Re: The TC article; RSP strategy (LC)

[Levarkin]

I enjoyed the TC article this month. About two months ago I went to an event here in Toronto that was touted as the World Championship of Rock, Scissor, Paper, though I don't know if it has any legitimate claim to that status. There was a Norweigan team there, though, so obviously the event had some stature.

The mind games that various teams played - like the ones that appear in the TC article - were very interesting. One team had yellow T-shirts printed that read "I only throw paper." Needless to say, a lot of opponents got up there and threw rock, assuming that the paper fellow would actually throw anything but paper. Of course, when the paper guy actually double-faked his opponent and indeed threw paper - as promised - taking down his opponent's rock, the legion of spectators would start screaming "it's written on his shirt!!!", or some-such mocking comment. I pity the chap who had to try to sort himself out on that one before finishing the series. The paper team went deep.

Also fun was when the crowd would chant for one of the three before the throw. Sure, the crowd wants rock, but who will throw it? If both threw rock then the crowd showed its appreciation. A rock-paper combo would garner a round of boos, and if both players threw paper, it was pretty clear that they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. If rock took down scissors, then the place erupted.

Occasionally someone would try their best to "optimalize" by trying to be random, but really, what's the fun in that? Better to load two pairs of scissors in your holster, stick on a bandana and a bullet raffle, and go down shooting.

[fyodor]

My gf had never heard of RSP. I don't know how she got so far in life without ever encountering it but she hadn't. About 2 weeks ago I suggested a game to settle something and this is when I found out she didn't know what it was.

I explained the rules and showed her how to count to 3 while pumping your fist and on the 3 count throw out your pick.

She says, "wait a minute, wait a minute" and I can see her mind churning as she contemplats the best play. Then with no warning she shouts out "ONE TWO THREE" with NO fist pump and throws out Scissors like she is drawing a six shooter out of a holster.

I fell on the floor laughing. She was not amused.

[GeniusToad]

The TC saga takes more turns than John Travolta's career. I just wonder if he'll ever make it to that final table before I die.

Wasn't it last year [perhaps it was this year] that during one of the "The Nuts" segments of the WSOP airing that they showed the RSP tourney? Although that one was a little more light-hearted than the event described by the original poster. What threw me was that they called it "Ro-sham-bo" instead of RSP. I had always thought Ro-sham-bo was when two guys kick one another in the nuts until one can't stand anymore. There was even a South Park episode involving it. Regardless, it'll always be RSP to me.

[Levarkin]

Only mildly light-hearted: the winner got a seat in the ME that year. Annie Duke actually used the randomizing strategy proposed by Dave by basing her throws off the serial number of a dollar bill. I guess she figured she was a fish in that game and needed to level the playing field. She got to the semis though.

By I agree with you that RSP and Roshambo are definitely not the same thing. Makes me wonder if I'd be willing to enter a real Roshambo tournament if first prize were a $10k buy-in to the ME. They started with a field of 64 . . .