Scissors Stone Paper: Why August 27 is the most important day for decision-makers
Who doesn't know? The desperate situation when no one wants to decide who washes off, who has to make the last coffee or who can start the next game night. Luckily, there is the 27th of August – the International Scissors Stone Paper Day. And no, that's not a joke!
What is this curious holiday?
Since 2014, the world has been honoring what is probably the fairest decision-making game of all time on August 27. The World Rock Paper Scissors Association (WRPSA) Ottawa, Canada, launched this day to celebrate the universal game that works regardless of language, gender or age.
Why August 27th? This remains a secret of the initiators. Maybe they just wanted an appointment where no one is guaranteed to have important meetings to fully devote themselves to strategic finger acrobatics.
On the WRPSA page there are also some other interesting informations that I do not want to deprive you of: A journey through 2000 years of game history. What many people don't know: Scissors Stone Paper is Older than Christianity. The WRPSA has documented the fascinating history of its origins:
The beginnings in ancient China (206 B.C. – 220 A.D.)
The first documented mention can be found in ‘Wuzazu’, a Chinese text from the Ming dynasty (17th century) by Xie Zhaozhi, which traces a hand game called ‘shoushiling’ back to the Han dynasty. However, the original game used other symbols: Centipede, frog and snake – each animal defeated another in an endless cycle.
Import to Japan: The Ken Games (17th century)
In the 17th century, these games came to Japan as ‘Ken games’ and were initially played as Chinese drinking games in entertainment districts. The Japanese version was ‘Sansukumi-ken’ ('Three who are afraid'):
Mushi-ken ( ⁇ ) – The original game:
- Thumb = frog defeated small finger = nudibranch
- Nudibranch defeated index finger = snake
- snake defeated frog
Fun fact: Translation errors turned ‘thousand-footed’ into a ‘snail’!
Evolution into a modern form (later 1700s-1800s)
Later, Kitsune-ken (Fox Village Chief Hunter) developed, requiring two-handed gestures. Finally, towards the end of the Edo/Meiji period (19th century), Jan-ken – stone, paper, scissors – appeared, quickly displacing all other Ken games.
The Leap to the West (early 20th century)
In 1921, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Washington Herald described the game as ‘stone, scissors, paper’ and ‘Chinese gambling’ respectively – the first documented mentions in the Western world.
Just as diverse as the terms used are the names of the game when you look around internationally. There is also extensive information on this at the WRPSA, e.g. in this article. I would like to mention just a few of the more well-known variants: ‘jan-ken-pon’ in Japan – ‘goli, chidiya, lakdi’ in India – Ro-Sham-Bo or Rock, Paper, Scissors in the USA – ‘Piedra, Papel, Tijera’ in Spain.
The Sacred Rules of Schnick-Schnack-Schnuck
Basic principle
Two players count together ‘Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck’ (or ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ or, in German-speaking countries, scissors, stone, paper) and then simultaneously show a hand gesture:
- scissor (two outstretched fingers)
- stone (closed fist)
- paper (flat hand)
Who wins against whom?
- scissor cuts paper → Scissors win
- paper wrapped stone → Paper wins
- stone shattered scissor → Stone wins
With the same gestures, there is a tie – then simply another round is played.
The mathematics behind it: Is that really fair?
Probability distribution in the classic game
In theory, each player has a 33,33% Chance to win, lose or draw. Sounds fair, right?
But stop it! The reality is different:
- People are not random – we have preferences
- Inexperienced players choose more often stone (approx. 35,4% of time)
- paper tends to be the least likely to be elected (approximately 29.6%)
- scissor in between (approx. 35)%)
Psychological strategies
- Beginner tactics: Games Paper – most start with stone
- Advanced: Observe your opponent's patterns
- Professional level: Use Gambit strategies (conscious repetitions to confuse the opponent)
Statistical reality
There are interesting patterns in major tournaments:
- Change after a loss 60% The player's strategy
- Repeat after a win 45% Their last election
- In the event of a tie, 70% in the same gesture
⁇ Level up: Scissors Stone Paper Lizard Spock from The Big Bang Theory
‘Scissors cut paper, paper covers stone, stone crushes lizard, lizard poisons spock, spock smashes scissors, scissors heads lizard, lizard eats paper, paper refutes spock, spock evaporates stone and, as always, stone grinds scissors.’ – Dr Sheldon Cooper
The history of origin
This ingenious extension originally came from Internet pioneer Sam Kass, but first became world famous by Sheldon Cooper in ‘The Big Bang Theory’. Sheldon's reasoning: The classic game has too many draws – the 5-element version reduces them statistically.
