Y. rock, paper, scissors tourney is intense

PROVO — For 18-year-old Mitch Hayashi, playing rock, paper, scissors isn't just a game anymore — it's a quick way to earn $2,500.

"Yeah, this is awesome," Hayashi said, shaking from excitement as he accepted a decorative rock trophy and an oversized cardboard check for $2,500. "It's amazing. It's crazy, the adrenaline is pumping. I've never felt this before."

Hayashi was the last of 765 fierce competitors pounding out hand symbols on the Deseret Tower field on the Brigham Young University campus Friday afternoon. The occasion was the Omniture Throw Down — Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament.

The competition was organized by BYU's Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization, CEO for short, as a fund-raiser for their "seed fund" to aid beginning entrepreneurs, said Travis Tidball, vice president of marketing for the club.

"We want to help students get out of the mind-set that they're going to be forced to work for someone for the rest of their lives," Tidball said.

So when the club's director of membership services, Derek Pando, came up with the idea for a giant Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament, as crazy as it sounded, they decided to go for it.

"Some people were like, 'Rock, Paper, Scissors? That's ridiculous,"' said Michael Parker, vice president of activities for CEO. "A lot were enthusiastic. It's something everybody does."

CEO-BYU spread the word by plastering flyers and manning booths across campus as well as creating an online registration section on their Web site.

Student Jody Hughes saw a flyer in the Tanner Building and said that's what caught her eye, even though she thought the event initially sounded "cheesy." But she showed up. With friends.

And throw in a "free T-shirt" to compensate for the $5 registration fee and the competitors keep coming.

"I'm here for the T-shirt," Angie Nelson said, thoughts of victory pushed aside by the white shirt with the neon green swatch accented with the pictures of hands making the signs for rock, paper and scissors.

Each group of 32 competitors formed a line, then paired up to duel to the death — best two out of three. Paper beats rock. Rock crushes scissors. Scissors snip paper. Winners advanced to the next competitor in their line.

The finalist of each round then qualified in the final round in which they'd be competing for $2,500 and undying glory in the Guinness Book of World Records. (All the Guinness details aren't finalized yet because the turnout wasn't quite as high as expected. But CEO-BYU is still hoping for recognition in the 2008 book for the largest tournament.)

"It's winner-take-all," Tidball said. "There's no second prize. I feel really bad for whoever loses."