Concentration Card Game: How to Play Memory with a Deck

You probably know Concentration as Memory or Pairs, and in Britain it's often called Pelmanism. Pagat.com explains that the British name comes from Christopher Louis Pelman, who founded the Pelman Institute for the Scientific Development of Mind, Memory and Personality in London in 1899. In Japan it's called Shinkei suijaku. Whatever you call it, all you need is one deck and a big enough table, or a clear patch of floor.

Concentration setup: spreading the 52 cards

What you need	Concentration
Players	2 or more
Deck	One standard 52 card deck, no jokers
Age	Bicycle suggests 4 and up
Layout	Every card face down, none touching or overlapping
A match	Two cards of the same rank, like two 6s or two queens; suits don't matter
Winner	Whoever collects the most pairs

Shuffle well, then spread the cards face down one at a time. Bicycle's rule is that no two cards should touch, not even at the corners. Pagat.com says you can lay them in neat rows or scatter them however you like. Rows are easier for younger children to remember, and a messy spread makes it harder for grown ups.

How a turn of Concentration works

1. Decide who goes first any way you like.
2. Turn over any one card and leave it face up.
3. Turn over a second card so everyone can see both.
4. If they're the same rank, keep the pair in a pile in front of you and take another turn.
5. If they don't match, wait a moment, then turn both back face down in exactly the same places.
6. Play passes to the player on your left. Keep going until every card has been matched.

The five second rule most families skip

Here's the detail people forget. Bicycle's rules say that when your two cards don't match, you leave them face up for at least five seconds before you turn them back over. That pause isn't just politeness. It gives everyone at the table a fair look, so the game rewards memory rather than whoever happens to glance over at the right second.

It also matters that the cards go back down in exactly the same positions. Sliding a card even a little out of place ruins the game for everyone, so if you've got a very young player, help them flip and replace.

Scoring a game of Concentration

Scoring couldn't be simpler. Pagat.com gives one point for every pair you collect. The player with the most points wins, and if two or more players tie for the most, they all win. With a full deck there are 26 pairs to find, so a two player game can be close right to the last flip.

A tip on strategy: the game gets easier as the table empties, so the early turns are where memory counts most. When you flip a first card you've never seen, take a second card you've already seen if you can't remember a match. You won't give away new information to your opponent.

Concentration for young kids and harder versions

A full deck of 52 is a lot for a four year old. The simplest fix is to use fewer cards. Take out every card except, say, the Aces to 5s, and you've got a small spread that still plays exactly the same way. Add more ranks as their memory grows.

• Colour pairs: pagat.com mentions agreeing that cards only match if they're the same rank and the same colour, so a red 7 needs the other red 7. That leaves just one possible partner for each card, which makes the game much harder.
• Picture card decks: special memory decks with only two of each picture work the same way.
• Four of a kind: pagat.com points out that with four of each rank, the first card you turn has three possible partners, which keeps early turns from feeling hopeless.
• Solo practice: play alone and count how many turns it takes you to clear the table, then try to beat it.

Pelmanism, Memory and Pairs: one game, many names

If someone suggests Pelmanism, Memory, Pairs or Concentration, they almost certainly mean this game. Pagat.com notes that Pelmanism is the British name, while Bicycle, an American card company, calls it Concentration. The rules don't change, so you can play together whatever name you grew up with.

My advice for your first game of Concentration

Concentration is one of those rare games where a small child can beat an adult without anyone letting them win. Young kids are often better at it than we are. I'd play it on the floor with a cut down deck for under fives, then move to all 52 cards once they're winning easily.

The mistake to avoid is rushing the turn back. Use Bicycle's five second pause and make it a rule for everyone, including the adults. If your kids love matching games, my roundup of memory games you can play online has screen versions for travel, Go Fish is the natural next card game, and my screen free game night pack has more ideas for the same evening.

This guide is part of my Free Games to Play Offline and Online: Every Guide in One Place (2026).

Frequently asked questions

How many cards do you use in Concentration?

The classic game uses a full standard deck of 52 cards, which makes 26 pairs. For young children you can take out some ranks and play with fewer cards.

Do suits matter in Concentration?

No. Cards match by rank, so any two 6s or any two queens make a pair. Some players agree that pairs must also be the same colour to make it harder.

Do you get another turn after a match in Concentration?

Yes. When your two cards match, you keep the pair and turn over two more cards straight away.

What's Concentration called in the UK?

In Britain it's often called Pelmanism, after Christopher Louis Pelman. It's also called Memory or Pairs.

How long do you leave cards face up in Concentration?

Bicycle's rules say to leave a non matching pair face up for at least five seconds before turning them back over in the same spots.