Heres Why You Always Lose at Rock-Paper-Scissors
You might think rock-paper-scissors is a simple game of chance paper covers rock, scissors cut paper, rocks smashes scissors but scientists think otherwise.
Thanks to a recent study published in Scientific Reports, it suggests that you might be able to predict what your opponent will do next, therefore increasing your chance of victory.
Well boil it down for you here in simple terms, starting with the fact that most people formulate some sort of a strategy before they begin.
Most players, however, actually don’t stick to a plan. Instead they become irrational after they lose and use more emotion when making their next move, including using the same item that was once a winner.
What else did they find?
One, most people tended to repeat the choice that wins for them until they finally lose with it.
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Two, that of the three items most likely to be picked, people liked “rock” the best.
And third?
All things being equal, it seems that you should throw out paper since the likelihood of rock from your opponent is the highest.
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If you put out paper and lose to your opponents scissors, you can predict that they will likely put out scissors again, meaning you should play rock next.
But if you put out paper and beat your opponents rock, you can predict that they will likely switch it up, meaning that you should switch it up as well.
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Armed with the information above, the experts also add that you should use a mixed-strategy equilibrium.
Uhh…whats that, again?
Playing each of the items just as much as any other. For example, for every nine rounds, you should play rock three times, paper three times, and scissors three times.
And that the only way to beat a truly unpredictable opponent is to play each of the items absolutely equally.
By avoiding a specific strategy based on emotions or what your opponent is doing, you eliminate as much room for error or risk of falling into a predictable pattern as possible.
Now, armed with that knowledge, check out Janken the Robot who will always be better than you.
Via: Little Things
Read more: http://twentytwowords.com/heres-why-you-always-lose-at-rock-paper-scissors/
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