Wacky couple use rock paper scissors to decide everything…there’s a Rock Paper Scissors contest

Sept. 27, 2011 - PRLog -- Where to go on holiday? Who pays for the next round of drinks?  Who cooks dinner?  Which film to see at the cinema?  Who does the washing up?  

These are just a few of the mundane decisions that any household will face at some point in the week.  For many it’s simply a case of letting their conscience decide or succumbing to a more dominant force i.e. their partner.  Others will seek advice or gamble on a decision.  But for Sally Raynes and James Bamber of Wacky Nation, settling disputes or conflicts does not require much head scratching or discussion. Instead it takes on average ten seconds to decide on an outcome and is a process enjoyed not endured.  That’s because they play the game of rock paper scissors every time they need to make a choice, even if it sometimes attracts attention from others as they go about their wacky ways in a restaurant or in the middle of the street!

Sally Raynes of Wacky Nation has long been an advocate of the cult game of rock paper scissors to settle disputes with her family and friends. Whatever the stake, Sally has always raised her fist for battle much to the groans from those around her.  In fact, very recently, she lost to her boyfriend when deciding where to go on holiday.  Instead of a city break in Istanbul they ended up having a wet weekend in North Wales. Whilst James once did the cooking for 12 days in a row when he failed to win a game, which is always decided in a best of out of three contest.   James has even challenged a barmaid to a game for a free drink.  They have yet to raise the stakes too high, but a game to decide whether to buy a dog or cat could be just around the corner.

Sally adds, ‘I really feel sorry for all those people who have yet to discover this long forgotten art to decision making.  The daily grind is far more endurable by adding a bit of excitement to it!  But for me and James it’s prevented any real arguments.  We often have very opposite views and preferences, so rock paper scissors is really the only way to resolve the conflict without shouting or throwing something heavy.’

There is great news for anyone else out there who regularly play rock paper scissors: The 5th UK Rock, Paper, Scissors Championships will take place in the JD Wetherspoon Knights Templar pub in Chancery Lane, central London on Saturday 22nd October 2011. The increasingly popular knockout tournament will see 256 competitors battle through the rounds with the sole aim to be crowned UK Champion.

The idea of the game is for two people to go head to head, using one hand to imitate either a rock (clenched fist), a piece of paper (flat hand) or a pair of scissors (two fingers in a V shape). Each player then slams down their hand (called a throw) and reveals one of the three symbols and it’s then down to the game rules to determine the winner: Rock beats (blunts) scissors, paper beats (wraps) rock and scissors beats (cuts) paper. If both players draw the same symbol, the point is re-played. Perhaps surprisingly the game is not just about luck and avoiding elbow cramp. It's very similar to poker with a lot of bluffing and putting out mixed signals.

A new Team RPS tournament has been added this year to attract more groups to attend and will play out the same way as above, adding to a more intense final and our RPS Challenge, (a street version of rock paper scissors) allows individuals to challenge anyone around the room to a game playing with a stake of fake money. This ensures that anyone that attends the event can get caught up in the excitement and adrenaline with hundreds of games going on all around the room at any one time.

Sally Raynes, Event Director from Wacky Nation says, “This the perfect night out for groups of friends, stag and hen does, and office teams. It will be four hours of wacky fun, excitement and tension and plenty of drinking; the best thing is that absolutely anybody could walk away as the UK Champion.  But I also hope everyone who takes part integrates the decision making game into their lives.  Even if the washing is up a dull chore, at least people can have 10 seconds of excitement beforehand.  Then when that’s done, another game is needed to determine who puts out the garbage‘.

If you would like to find out more and register to take part, go to www.wackynation.com or www.ukrockpaperscissorschampionships.com. The contests will run between 5.30pm and 10.30pm and the venue address is the Knights Templar, Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1DT.

For more information Sally Raynes can be contacted on 01884 255896 and at info@wackynation.com

ENDS

Notes to Editor

UK Rock, Paper, Scissor Championships - Tips
1. Men are more likely to throw a rock on their first throw - if you play a bloke, throw a paper first
2. Throw scissors - If you come up against an experienced opponent, throw scissors. They will never throw rock at first.
3. Scissors is statistically the least thrown of the three moves - therefore paper is statistically the safest throw, but not if everyone follows tip no. 2.
4. Shadowing - change your throw at the last minute e.g. twitch your fingers to signal a scissors before reverting to a rock. 5. Cloaking - leave it to the very last moment before you reveal your throw – this requires your opponent to reveal his throw too soon, (not encouraged if the referee is watching too closely).
6. Use a gambit – a gambit is a strategic three-throw sequence, decided on beforehand. There are eight popular gambits listed below. The point of the gambit is to avoid becoming too reactive and there are tactical advantages for deploying gambits against the right opponent.
7. Study your opponent - do they look aggressive or passive? Can you imagine them throwing a rock or are they more a paper type? 8. Taunt the opponent! - tell them what you think they will throw and they may throw the opposite. Tell them what you will throw and expect them to think you’re bluffing. 9. Mind tricks - A recent study on decision-making in Rock, Paper, Scissors, published in the July 2011 issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, found that players often imitate their opponents' last moves. Human mimicry seems to be involuntary.


Rock Paper Scissors Gambits

The Avalanche - Rock, Rock, Rock (beginner’s choice)
The Bureaucrat - Paper, Paper, Paper (boring, but effective)
The Crescendo - Paper, Scissors, Rock (crank up the pressure)
Scissors Sandwich - Paper, Scissor, Paper (very cheeky)
Denouement - Rock, Scissor, Paper (the surprise factor)
Fistful of Dollars - Rock, Paper, Paper (won 1967 World Championship)
Paper Dolls – Paper, Scissors, Scissors
The Toolbox – Scissors, Scissors, Scissors (a lethal combination)
Wacky Nation – Scissors, Rock, Rock (craziness bordering on desperation)

About the organisers: Wacky Nation (www.wackynation.com) is committed to re-introducing lesser-known sporting events in the UK. Their aims are to further the popularity of alternative sports and exercise, such as backward running and remind people of the fun events that exist and that you don’t have to be incredibly fit to become a UK or World Champion. They have many more daft and utterly mad ideas to be unleashed into the world.

Whilst their website is arguably the authoritative source for all unusual and unique sports, contests and races. The Wacky Nation team have already written one book on 50 unusual sports around the UK and now in the middle of their sequel.

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Wacky Nation (www.wackynation.com) are committed to promoting and conceiving lesser-known sports in the UK and around the world. They have already organised the UK's first ever backward running race and have many more ideas for 2011 and beyond.