In formal rock paper scissors, only three throws are legal: rock, paper and scissors. Everything else, including dynamite, the well, fire, water, lizard and Spock, is illegal, and so are timing fouls like throwing late or changing your hand after the reveal.
Yes, people do cheat at rock paper scissors. Almost all cheating is about timing: seeing the other hand a fraction of a second before committing your own. The rest of this page covers each illegal move, why it is banned, and how a referee or a careful opponent catches it.
The only legal throws
| Throw | Shape | Beats |
|---|---|---|
| Rock | Closed fist | Scissors |
| Paper | Flat, open hand | Rock |
| Scissors | Index and middle fingers extended in a V | Paper |
Our official rules define these three shapes and nothing else. Any other shape in official play is a foul.
This is not a new position. The rules published by the old World RPS Society, the Toronto-based group that ran championship events in the 2000s and is no longer active, also treated any throw beyond the basic three as a foul. Their rule text listed dynamite, bird, well, Spock, water, match, fire, God, lightning, bomb and "Texas longhorn" as non-sanctioned, and gave the other player the right to claim the point or, in championship play, allowed the official to disqualify the offender.
Why dynamite, the well and the rest are banned
The playground adds throws all the time. Here is why none of them survive in real play.
Dynamite (usually a fist with the thumb pointing up, like a fuse). It is typically said to beat rock and paper, and lose to scissors, which "cut the fuse." The problem is balance. Add a throw that beats two of the three others and the game stops being fair: dynamite becomes the obvious choice, scissors becomes the obvious answer to it, and the elegant three-way cycle collapses. People have also argued for decades over whether paper should smother the fuse, which tells you the throw was never well defined.
The well (a cupped hand, like a hole). Rock and scissors "fall in," paper "covers" the well. That gives the well two wins and one loss, so it strictly dominates rock: anything rock beats, the well beats too, and the well also beats rock. Once one throw dominates another, no sensible player ever throws the dominated one, and the game shrinks.
Fire, water, bomb, lightning, God. These are "trump" throws from childhood games that beat everything, or nearly everything. They end the game instead of playing it.
Lizard and Spock. These are not cheats, they belong to a different game. Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock was designed by Sam Kass and Karen Bryla as a balanced five-throw version, and every throw in it beats exactly two others. It is legitimate, just not in a standard match. See Rock Paper Scissors Lizard Spock.
The general rule: a fair throw set needs every throw to win and lose equally often. Three throws do that with one win and one loss each. Adding a single fourth throw cannot be balanced, which is why four-throw variants always feel broken.
Timing fouls: how people actually cheat
Once throws are restricted to three, cheating moves to the clock.
The late throw. One player slows down on the final beat and forms their hand a split second after seeing the other. It is the most common cheat and the hardest to spot in casual play. Our rules call it a foul: both players must reveal exactly on "Shoot." The old World RPS Society rules had a blunt fix: a throw not completed by the end of the arm's downward motion counted as rock.
The false start. The opposite problem: showing a shape before the count finishes. It gives your opponent information, so it is also a foul.
The switch. A player reveals one shape and then morphs it, most often a loose paper that "becomes" scissors. Referees judge the hand at the moment of reveal, not after.
The half shape. A hand that is deliberately ambiguous, such as a partly open fist, so the player can later claim whichever result is convenient. Clear shapes are required; an ambiguous hand is ruled against the person who made it.
Distraction. Talking, pointing or pretending to take a phone call so the other player looks away, then throwing late. It is funny on a variety show and a foul anywhere else.
Rigging the format. Agreeing on "best of three" and then asking for "best of five" after losing round two. Decide the format before the first throw.
How to stop cheating in a casual game
- Agree the count out loud before you start. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot" with the reveal on "shoot" is the standard.
- Keep the tempo steady. A quick, even rhythm leaves no room to wait and see.
- Freeze on the reveal. Both hands stay still for a beat so nobody can morph.
- Use a third person as referee for anything that matters. They watch timing, not hands.
- Settle the format first: how many rounds, and what happens on a tie (replay immediately).
If you are running a real event, our tournament guide covers referees and disputes.
Is it cheating to read your opponent?
No. Watching what someone has already thrown and guessing what they will do next is strategy, not cheating. It is the whole skill side of the game. What crosses the line is using information about the current throw before you commit your own, which only a timing foul can give you. That is the legal kind of edge.
FAQ
Is dynamite a legal move in rock paper scissors?
No. Dynamite is a playground addition. It is not legal under our rules or under the historic World RPS Society rules, and it unbalances the game.
Is the well a real rock paper scissors move?
Not in formal play. The well beats rock and scissors and loses only to paper, so it makes rock pointless. It is banned for that reason.
What happens if someone throws late?
It is a foul. In a refereed match the other player takes the point or the round is replayed, depending on the event's rules. In a casual game, replay the round and speed up the count.
Can you cheat against a computer?
On wrpsa.com, no. When you play online against the computer, its throw is fixed and cryptographically committed before your input is accepted, so it cannot react to your hand and you cannot see its hand early.