Popular
children’s game Pexeso marks 50 years
A Pexeso, the
Czech answer to Memory, is turning 50. The game, ever popular with children and
their parents, traditionally consists of 32 identical pairs of drawings
to be matched up.
B Pexeso appeared
in 1965 as the brainchild of Zdeněk Princ. The name came from a TV game show at
the time called Pekelně se soustřed, meaning to focus very intensively. Like
its German predecessor, Memory, Pexeso requires players to turn over
matching pairs from memory. This is one game where kids usually have an
advantage over adults. One child, taking part in a Pexeso competition, told
Czech TV the kind he liked the best: “The best ones are the cartoons or fairy
tale ones. The most difficult are the ones featuring national flags.”
C In Czechoslovakia,
Pexeso caught on largely because of children’s animated TV series such as
Večerníček, depicting popular
cartoon characters, from Krtek (Little Mole) to Maxipes Fík (a friendly talking
dog). It is a mainstay sold at Czech castles, hotels, theme parks, and toy
stores. Every year, a good number of firms even have Pexeso games printed as
cheap marketing tools, depicting even items as banal as door handles, Czech TV
noted. Annually, some 500 new sets are published, many no longer identical matches
but thematic ones: a pair of soccer-themed Pexeso cards might feature a picture
of Argentine footballer Lionel Messi on one, and a close-up of his famous left boot kicking the ball on the other. You
have to match them up.
D Not
surprisingly, with so many editions published over the years, the game has its collectors.
The second-largest collection in the Czech
Republic is said to
belong to belong to Tomáš Hanzal. He owns more
than 3,600 different editions: “That’s my treasure, have a look. There are 34 of
these small boxes in all. This is first edition from TV, this is the first one
to feature photographs, in B&W.”
E Other rarities
include Pexeso sets only one centimeter by centimeter in size, or unusual
subjects, many fiendishly difficult
to tell apart. One set from
neighbouring Slovakia
(where Pexeso also remains popular) features the famous ice caves in Slovenský
raj national park. Telling some of the icy chambers apart is enough to give
anyone over the age of 10 a
migraine in no time flat, requiring a pack of ice on your forehead. Best
avoided, unless you are a seasoned Pexeso fan.
Adjusted to
(1)
depict – zobrazit
close-up – záběr z blízka
fiendishly – ďábelský, zapeklitý
tell apart – rozlišit
1) Read the article and match each of the headings to
a paragraph.
1 The origin of Pexeso
2 Pexeso – a memory game
3 Collections of Pexeso
4 Difficulties of Pexeso
5 Pexeso pictures
2) Read the article and answer the questions.
1 What is Pexeso?
2 What are the rules?
3 What are popular pictures onPexeso?
4 What is newly depicted on Pexeso pictures?
5 Why is Pexeso sometimes very difficult?
3) Explain the following words and phrases.
1 identical pairs of drawings
2 predecessor
3 collector
4 rarity
5 a pack of ice on your forehead
4) Answer the following questions.
Why do we play Pexeso with children? What are
other popular games? Can you describe their rules? Why is playing of these games
important? How can parents educate their child playing card and board games?
Video:
Tips, sources of information:
Source:
(1)
VELINGER,
Jan. Popular children’s game Pexeso marks 50 years. Český rozhlas [online].
2015 [cit. 2015-09-20]. Available at:
http://radio.cz/en/section/curraffrs/popular-childrens-game-pexeso-marks-50-years
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