The verbs at the core of this game seem to include slide, whether it is sliding the paddle up or down. With these verbs the player can control the way in which the ball moves between the paddles, though this is an extremely difficult part of the game. Sliding the paddles forwards the game, which is deflecting the ball back and forth between two paddles, but the motion of the ball relies on the position of the paddle and its movement, whether it is sliding up or down before hitting the ball. This makes it difficult for the player to guess what the different reactions are, and it also makes it difficult for the player to anticipate the way the ball will move. While this difficulty may become reduced the more the player becomes used to the game, it is one that requires players to think more quickly, rather than strategizing several moves in advance. The game’s verb that requires movement from players is bounce, which is why players must slide in order to return a reaction to the game’s action. While the player cannot prevent that verb as this is the main action of the ball (and the motion that keeps the game going), players can at least try to anticipate where exactly the ball will land. Players can also slide both paddles to make the ball’s movements more predictable, which in turn makes the motion of the ball more manageable. This action and reaction seems to be the main level of interplay within “Hot Potato”.