If you are playing a multi round (best of 3 or more) game of Rock Paper Scissors (RPS), there is a way to increase your odds of winning. To do this you have to choosing the right strategy.
The strategy of choice is based on the following subconscious predispositions of people’s actions:
- If a player wins a round of RPS, they are likely to keep the same play for the next round.
- If a player loses a round, they are likely to change their play to beat whatever they just lost to.
Therefore, strategy for maximizing your odds of winning should be:
- If you win, your next play should be whatever would beat the hand that would beat your last play.
- If you lose a play, you should play a hand that would beat whatever you just lost to (as your opponent is likely to repeat the same play).
Example:
You just won with scissors over your opponents’ paper. Your opponent is likely to now to switch to rock, which would beat your scissors. Therefore, your next play should be paper to beat their upcoming rock.
You just lost a round with rock. Your opponent is likely to keep paper for the next round. As a result, you should play to scissors.
Not a guarantee of course, but your odds of winning increase with this strategy.