The simple stone paper scissors trick lets you guess your opponent’s choice and win every time

Rock paper scissors is a classic game used for making decisions and now you can always win it – we even tested the theory and beat our opponent several times

We often use a good old-fashioned set of paper scissors to make a decision, whether it’s what to eat for dinner or who does the dishes.

Like flipping a coin, it’s a straightforward strategy that we just assume – especially since it doesn’t always turn out the way we’d like it to.

However, there is one simple trick that can ensure we win the game every time – and that’s about thinking about the future.

As seen in a video from Numberphile, you can use math freely to make sure you are always ahead.

There are two discoveries in the video starring Dr. Hannah Fry, and those two discoveries could earn you a victory.

• Winners always repeat their strategy
• Losers change

Hannah explained, “This is the thing you can basically exploit. If you lose and your opponent won by playing rock, chances are they are playing rock again.

“You just lost at scissors, so you should play at paper.” Even if the paper is beating the stone, you should go around the triangle in the other direction.

Basically if you played scissors and they played rock you should be playing the thing that didn’t come which in this case is rock.

This is where things get a little sneaky, especially if you’ve won, and once you figure out the method it’s very easy.

Dr Hannah Fry explains, “If you won, they’ll expect you to play the same thing again.

“So they’re going to play the thing that will beat the thing you just played, so you have to play the thing that will beat the thing. “

Confuses? You shouldn’t be, once you’ve practiced this sneaky skill you’re bound to win every time – it’s about looking to the future.

She continues, “Say you just played rock and you won, that means they played with scissors and they’re going to think you played rock again.

“Which means they’re going to play paper, which means you should be playing scissors, you end up going back around the triangle.”

This strategy is a combination of psychology and mathematics, and is defined as “rooted in game theory”.

Hannah concludes, “It’s the math that’s all about looking at decisions and strategies, and your best shot depends on what the other person is playing, you can frame game theory. “

So the next time you’re deciding on what to take out, be sure to stick with that tactic and you will definitely get what you want.