Strategies For Rock Paper Scissors

What is the 'Rock' move?

The 'Rock' move is the preformed throw of rock, paper, scissors. So, in other words, you start off from the priming, or the pumping position, like this, one, two, three, shoot, and the fist doesn't move. It's a very basic throw. It's a beginner's throw, but it's also a throw that is preferred by many masters. The big difference is whether you win or lose with it. It's very easy for a beginner to lose with 'Rock', but sometimes it takes a real master, too, to win a match with 'Rock'.

What is the 'Paper' move?

The Paper move typically is one, two, three, shoot. And it's delivered like this. A lot of players deliver sloppy Paper, which I call the "Tiger Claw," where they'll release it, one, two, shoot, like this. And if a player does that, you can see the Paper coming from a mile away, cut them down to size, it's not a big deal. Again, a lot of people will deliver Paper palm-up. It's kind of almost an insulting move. It takes a little bit longer. It's a little flashier. And by throwing a Paper like this, you're insinuating that the opponent is slow enough that you can beat them with Paper that they have more time to spot. So it's kind of a cockier, more arrogant move. But the standard most people play, I'd say 90 percent of the time, is palm-down Paper.

What is the 'Scissors' move?

This scissor move is: one, two, three - shoot out like this. A lot of players will do what we call a sort of a "flick release", where you'll have the thumb sort of covering up two fingers on the scissors. You put a lot of pressure there which means at the bottom of the throw you can extend it very, very quickly. This also increases the chances that you're going to suffer injury of some sort. So it's best if you use that judiciously if at all.

What is priming or pumping?

Priming or pumping is the period before the throw is released. Basically, it gives players a chance to synchronize against each other. In theory, at least, this means that neither player has an edge over the other. In the Japanese style of RPS, which typically "in and out", it's very easy if that's the way you're used to playing, but for an unscrupulous player, it's easy to cheat, by throwing your throw, kind of at the last minute, you wait for the other person to throw, then you kind of sneak it up on them. In the American version of this sport, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, really almost anywhere RPS is played, players will go, either, one, two, shoot or one, two, three, shoot, depending on where you are. And again, sometimes you'll see players competing against each other, and they'll get primes off from each other, this is called "working on the railroad", and a good referee will put their hands in the middle, separate the players and stop them, even counting for them if necessary, just to get them synchronized. Synchronized play is very important in professional Rock, Paper, Scissors, to prevent cheating.