The rules
- Rock blunts scissors, so rock wins.
- Scissors cut paper, so scissors win.
- Paper covers rock, so paper wins.
- The same move on both sides is a draw. Go again.
Playing against the wheel
Say or write down your move first, then spin. The wheel cannot see your choice and has no habits, so you cannot read it the way you might read a friend. Each move comes up a third of the time, which means you win, lose and draw a third of the time each over the long run.
Two people can also use it to settle an argument: each takes a side of the wheel. Spin once for each player and compare.
Rock paper scissors lizard Spock
Add Lizard and Spock to the list for the five-move version made famous by The Big Bang Theory. With more moves there are fewer draws. The extra rules:
- Rock crushes lizard. Lizard poisons Spock.
- Spock smashes scissors. Scissors decapitate lizard.
- Lizard eats paper. Paper disproves Spock.
- Spock vaporises rock.
Questions
Is the wheel more likely to pick one move?
No. Each move has one equal slice, so each comes up a third of the time.
Is there a winning strategy?
Against a random wheel, no. Every move wins, loses and draws equally often.
Can I play best of five?
Yes. Keep score and spin five times. First to three wins.
More ready-made wheels
More in Decisions and quick calls