Rock Paper Scissors - It's Sweeping the Nation!

All of us have probably played Rock, Paper, Scissors at some point in our lives, but you might be surprised to know that this seemingly simple contest is also known by another name - Rochambeau (also spelled Roshambo). You might be even more surprised to learn that Rochambeau is growing in popularity, with numerous tournaments being held every year. (Yeah, I know that’s a scary thought. What’s next, the national Heads or Tails competition?)

For those of you who may have forgotten, RPS is a hand game played by two people. The players count to three (or say “Rock! Scissors! Paper!” or “Reaux! Sham! Beaux!”), each time raising their hand in a fist and lowering it on the count. On the third count, or on a further beat after the third count, the players change their fist into one of three gestures, which is then “thrown” by extending it towards their opponent. The three gestures are:

Rock - Represented by a closed fist.

Paper - Represented by an open hand.

Scissors - Represented by the middle and index fingers extended.

Of course, the goal is to select a gesture which will defeat that of the opposing player. The gestures break down as follows:

Rock smashes Scissors

Scissors cuts Paper

Paper covers Rock

If both players select the same gesture, then the game is played again until there is a clear winner. The game is often played in a best-of-three match.

Many serious players claim that women tend to start with Scissors, while men have a tendency to lead with a Rock. At the World RPS tournaments, Paper is the least common throw.

Speaking of the World Rock Paper Scissors Society, they have been holding world championships in Canada for over 5 years. The latest champ, Bob ‘The Rock’ Cooper, defeated 496 players to take the title. WRPS events are often noted for their large cash prizes and colorful contestants.

WORLD SERIES OF ROSHAMBO

With the World Series of Poker just around the corner, numerous poker players will also try their hand at RPS during their stay in Vegas. That’s because poker pro Phil Gordon hosts an annual event dubbed The World Series of Roshambo which coincides with the WSOP. It is the largest buy-in Roshambo event in the world, with an entry fee of $500. Last year, Annie Duke outlasted 64 fellow players and took home the grand prize of $10,000.

THE USA ROCK PAPER SCISSORS LEAGUE

The official Rock Paper Scissors League of the United States, the USARPS is even sponsored by Bud Light. In it’s first year, players competed in regional qualifying tournaments across the U.S., and the finalists were flown to Vegas to participate in a single-elimination tournament at the House of Blues. The 2006 winner, Dave ‘The Drill’ McGill, took home $50,000 for the win.

The 2007 USARPS Tournament took place this month at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. It was covered by RawVegas.tv and will also air on ESPN later this year. The 2007 champ is Jamie Langridge from Odessa, Texas, and he took home the Bud Light Trophy and $50,000 in cash.

While it no doubt seems a little goofy, it looks as though Roshambo is here to stay. A quick look at any leading search engine will reveal numerous sites devoted to game strategy and tournament information. Given its simplicity, this is truly a game where everyone has an equal chance to succeed.

Maybe I’ll see you at the RPS world championship!

Rock Paper Scissors - It's Sweeping the Nation!