Pair Picker

Pair Picker 1.0 is a Macintosh implementation of the classic card game Concentration by Al Spohn, distributed as shareware in 1994. Players flip pairs of face-down cards looking for matches, with options for solitaire, two-player, and a persistent Top Score list, all packaged in a tidy Compact Pro self-extracting archive.

Concentration on the Mac

The core gameplay follows the standard memory-match rules of Concentration: turn over two cards per turn, keep them if they match, otherwise flip them back and try to remember their positions. Pair Picker brings that familiar pencil-and-cardboard pastime to a clean Mac interface.

Solitaire and two-player modes

Version 1.0 supports both head-to-head play between two people sharing the keyboard and a single-player solitaire variant for solo memory practice. A sound toggle is provided for users who would rather play silently.

Top Score list

New in 1.0, a Top Score list records the best results across sessions, giving solo players a target to chase and adding a small competitive hook for repeat play.

Tighter, faster code

Spohn notes that 1.0 is more compact and efficient than the earlier 0.2b release, alongside the new solitaire mode, scoring, and sound options. The author requests a $10 shareware fee from regular players.

System requirements and distribution

Pair Picker runs on any Mac with System 7.0 or later. Redistribution is encouraged as long as the included documentation travels with it, and the Info-Mac CD-ROM is explicitly permitted as a distribution channel.