We’ve all played the game, sometimes at school and frequently as children. It’s Rock, Paper, Scissors (called Scissors, Paper, and Stone in Australia and New Zealand), an intransitive hand game played between two people that multiple people can play too. Here’s how it came to be.
The earliest form of the game originated in China, and then it was imported to Japan. That’s when it reached modern form, and by the 20th Century, it had global reach. It’s a zero-sum game, meaning there are only three possible outcomes–a win, a loss, or a draw.
The rules of the hand signs are simple. A closed fist is a rock; an open hand is a paper; and pointed index fingers are scissors. How do you win? The paper will cover the rock, the rock will smash the scissors, and the scissors will cut the paper. Sometimes, if the two players choose the same object, it’s a tie, and you execute a do-over to break the tie.
In the U.S., the name Roshambo or Rochambeau is relevant because it refers to Count Rochambeau, who played the game during the American Revolutionary War. However, much evidence suggests that the game was brought to the United States in the early 20th Century.
The game has grown from a kid’s game to an adult fascination. There are tournaments, an association, and a society dedicated to the game. There are championships and records maintained in the Guinness Book of World Records.
The game is global and will likely live forever.
This is awesome! I’ve been playing this game since I was a kid and of course I still do to this day. Thank you Matthew Paris for this great info.