Analyzing the eight prior rounds, I noticed that the opponent’s moves seem to fall into groups of four. In Group 1 (rounds 1–4) he played rock, scissors, scissors, rock; in Group 2 (rounds 5–8) he played paper, paper, paper, rock. Noticing that the first move in Group 1 was rock and in Group 2 was paper, it seems natural that in a cyclic pattern the first move of a new group (round 9) would be scissors. To beat an expected scissors, the optimal counter is rock. Therefore, my move for round 9 is rock.