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Concentration (card game)

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Concentration is an exciting game of memory and skill.

WMCZ Protected Areas Card Game-7 (cropped)
WMCZ Protected Areas Card Game-7 (cropped)

It is a round game where players try to find matching pairs. You can play it with many friends or all by yourself. Many people call it Memory, Matching Pairs, or Pelmanism. It is a great way to practice your brain. Children often love it, but adults find it stimulating too. Some people even use it for learning in school.

To play, you must first lay cards face down on a surface.

A standard deck has 52 cards. You can lay them in four rows of 13 cards each. If you use two jokers, you can make six rows of nine cards. On your turn, you flip two cards face up. If they have the same rank and color, you win that pair. For example, a six of hearts and a six of diamonds match. If they do not match, you flip them back down. Then, the turn passes to the player on your left.

There are many different ways to change the rules. In the "Any Color" version, you only need the same rank to match. This version is very good for young children. In "Zebra," you must match the same rank but opposite colors. There is also a "One Flip" rule where you do not go again after a match. For a very long game, you can use two decks of 52 cards. In that version, pairs must be identical in both rank and suit. You could even play "Spaghetti" by scattering cards randomly on the floor.

Some people play a special version called Pexeso.

WMCZ Protected Areas Card Game-7 (cropped)
WMCZ Protected Areas Card Game-7 (cropped)

This game uses 64 square cards laid out in an 8x8 square. Instead of numbers, it uses 32 pairs of identical images. These images might be from cartoons or famous monuments. You can even play Pexeso while wearing a blindfold! Your opponent would have to tell you which cards you turned up. This makes the game a true test of your memory.

If you play alone, it is called a solitaire game. You can play it just for fun or try to get a low score. You can track your score using pennies or marks on paper. To win, you want to clear the cards in the fewest turns possible. Mathematics can even help you find an ideal strategy. If you have a perfect memory, you can know exactly where every card is. This game links the simple joy of cards to deep thinking and math.

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WMCZ Protected Areas Card Game-7 (cropped).jpg
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