The rules in detail
The 5 elements and their hand gestures:
- scissor: Spread the index and middle fingers (as in the classic game)
- stone: Closed fist (classic)
- paper: Flat hand (classic)
- lizard: Hand like a mouth (thumbs and fingers together)
- Spock: Vulcan greeting (ring and small finger together, index and middle finger together, separated by the middle finger)
Who beats whom? The 10-rules system:
Each element wins against exactly 2 others and loses against 2 others
Classic vs. advanced game: The comparison
probabilities
Classic Scissors Stone Paper:
- Chance of winning per player: 33,33%
- Odds of tie: 33,33%
- Number of possible combinations: 9 (32)
Scissors Stone Paper Lizard Spock:
- Chance of winning per player: 40% (10 of 25 combinations)
- Odds of tie: 20% (5 of 25 combinations)
- Number of possible combinations: 25 (52)
Strategic complexity
Classic:
- Easy to learn
- Quick decisions
- Psychology is in the foreground
Extended:
- Higher cognitive load
- More variation options
- Lower tie rate
Sheldon Cooper’s dilemma
Ironically, the expansion in The Big Bang Theory often leads to exactly the problem it should solve: Too many draws! Why? Because all characters (as Star Trek fans) intuitively tend to Spock.
The Sheldon paradox:
- Theoretically fewer draws (20% instead of 33.33%)
- Virtually more draws through preference clustering
- Evidence: Even ingenious physicists are not immune to psychological patterns
The RPS principle: Secret Weapon of Game Developers
What Sheldon Cooper intuitively understood, game designers worldwide use as Fundamental balancing principle: The symmetrical counter mechanism of scissor-stone paper is the backbone of countless games!
Video games: From Pokemon to Strategy Players
- Pokemon: Fire beats plant, water beats fire, plant beats water
- Age of Empires: Infantry > Archers > Cavalry > Infantry
- Overwatch: Tank Damage Support Form an RPS Triangle
- League of Legends: Champion picks are based on counter systems
Board Games and Tabletop
- Magic: The Gathering: Aggro beats Control, Control beats Combo, Combo beats Aggro
- Warhammer 40k: Different army factions counter each other
- risk: Terrain advantages, unit types and strategies form RPS cycles
Why does RPS balancing work so well?
Mathematical elegance: Each option has the same number of strengths and weaknesses – perfect theoretical balance.
Metagame dynamics: When a strategy becomes too dominant, counter strategies are automatically created that restore balance.
Strategic depth: Players must not only perfect their own strategy, but also be able to ‘read’ opponents.
Endless replayability: There is no ‘perfect’ strategy – only the best situational choices.
The brilliant thing about it: The more elements you add (like lizard spock), the more complex the system becomes, but the basic principle remains the same. Modern games often use 5-, 7-, or even 10-element systems to allow for even more tactical variations.
Conclusion: Why This Day Should Be Celebrated
Whether classic or extended, scissor-stone paper is more than just a piece of cake. It is:
- Diplomacy in its purest form: Peaceful conflict resolution
- Applied psychology: Deciphering Human Patterns
- philosophy: The Art of Quick Decision
- Universal language: Works anywhere in the world
So, today, August 27th: Grab a friend, colleague or even a stranger at the bus stop and decide with an honest ‘snack, snack, snack’ who pays for the coffee, what is available for dinner or from me who does the dishes.
And remember: If you both choose Spock, you are at least in good company with Dr. Sheldon Cooper! ⁇
Pro tip: By the way, there is also ‘Schere-Stein-Paper-Brunnen-Batman’ for real advanced people who can't do anything with lizards and spock – but this is a story for another day...
Fascinating!
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