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Aback Games

Memory Match

Turn over two cards at a time and remember where everything is. Find every pair in as few turns as you can.

Cards
Turns0
Pairs0/6
Time0:00
Best–

Flip any card to start the clock.

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About Memory Match

Memory Match, also known as Concentration or Pairs, is the card game where everything is face down. Turn over two cards: if they match, they stay up; if not, they turn back, and you try to remember what was where.

It is quick to learn, takes a minute or two a round, and is genuinely good practice for short-term memory. Every card shows a distinct shape as well as a colour, so the game works for everyone, on a phone or a computer.

How to play Memory Match

Memory Match controls

Keyboard
Turn a card overClick it, or Enter or Space on the focused card
Move between cardsArrow keys
Pause and resumeP (Esc also pauses)
New gameN
Sound on or offM
Touch screens
Turn a card overTap it
Pause, new game, soundButtons above the cards

Memory Match rules

Turns

A turn is two cards. A matching pair stays face up; two different cards stay up for about 0.9 seconds so you can see them, then turn back. Turning over a third card turns them back straight away.

Finishing

The game ends when every pair is face up. Your time and the number of turns you took are shown, and the best of each is saved for every size.

The perfect score

A game cannot be finished in fewer turns than there are pairs, and only luck gets you close to that. With a good memory, a game usually takes somewhere between one and a half and two times as many turns as there are pairs.

Time, pause and saving

The clock starts when you turn the first card and stops while the game is paused, when the cards are hidden. Your game in progress is saved in this browser, so you can leave and come back to it.

Tips and strategy

  • Work through the board in order, left to right, so you always know which cards you have not seen yet.
  • If the first card of a turn matches one you have already seen, turn that one over next. If not, use your second card to look at one you have not seen yet.
  • Say the shapes to yourself as you see them: “star, top left”. Words stick better than pictures alone.
  • Group what you remember by rows: it is easier to recall “the moon in row two” than an exact square.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best score in Memory Match?

The fewest possible turns is the number of pairs, which takes some luck. Your best time and fewest turns for each size are saved in this browser.

Is the game the same every time?

No. The cards are shuffled for every new game, and different shapes are used each time.

Can young children play?

Yes. The Easy board has just six pairs, the shapes are simple and colourful, and there is no time limit.

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