Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock

Just for fun, I jotted down the variant of Rock-Paper-Scissors enunciated on “The Big Bang Theory,” which, by the way, is one of the funniest shows on TV.

As before, Rock is a balled fist, Paper is a flat hand, and Scissors is your first and second fingers split. Lizard is made with four fingers flat with the thumb opposed, like a lizard’s mouth. Spock is the Vulcan hand salute: first and second fingers split from the third and fourth fingers.

In Rock-Paper-Scissors, each selection has one that beats it and one that does not. In Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock, each selection has two that beat it and two that do not. Having four options would result in a uneven 2-1 split, so they went with five.

Rock crushes scissors.
Rock crushes lizard.
Paper covers rock.
Paper disproves Spock.
Scissors cut paper.
Scissors decapitate lizard.
Lizard eats paper.
Lizard poisons Spock.
Spock smashes scissors.
Spock vaporizes rock.

Enjoy!