to play and don't have a friend who can teach them.
  • Question
    Does rock break paper?
    Ellie
    Community Answer
    No, paper covers rock. Remember the cycle: rock beats scissors, scissors cuts paper, and paper covers rock.
  • Question
    Isn't there an option for a gun?
    Community Answer
    In some versions, yes. You can make up your own items to use that beat two other items. If you wanted to play with a gun, you could say gun beats rock and paper, but scissors beats gun.
  • Question
    What does dynamite beat or lose to?
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    Dynamite is not a viable object in Rock, Paper, Scissors, but if it were, it would trump everything.
  • Question
    If there are 3 players and one puts paper, another puts rock and another player puts scissors, what will happen?
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    If that happens, it is a three-way tie. Keep going until two players choose the same object.
  • Question
    How can you win Rock Paper Scissors Shoot every single time?
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    You can't. You can only get very good at predicting what your opponent will choose.
  • Question
    Is it "rock paper scissors, shoot," or is it, "rock paper scissors, 1, 2, 3?"
    OC_VORTEKS
    Community Answer
    "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot," is the more commonly accepted method of playing.
  • Question
    Is shoot important?
    Ruby
    Top Answerer
    The "shoot" gives you the exact time to reveal your handshape. You may do it without the "shoot", but you might not play at the same time if you don't have a word (the word is typically "shoot", but any monosyllabic word works).
  • Question
    How do I know which to choose?
    John O'Meara
    Community Answer
    Its a mind game. If you play enough, then you become accustomed to the game in such a way you can correctly guess the other player's hand most of the time
  • Question
    What if both throw rock?
    Emma
    Community Answer
    Then it’s tight and you do it again. Keep on going until there are different objects. Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, scissors beat paper.
  • Question
    What is the penalty if an opponent does not hold their rock, paper or scissors in the palm of their other hand after "shoot"?
    Andreaslag
    Community Answer
    There is no penalty. You just redo the round. It is possible that the player got distracted and didn't had time to select an option.
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