Rock, Paper, Scissors

[Guest guest]

A bit like our conker championships :-)

 

Jo

 

By Martin Roberts

Thu Nov 9, 6:23 PM ET

 

 

 

TORONTO (Reuters) - Think rock, paper, scissors is a children's game?

Think again. Top players from around the globe will gather in Toronto

this weekend to compete for a C$10,000 (4,636 pounds) prize and the

title of world champion.

 

More than 500 contestants, including national champions from

Australia, Norway and New Zealand, are expected to attend.

 

Tournament organizer Graham Walker said players will have to steel

themselves against psychological pressure as players typically form

teams to rally each other.

 

" The team will surround the arena, provide moral support and usually

try to intimidate the opponent, " said Walker, who is also co-author

of " The Official Rock Paper Scissors Guide. "

 

The simple game is often used to make decisions and resolve basic

conflicts.

 

Author Ian Fleming had his fictional secret agent James Bond play the

game in Japan, in " You Only Live Twice. "

 

Players smack their fists into their palms and count to three before

making one of three hand signals: a fist (rock), flat hand (paper) or

two fingers (scissors). Paper covers rock, scissors cut paper and

rock breaks scissors.

 

Enthusiasts disagree about the history of the game, but it is

believed to have been played for centuries in Japan.

 

The Paper Scissors Stone Club was founded in England in 1842 and

provided an environment free from the long arm of the law where

enthusiasts could come together and play for honour, according to the

World RPS (Rock Paper Scissors) Society Web page (www.worldrps.com).

 

In 1918, the name was changed to World RPS Club to reflect the

growing international representation and its headquarters moved from

London to Toronto. In 1925 its membership topped 10,000.

 

The world championships have been held since 2002.