Official Rock Paper Scissors Rules

The Three Throws

• ✊ Rock — a closed fist. Beats Scissors.
• ✋ Paper — a flat, open hand. Beats Rock.
• ✌️ Scissors — index and middle fingers in a V. Beats Paper.

Any other hand shape is illegal in official play. No gun, no well, no Lizard, no Spock.

Playing a Round

1. Both players start with a closed fist and count together: "Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot!"
2. Reveal your throw exactly on "Shoot" — not before, not after.
3. Same throw from both players is a tie: replay the round immediately.
4. Changing your hand early is a false start; delaying to react to your opponent's hand is a late throw — both are fouls.

Match Format

Standard matches are best of 3 (first to 2 round wins). Longer formats always use an odd number of rounds so there is a decisive winner.