How to play
- Choose Rock, Paper, or Scissors. On a keyboard, you can press R, P, or S instead.
- The computer reveals its move. Rock crushes scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock.
- Pick a match length. The first player to win a majority of the rounds takes the match. Choose Play freely to keep going without a limit.
A computer that can’t cheat
The computer picks its move with your browser’s cryptographically secure random number generator and never looks at your choice. Rock, paper, and scissors each have exactly a one-in-three chance every round, so there’s no pattern to exploit. Over many rounds, expect to win, lose, and tie about equally often.
Why strategy works on people but not here
Against another person, rock paper scissors is a psychology game. Research on real players has found that winners tend to repeat their last throw and losers tend to switch. A random opponent has no habits like that, which makes this a fair way to settle a dispute, decide who goes first, or practice being unpredictable.
Frequently asked questions
Does the computer cheat?
No. Its move is drawn at random, independently of yours, so it has no way to react to what you chose.
What does best of 3 mean?
The first player to win 2 rounds wins the match. Best of 5 needs 3 wins, and best of 7 needs 4. Ties don’t count toward either side.
Can I play with the keyboard?
Yes. Press R for rock, P for paper, and S for scissors.