A simple game used to settle friendly disputes has evolved into a competition with an official strategy guide, world championships and the Great Eight Gambits.

Rock, Paper, Scissors tournaments have even come to college campuses.

Creed on Campus is hosting a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament tomorrow at 1 p.m. in 221 Eppler Gym. The $5 entrance fee will be donated to the Bowling Green Pregnancy Center.

The BG Pregnancy Center provides baby items, clothing for the mother and baby, post-abortion counseling, pregnancy support and nurse visitations, according to Megan Hayward, director of development.

Hayward said this is the first time that an organization on campus has done a fundraiser for the Pregnancy Center. All basic operation funds come from private donors or fundraisers.

Ryan Rahrig, Ph.D. student, and Kent Truckor, senior, came up with the idea for this tournament when Creed on Campus went to Washington D.C. for the March for Life this past January.

Rahrig explained there were more people in his hotel room than could sleep on the beds, so the loser of Rock, Paper, Scissors had to sleep on the floor.

‘This [game] is conflict resolution at its finest,’ Truckor said.

The tournament fundraiser grew from this. Rahrig and Truckor thought they were the creators of the Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament until they did research on the Web.

‘We thought we invented this,’ Truckor said, ‘but its a growing phenomenon.’

The World RPS Society was found, which was created in 1918, to promote Rock, Paper, Scissors as a safe way to resolve disputes.

The Web site explains the Paper Scissors Stone Club was founded in London, England, in 1842.

The Club was formed after a law declared, ‘any decision reached by the use of the process known as Paper Scissors Stone between two gentleman acting in good faith shall constitute a binding contract. Agreements reached in this manner are subject to all relevant contract and tort law.’

The Web site says, ‘The law was seen as a slap in the face to the growing number of enthusiasts who played it strictly as a recreational activity, since for many constables it was taken to mean that the game could not be played simply for sport. The club was founded and officially registered to provide an environment free from the long arm of the law where enthusiasts could come together and play for honor.’

Game basics, the explanations of the Great Eight Gambits and the history of the World RPS Society, along with any information one could want about Rock, Paper, Scissors, can be found on the society’s Web site.

A packet of rules for the game is handed out to each participant as he or she registers. Participants will also need a fighting name, Truckor said.

The tournament will begin with a round robin style so each participant can play multiple games before eliminations begin.

All the participants will be broken into groups where the round robin tournament will occur. Three hand-signal repetitions will signify a game.

Each repetition will begin with the words ‘one, two, shoot.’ This is called the North American Prime. On ‘shoot,’ each person will throw his or her signal.

Everyone in the group will play each other and the person with the most wins will win the group. These winners will enter a single elimination bracket.

Rahrig suggests that participants practice because the game is a mind game. He said the hand-signals used are based on the type of person.

For instance, the Web site states that opening with a rock is typically seen as a sign of aggression and the most effortless throw.

Paper is the most challenging move because of the displacement of the most digits. Because of that, it is seen as the least obvious throw.

Scissors may be revealed too early, so it is generally not used as a first throw.

Even if someone doesn’t know the rules before entering the tournament, Rahrig said that is the beauty of the tournament.

‘Anyone can play. Everyone has an equal chance of wining,’ Rahrig said.

There are over $200 in prizes available at tomorrow’s tournament, donated by local businesses. Raffle tickets will be distributed for door prizes.

He continued, saying there will only be one first ever Rock, Paper, Scissors champion at BGSU.

‘It is something to tell your grandkids about,’ Rahrig said.