Rock Paper Scissors

How to play rock paper scissors

You and the computer each choose rock, paper or scissors at the same moment. Then the two choices are compared:

• Rock beats scissors (it blunts them).
• Scissors beats paper (it cuts it).
• Paper beats rock (it wraps it).
• If you both pick the same, it is a draw and you go again.

Is the computer cheating?

No. The computer does not look at your choice before it picks, and it does not try to learn your habits. Each of its throws is chosen at random with your browser's secure random number generator, so rock, paper and scissors are each equally likely. Over many rounds you should win about a third of the time, lose about a third and draw about a third.

Using rock paper scissors to decide something

It is a classic way to settle who goes first, who pays or who picks the film. For a best-of-three, play until someone reaches two wins. If you only have two options and want a faster answer, a decision maker coin does the job in one flip.

Want to get better at it?

Against a human there is more to it than luck. Read our rock paper scissors strategy guide to see why random play can't be beaten and how people give themselves away.

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