The Origins of Rock, Paper, Scissors
Hand-based games have existed for millennia, but the exact genesis of Rock, Paper, Scissors traces back to ancient China around 2,000 years ago. While primary evidence is scarce, the game's evolution becomes clearer by the 17th century when it migrated to Japan. Known as jan-ken, this version used the familiar trio of gestures: rock (fist), paper (flat hand), and scissors (two fingers).
Early Variants: Sansukumi-Ken
Japanese culture adapted Chinese hand games into sansukumi-ken, where three gestures formed a non-transitive loop (A beats B, B beats C, C beats A). One variant, mushi-ken, replaced rock/paper/scissors with:
- Frog (thumb) beats slug (pinky)
- Slug beats snake (index finger)
- Snake beats frog
Historians speculate the "slug" replaced a Chinese centipede due to misinterpretation of characters.
From Brothels to Global Phenomenon
Initially popular in Chinese and Japanese brothels as drinking or strip games, these hand games trickled into mainstream culture by the 19th century. Children began playing them, as noted in the Bunka 7 document:
"How funny! Today’s children play mushi-ken and fox ken..."
Global spread occurred between the 1920s–1950s, with early references in:
- France (1927, called chi-fou-mi)
- Britain (1924, called zhot)
- U.S. (1932 New York Times article)
Its simplicity and effectiveness for decision-making fueled its worldwide adoption.
Competitive Rock, Paper, Scissors
By the 2000s, Rock, Paper, Scissors became a sport. Key milestones:
- 2002: World RPS Society founded, standardizing tournament rules.
- 2003–2009: Annual championships in Toronto, televised on Fox Sports Net.
- Pro Strategies: Players use psychological tactics, like announcing their move pre-throw to disrupt opponents.
👉 Discover how pros dominate tournaments
Proven Strategies to Win
1. Exploit Gender Tendencies
- Men favor rock (35.4% in tournaments).
- Women lean toward scissors.
Tactic: Rush the start to trigger instinctive picks.
2. Pattern Recognition (Zhejiang University Study)
- After a win: Players likely repeat the same move.
- After a loss: They advance to the next in the sequence (rock → paper → scissors).
Example: If they lose with scissors, predict rock next.
3. Shady Reflex Tactics
Watch for finger movement during the final pump:
- No movement → likely rock.
- Fingers adjusting → scissors or paper.
Counter: Default to scissors for a tie/win.
4. Software-Assisted Cheating
A Tokyo team built a robot that analyzes finger movements within milliseconds, winning 100% of games. For humans, high-speed cameras + Bluetooth cues can replicate this.
Tournament Insights
- Pro Players: Favor rock (35.4%) and paper (35%) over scissors (29.6%).
- Randomization: Humans struggle with true randomness; some memorize computer-generated sequences.
👉 Master these strategies for unbeatable play
FAQ
Q: Why is it called "Rochambeau" in the U.S.?
A: Likely inspired by French general Rochambeau’s statue in D.C., popularized via a 1935 government recreation handbook.
Q: Can you really win 100% of the time?
A: Only with robotic reflexes or cheating tech. For humans, 70%+ win rates are achievable via pattern recognition.
Q: What’s the best opener?
A: Scissors—it ties with itself and beats paper, the second-most common opener.
Bonus Facts
- Christie’s Auction House once settled a million-dollar art deal with Rock, Paper, Scissors.
- The Japanese chant "jan-ken-pon" syncs with fist pumps.