500K bet on rock paper scissors ruled invalid by Quebec court

Post by latexr » Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 3:59 PM UTC

luckylion wrote: post #31

codegladiator wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can insist that there is skill in coin toss too. I think what we want to look at is how much luck/skill percent is there. If tennis was luck overpowering skill, it wouldn't be an international sport in my opinion. So rock paper scissors is 90% luck + 10% skill. A kid can potentially beat a professional rock player. Same is not the case for tennis.

You can't influence the result of a coin toss, unless you're using a manipulated coin. I'd put rock paper scissors more into the poker category, but actually there's less of a luck-component in rps, because there's no drawing of random cards. You're only playing your opponent, and unless your opponent hast figured out a way to be completely random, you can "read" them if you're good enough. But that's very hard and i…

Post by liamcardenas » Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 4:00 PM UTC

npo9 wrote: post #46

flyGuyOnTheSly wrote: post #26

>The court also upheld the lower court's conclusion that the $517,000 wager was excessive. Quebec courts are not arguing that Rock Paper Scissors is not a game of skill. They only ruled that the bet was "excessive" which is against the law. IANAL, but betting half a million dollars on three hand gestures qualifies as excessive imho. I am thoroughly impressed that the loser actually made good on their commitment thoug…

> My friends would try every angle to weasel their way out of a $100 light hearted bet! I mean, the guy went to court to weasel out of the bet.

Post by ellyagg » Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 4:03 PM UTC

grawprog wrote: post #64

npo9 wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My friends would try every angle to weasel their way out of a $100 light hearted bet! I mean, the guy went to court to weasel out of the bet.

From the article, >the Superior Court cancelled that mortgage in a 2017 decision, which was appealed by Michel Primeau, who beat Hooper in the game of rock paper scissors — and won the $517,000 wager. Seems like the court itself decided to cancel the mortgage and the winner was the one who decided to appeal it in court.

Post by frank2 » Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 4:03 PM UTC

AlisdairO wrote: post #63

nogabebop23 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Neither a bridge or poker player, but these games that have both a huge mathematical and psychological component to their strategy seem to be obvious games of skill. Even blackjack with much stricter (loosing) probabilities IMO is a game of skill because "good" players will lose at a slower rate than bad ones (even without card counting). Rock-paper-scissors just seems too simple to allow for any performance improvem…

Fwiw when playing my wife at rock paper scissors I once won over 20 times in a row. The odds against this happening randomly are pretty extreme - but I know her very well and can read her well enough that it was possible. I think it's fair enough to say that there might be a psychological element there that could pull the game out of straight random chance.

Post by coding123 » Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 4:16 PM UTC

TuringNYC wrote: post #76

liamcardenas wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is no one talking about the true jerk in this situation? The guy legally forcing the other to mortgage his house in order to give him $500k — because of rock, paper, scissors...

Well, we do not know what would happen if the situation were opposite. They both entered into the agreement, presumably seriously. It seems like just playing the game qualifies both sides as jerks.