R.P.S.

You probably use it as a way to settle something with a friend. A small game to see who gets the last chicken wing or who gets the ball first in a game of touch football. I am talking, of course, about rock paper scissors, or RPS, as experts call it. While you might use it as a decision-maker, there are tournaments to crown the best of the best. Yes, I'm serious, RPS even has it's own "official" website (USARPS League) and is sponsored by Amp, the energy drink. There is also an international site, separate from the USARPS one.

While, among most people, it is a random game of 90% luck, there are actually many strategies and combinations of rocks, paper, and scissors with unique names. These include "the Avalanche" (rock, rock, rock), "the Crescendo" (paper, scissors, rock) and "the Toolbox" (scissors, scissors, scissors). Along with strategies, there are, of course "experts" and top RPS strategists. There are even national and international tournaments where the best of the best gather to face off. For instance, Baconshark recently beat his teammate Zombie Llama in what worldrps.com calls "a battle of RPS titans," to win a tournament in Philadelphia and a $1000 check (no, really. I'm serious).

So, next time there is one more wing or you need to decide who gets the ball first in a game of football, RPS for it, with good "strategy," and you'll be sure to end up on the winning end.

Of course, if your opponent's choice is completely random, all that strategy goes out the window. Then what?