Press Release 2011 Sportingbet UK Rock, Paper, Scissors Championships
Who will be the next UK Champion?
On Saturday 22nd October at the Knights Templar Pub, Chancery Lane, London, the public will have the chance to put their decision-making skills to the test at the Sportingbet UK Rock, Paper, Scissors Championships.
The popular knockout tournament, in its fifth year, will see more than 200 competitors battle it out to be crowned the 2011 UK Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion and walk away with a cash prize.
Event organiser and co-founder of Wacky Nation Sally Raynes commented: “I really feel sorry for all those people who have yet to discover this long forgotten art to decision making. The daily grind is far more endurable by adding a bit of excitement to it!”
Whether it’s the first pick for a kick about down the park or to decide who takes the dog for a walk Rock, Paper, Scissors has been the preferred method to make decisions in all walks of life since time began. The idea of the game is for two people to go head to head, using one hand to imitate either a rock (clenched fist), a piece of paper (flat hand) or a pair of scissors (two fingers in a V shape). Rock beats (blunts) scissors, paper beats (wraps) rock and scissors beats (cuts) paper. Perhaps surprisingly the game is not just about luck and avoiding elbow cramp. It’s very similar to poker with a lot of bluffing and putting out mixed signals.
A new Sportingbet Team Rock Paper Scissors tournament has been added this year and there is of course the return of the Sportingbet RPS Challenge, allowing individuals to challenge anyone in the room to a game playing with a stake of fantasy money.
Russ Wiseman from Sportingbet, sponsor of the tournament, says “This takes the art of the gamble back to its roots, combining judgement, skill and a small amount of luck to get the ultimate buzz of winning. It will be four hours of fun, excitement and tension; the best thing is that absolutely anybody could walk away as the Sportingbet UK Champion”.
If you would like to find out more or register to take part visit www.wackynation.com or www.ukrockpaperscissorschampionships.com. The contests will run between 5.30pm and 11pm, and the venue address is the Knights Templar, Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1DT.
For more information Sally Raynes can be contacted on 01884 255896 and at info@wackynation.com or contact the Sportingbet press office on sportingbet@cakegroup.com.
ENDS
Further information:
Rock Paper Scissors Facts:
· Ipswich Town footballers Jimmy Bullard & Keith Andrews recently played rock, paper, scissors during a recent match with
Coventry City to decide who took a free kick.
· A Japanese art collector who could not decide whether to sell his Impressionist paintings through Christie's or rival auction
house Sotheby’s instructed them on the advice of the director's 11-year-old daughters, chose scissors. Sotheby's went for the
open palm in a bid to beat the expected clenched fist, and lost the deal
· The largest ever game of rock paper scissors involved 6,500 people in Louisville, Kentucky, USA
· A federal court judge used rock, paper, scissors to settle a trivial point.
· In a recent golf tournament a golfer and his caddie played a quick game to decide how to play a tricky shot
· The origins of the game go back to Japan. Although there are rumours it goes as far back as prehistoric times, when
competitors only ever threw rocks!
Rock Paper Scissors Tips:
1. Men are more likely to throw a rock on their first throw - if you play a bloke, throw a paper first
2. Women are more likely to play paper on their first throw – if you play a woman, throw scissors first.
3. Belie your physique e.g. if your big, scary and muscular, throw paper
4. Scissors is statistically the least thrown - therefore paper is statistically the safest throw, but not if everyone follows tip no. 2.
5. For experts only, change your throw at the last minute e.g. twitch your fingers to signal a scissors before reverting to a rock. This is
called ‘Shadowing.’
6. Wear sunglasses to prevent your opponent from studying your ey
7. Study your opponent’s eyes (if they aren’t wearing sunglasses). Are they looking up to the right or are the eyes glazed over. They
could be about to throw scissors.
8. Taunt the opponent and try reverse psychology! Tell them what you think they will throw and they may throw the opposite.
About the sponsors: Sportingbet is one of the world’s most well-known online gaming operators. Founded in 1998, Sportingbet plc has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 200, with over 700,000 customers in 28 markets across Europe, Australia, Canada, South America and South Africa. Sport dominates (71%) the business but the company also offers casino, games and poker. Sportingbet is an industry-leading provider of in:play betting, which gives sports fans the chance to get more involved in the live action and bet live, point by point, minute by minute. The online bookmaker takes 108 million bets on sport each year, with 500,000 different ways to bet on football alone each week.
About the organisers: Wacky Nation (www.wackynation.com) is undoubtedly Britain’s craziest events company. Their aim is simple: to invent or re-introduce wackiness for the British public to experience and further the popularity of alternative sports and exercise, such as backward running and rock paper scissors (more to follow). With the London Olympics getting closer they also want to remind people of the fun events that exist where you don’t have to be incredibly fit or adhere to strict diets in order to become a UK or World Champion. Whilst their website is arguably the authoritative source for all unusual and unique sports, contests and races.