HMMT November 2012 H10

In a game of rock-paper-scissors with $n$ people, the following rules are used to determine a champion: (a) In a round, each person who has not been eliminated randomly chooses one of rock, paper, or scissors to play. (b) If at least one person plays rock, at least one person plays paper, and at least one person plays scissors, then the round is declared a tie and no one is eliminated. If everyone makes the same move, then the round is also declared a tie. (c) If exactly two moves are represented, then everyone who made the losing move is eliminated from playing in all further rounds (for example, in a game with 8 people, if 5 people play rock and 3 people play scissors, then the 3 who played scissors are eliminated). (d) The rounds continue until only one person has not been eliminated. That person is declared the champion and the game ends.

If a game begins with 4 people, what is the expected value of the number of rounds required for a champion to be determined?