More than a game of chance How to win at "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck"

dpa

15.12.2024 - 14:56

Rock, paper, scissors - and lots of tactics: professionals in "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" claim it's more than just a game of chance. Can they really see through their opponents?

DPA

15.12.2024, 14:56

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"Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck!" is an absolute cult game.
From a mathematical point of view, "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" is purely a game of chance.
But many of the participants in the World Cup in Cologne claim that skill plays a serious role.

"Rollender Stein" looks deep into the eyes of his opponent "Peach B". Then he forms his hand into a fist. He leads 2:0, match point, the next round could decide the game. A crowd stands around the two players on the podium. There is loud shouting and betting slips land on the carpet. The atmosphere is reminiscent of a boxing match.

"Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck!" shout the two men and throw their hands in the middle. "Peach B" clenches his fist, "Rolling Stone" places his flat palm over it. "Paper grabs the stone," shouts the referee. That's the win! "Jaaaa" - "Rollender Stein" raises his arms in the air.

With a score of 3:0, he moves on to the last sixteen of the "Rock, Paper, Scissors" tournament. The competition is held nine times a year in Cologne pubs under the name "Schnick Schnack Schluck", and this evening it's all about the eighth World Cup in the "Kwatier". At the end of the year, the player with the most points will be crowned world champion. The final will take place on December 19 in Cologne's cult pub "Stiefel".

"It's like poker"

"Rollender Stein", whose everyday name is Nils Jaspert, is a legend in the scene, say other participants. He has been taking part for ten years and has already won the title three times. You get the feeling that the man can read minds, says one of his competitors with the fighting name "Dennis 508". "He always knows exactly what you're going to do next."

Jaspert, alias "Rollender Stein", says that you just have to watch your opponents long enough - even during the warm-up. Then you can tell whether they are "stone people, scissor people or paper people". He is certain that success is no mere coincidence. "It's like poker. Many people say it's just luck, but the same people always make it to the final. And there are professionals."

In the round of 16, "Rollender Stein" meets "Candy Andy". Again, both shout "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" and again the match ends 3:0 for "Rollender Stein". "A so-called shave!" shouts the referee enthusiastically. The champion's strategy seems to be working.

Tactics or luck?

Mathematically speaking, "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" is purely a game of chance. The probability of winning with scissors, rock or paper is exactly the same, one third in each case. Yet many of the participants in the World Cup claim that skill plays a serious role. How does that fit together?

Timon Krause, a full-time mentalist and magician, explains that it is perfectly possible to read opponents in "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" by analyzing their throwing technique and estimating which symbol they will throw. Some players can process this information "in real time". However, there are only a few professional mentalists in the world. "I can't do that myself," admits Krause.

The idea of watching opponents warm up and calculating personal statistics based on their decisions, as "Rollender Stein" describes it, is also quite conceivable, says Krause. However, it cannot be ruled out that someone simply has a long run of luck and then thinks they have found a strategy.

Two rules for winning in everyday life

If you want to win at "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" in everyday life, there are two simple principles to follow to increase your chances of winning, according to Krause. Number one: people often stick to their successful strategy after a win. If they lose, however, they often switch to the symbol they used to win in the previous round. Number two: Statistically, many people throw scissors in the first round.

From this, Krause derives the strategy of playing rock in the first round. If you win, you should choose scissors in the second round, as your opponent is then likely to play paper. In the third round, paper would be the best symbol, recommends the mentalist. However, this tactic only works as long as your opponent doesn't know it as well. It can hardly be used at a world championship, says Krause.

Newcomers fight for the title among themselves

Rollender Stein" also believes that no World Cups can be won with such simple strategies. He now faces his opponent "Dennis 508" in the quarter-finals.

After five rounds, the score is 2:2 and the two look each other in the eye again before their hands meet in the middle. "Dennis 508" plays scissors, "Rollender Stein" plays paper. That's it. The favorite is out, the newcomers decide the title among themselves. And the debate as to whether "Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck" is luck or skill must continue.