Into the world of competitive rock, paper, scissors

Personal FinanceInto the world of competitive rock, paper, scissors At a fierce tournament in New Jersey, some players threw psychology and mind games. Others just threw rock.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleA Hands-On Look at the History Behind 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'04:37Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 20, 2026, 10:23 AM EDTBy Maya Huter and Brian CheungIt’s the age-old game that everyone knows — paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The simple game is usually played for fun, sometimes for conflict resolution and occasionally for a big cash prize of $10,000.That was the case at the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where 384 contestants squared off this month in a three-day rock, paper, scissors competition for their shot at the big check, sponsored by the New Jersey Lottery.“Somebody’s gonna walk away with $10,000 for playing rock, paper, scissors. Anything can happen in Jersey,” said Howard Freeman, the event’s executive director. To maintain the integrity of the game, the matches were closely watched by referees who halted them because of poor timing or form.Maya Huter / NBC NewsAccording to the World Rock Paper Scissors Association, the game of rock, paper, scissors dates to ancient China in the year 206 BCE, when the symbols were a frog, a snake and a centipede (frog beats centipede, centipede beats snake, and snake beats frog). By the 17th century, the game had evolved in Japan to include a fox, a village head and a hunter. It took until the early 1900s to hit the global mainstream as rock, paper and scissors.The Rock Paper Scissors Throwdown was watched not only by shoppers passing by, but also by cheer squads with signs like “get that paper.”To maintain the integrity of the game, the matches were closely watched by referees who halted them beca...