World Rock Paper Scissors Championship — Real History & Winners

A rock paper scissors society founded in Canada in 1918. It started out as a gentlemanly dispute-resolution club, and from 2002 it hosted an official world championship every year. How the tournament runs: • Location: Toronto (subject to change) • Prize money: $5,000-10,000 • Entry fee: around $50 • Format: standard 4-beat rules, best-of-3 Since the 2010s the tournament's operation has become unstable, but regional qualifiers and unofficial events are still going strong.

The WRPSA official rock paper scissors rules: 1. 4-beat standard — bounce your hand three times and reveal your shape on the fourth 2. Simultaneous reveal — both players must throw at the same time 3. No faking — changing your hand shape is prohibited 4. Handling ties — the point is void and the round is replayed 5. Match format — best-of-3 or best-of-5 6. Rest between rounds — 30 seconds These rules apply as the basic principles even in online rock paper scissors games like Gababo.

Korea has never had a regular rock paper scissors championship, but one-off events have been held several times. • 2017 "10 Million Won One-Round RPS Tournament" — AI vs. human (Sogang University) • Various TV variety shows — contestants playing RPS on programs like Infinite Challenge and 2 Days & 1 Night • School and company sports days — group rock paper scissors An official Korean rock paper scissors association does exist, but it is not very active.

Japan is the country where rock paper scissors (じゃんけん / janken) culture is most developed. • Used for all kinds of everyday decisions — who pays at the restaurant, which TV channel to pick, and so on • Tournaments of every kind — at schools, companies, and clubs • The Japan Rock Paper Scissors Society (JRPS) exists • Even idol groups like AKB48 decide member rankings through rock paper scissors tournaments The 2010 AKB48 rock paper scissors tournament became a huge topic in Japan.

Strategies that come up often in interviews with WRPSA champions: 1. Observe your opponent — watch other rounds in the tournament and analyze patterns 2. Use first-throw statistics — against male opponents, open with paper 3. Deliberately reveal a pattern, then break it — meta game 4. Control your breathing — don't get thrown off by the rhythm 5. Consistent composure — don't let emotions influence your hand choice For detailed strategy, see the Gababo /strategy page.

In-person rock paper scissors tournaments are on the decline, but online rock paper scissors is growing explosively. • Real-time multiplayer platforms like Gababo • Bot matches, friend invites, global random matching • Statistics tracking, pattern learning Going forward, an online rock paper scissors championship may well emerge.

• Official RPS rules: /rules • RPS history: /history • How to win at RPS: /strategy