Memory Match

How to play Memory Match

Click or tap any card to turn it over, then pick a second card. If both cards show the same symbol, they are a pair and stay face up with a green border. If they are different, take a good look before they flip back over. Each pair of flips counts as one move. The game ends when all eight pairs are found.

The perfect game takes 8 moves, which needs a lot of luck. A score under 14 moves is very good. Most people finish their first game in 18 to 24 moves.

Controls

Click, tap or use Tab and Enter to choose a card. Every card is a real button, so the game works with a keyboard and screen reader as well as a mouse.

Tips to improve your memory

• Use a system. Flip cards in reading order, left to right, top to bottom, until you see a symbol you have seen before.
• Say it out loud. Naming the card and its spot ("star, top corner") helps you remember it.
• Group by position. Remember cards by row: the first row holds a heart and a circle, and so on.
• Do not rush. The clock is only for your own interest. Your best record is counted in moves.

Why memory games are good for you

Matching games like this train short-term visual memory, the ability to hold where things are for a few seconds. They are popular with children learning to concentrate and with adults who want a quick mental warm-up. A round takes around two minutes, which makes it an easy break between tasks.

About this version

This game is based on the traditional card game known as Concentration or Pairs. We wrote it in HTML, CSS and JavaScript with simple, high-contrast symbols that are easy to tell apart on any screen size.