‘Squid Game 2’: How do you play Rock, Paper, Scissors Minus One?

Season 2 of Squid Game wastes no time introducing viewers to yet another deadly variation of a childhood game. This time, the seemingly simple game of Rock, Paper, Scissors receives a twisted makeover that proves fatal in the very first episode.

Related: ‘Squid Game 2’s violence feels more brutal. What’s changed, ‘Squid Game’ or me? on The Mary Sue

Squid Game’s second season happens three years after the events of season 1. Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) is still consumed by his mission to take down the organization behind the deadly games. His vast fortune from winning the first tournament has allowed him to secure unlikely allies, including Mr. Kim (Kim Pub-lae), the loan shark who once threatened to harvest his organs. Operating from the Pink Hotel, Gi-hun’s base of operations, the champion continues his relentless pursuit of The Salesman (Gong Yoo), the mysterious recruiter who lures desperate individuals into the deadly competition.

The series’ commitment to transforming innocent games into instruments of death is showcased when The Salesman turns the tables on his pursuers. After being cornered by Mr. Kim and his associate Woo-seok (Jun Suk-ho), The Salesman captures them both and forces them to participate in a deadly version of a childhood favorite. The following contest scene perfectly encapsulates the psychological tension that Squid Game has become known for.

Squid Game adds a deadly twist to Rock, Paper, Scissors Minus One

Rock, Paper, Scissors Minus One adds a complex layer of strategy to the traditional game. While Western audiences might be familiar with the single-hand version, this Korean variant traditionally begins with players using both hands. Each participant must start with two hands down, displaying any combination of the three symbols they choose. Then, players must simultaneously lift one hand, leaving their final choice behind. This variation creates an intense psychological element to the luck-based game, as players must consider their initial choices and anticipate which hand their opponent will withdraw.

In the show’s characteristically dark fashion, The Salesman raises the stakes by adding a revolver to the game. Following the rules of a different game, Russian Roulette, the Salesman puts a single bullet into the revolver’s chamber, rolls the barrels to randomize the bullet’s positions, and promises to shoot whoever loses the Rock Paper Scissors Minus One match. At first, losers have a one-in-six chance of death, but the odds become increasingly deadly as more bullets are added after each round. The Salesman’s sadistic enjoyment of the game adds another layer of psychological torture as he smiles and relishes each pull of the trigger, savoring the players’ terror between rounds.

The psychological toll of this deadly version becomes painfully evident when Woo-seok makes a mistake and makes the tactical error of showing rock symbols with both hands. Mr. Kim finds himself in a position of terrible power with his combination of paper and scissors. Depending on which hand he removes, Mr. Kim can seal Woo-seok’s fate. 

The paralyzing weight of holding someone else’s life in his hands proves too much to bear. Despite having a clear path to victory, he freezes, unable to decide which hand to lift. The Salesman, maintaining his twisted sense of order even in this brutal game, declares this hesitation a “disqualification” and executes Mr. Kim, adding another victim to the growing list of lives claimed by the organization’s deadly games.

This innovative yet horrifying take on Rock, Paper, Scissors demonstrates how Squid Game continues to excel at subverting childhood games into vehicles for exploring human nature under extreme pressure. Plus, adding the “Minus One” Korean rule transforms a simple game of chance into a complex psychological battle, forcing players to engage in strategic thinking while facing mortal danger.