Illegal Moves in Rock Paper Scissors - World Rock Paper Scissors Association

Illegal Rock Paper Scissors Moves

Classic Rock Paper Scissors uses three balanced throws: rock, paper, and scissors. Attempts to add fourth or fifth throws disrupt balance and create disputes. WRPSA tournaments do not allow these moves. Below are common illegal or unregulated moves and why they are banned.

Dynamite

Gesture: Closed fist with thumb extended upward to mimic a wick.

Dynamite has been debated for decades. The unresolved conflict is whether paper snuffs the wick or the wick burns through paper. Adding Dynamite breaks balance by making scissors win more than it loses and rock lose more than it wins. WRPSA does not allow Dynamite in sanctioned play.

Devil and God

Devil: Index and pinky raised, middle and ring fingers folded, thumb extended sideways.

God: Full arm extended upward with open palm.

These mythical throws were added by some groups. God beats all standard moves and is allowed only once in a lifetime by some house rules. Devil was invented to counter God. No consensus exists on which wins if both appear, so both are banned from official play.

Lightning

Gesture: Index finger extended and pointed downward.

Named after a lightning storm at the 1944 RPS Regionals in South Africa. Like Dynamite, Lightning unbalances the game by favoring certain throws disproportionately. It has no defined interaction set and is not recognized by WRPSA.

Fire and Water

Fire: Fingers and thumb upward, flickering like flames.

Water: Palm up, fingers wiggling like waves.

Fire is said to burn paper, melt rock and scissors, but lose to water. Water would then beat almost everything, making it dominant. This creates a one-throw game with no balance. Both are banned.

The Bird

Gesture: Closed fist with middle finger extended upward.

This is not a real throw. It is a signal of frustration after a loss. Using it in a match counts as a point loss or misconduct. Often met with rapid rocks in casual retaliation.

The Well

Gesture: Palm facing up, fingers slightly spread and pointing upward.

Supporters claim paper floats, scissors sink, and rock falls in. Opponents argue about dry or shallow wells. Replacing rock with this move would spark protests. It remains unapproved.

Texas Longhorn / Mushroom Cloud

Gesture: Index, middle, and ring fingers curled inward while pinky and thumb spread wide.

Popular in the U.S. Southwest, this move represents bull horns or a mushroom cloud. It beats everything and turns games into one-move contests. Proposals to rename the game RPS&M have been rejected. It is strictly banned.

Spock and Lizard (RPSLS)

Spock: Palm forward, middle and ring fingers split in a “V”.

Lizard: Fingers together, thumb underneath, shaped like a puppet mouth.

This five-throw variant is balanced mathematically but too complex for official play. It is allowed only for casual games.

Spock vaporizes rock and crushes scissors.
Lizard poisons Spock and eats paper.
Rock crushes lizard and dulls scissors.
Scissors decapitate lizard and cut paper.
Paper disproves Spock and covers rock.

Displaying the Spock sign in a WRPSA tournament can result in ejection.

Summary of Banned Moves

Move	Reason Banned
Dynamite	Unresolved interaction with paper, statistical imbalance.
Devil / God	No rule for Devil vs God outcome, disrupts fairness.
Lightning	Undefined relationships, favors certain throws too strongly.
Fire / Water	Water dominates all throws, breaks balance.
The Bird	Unsportsmanlike conduct, not a valid throw.
The Well	Conflicting logic, no consensus on interactions.
Texas Longhorn	Beats everything, single-throw dominance.
Spock / Lizard	Complexity beyond official WRPSA standards.

Official WRPSA Stance

Only three throws are recognized: rock, paper, and scissors. Any additional moves, signals, or gestures are considered illegal in sanctioned play. Casual players may use house rules, but tournament referees will stop matches immediately if an illegal throw appears.