# Matching Pennies > Two-weapon strategy game for learning pattern recognition and playing against others. (iPhone/iPad app by Natural Computation LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-pennies/id1166016854 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Natural Computation LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166016853) - Category: Games, Strategy - Price: Free - Rating: 1.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 12+ - Requires: iOS 11.0 · 4 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2016-12-09 - Data updated: 2026-06-01 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-pennies/id1166016854/reviews.md ## What is Matching Pennies? Matching Pennies is the two-weapon equivalent of the more widely known Rock, Paper, Scissors game. Any successful strategy in such a game is some form of pattern recognition, which is a highly developed topic, since it is a fundamental component of both data compression and machine learning. This makes a large set of standard strategies available to players by adapting well-established pattern recognition techniques. The App is designed to help you learn such techniques, and have fun doing so! You can learn by playing against the computer, after selecting a standard strategy for the computer to use. You can experiment with the relative strengths of different strategies by playing computer versus computer, with a different strategy selected for each side. The App contains elaborate help documentation that describes the standard strategies, with particular emphasis on helping you learn Prediction by Partial Matching, which is one of the most useful pattern recognition techniques. Most importantly, the App allows you to play against human opponents by connecting your mobile devices over Wi-Fi, so you can apply what you have learned. You can control the level of difficulty by setting the number of rounds per game to be any odd number between 1 and 99. The requirement that it be an odd number leverages an advantage that Matching Pennies has over Rock, Paper, Scissors. There is no possibility of a tie in a game with an odd number of rounds. This makes it a better method for settling disagreements with your friends! You can speed up games with a large number of rounds, and make them more challenging, by setting a time limit per round. When connected to other players, the time remaining in a round is synchronized among all devices, in order to enforce the time limit fairly. There are four advanced features that make the game even more interesting and challenging: Team Play - allows multiple players to mutually connect over Wi-Fi, and form two teams that play against each other. Strategy Assist - provides additional features in the user interface that help you follow the Prediction by Partial Matching strategy. Strategy Builder - allows you to create new computer strategies that are variations on the standard strategies. This increases the experimentation you can do to help you form your own unique strategy. Wagering - allows you to express confidence in your moves by associating a wager with each move, which is a number from 1 to 10. Scoring is adjusted so that a higher wager means a higher reward if you win a round, and a higher penalty if you lose. Mesh networking by http://underdark.io ## Key features - Pattern recognition learning - Play against AI - Computer vs. computer mode - Wi-Fi multiplayer - Team play - Strategy builder - Wagering system ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matching-pennies/id1166016854/reviews.md ### 1/5 — What are the odds? *2019-07-13* Every game I play I always every turn is heads I never get tails, game after game. Please fix for a better review **Developer response:** Tap the circle once for heads (H) or twice for tails (T). Click the Ready button to reveal your opponent's move. The new version (1.1.4) adds a Welcome pop-up message with this information and a link to the Getting Started section of the Help documentation, which describes this and other features in detail. Thanks for your feedback! ## Frequently asked questions about Matching Pennies ### What is Matching Pennies? Matching Pennies is a two-weapon strategy game designed to help players learn pattern recognition techniques. It's similar to Rock, Paper, Scissors but offers more advanced strategic depth and learning opportunities. ### How can I learn strategies with Matching Pennies? You can learn by playing against the computer with pre-selected strategies, or by observing computer vs. computer matches. The app includes detailed help documentation, especially on Prediction by Partial Matching. ### Can I play Matching Pennies with friends? Yes, you can play against human opponents by connecting your mobile devices over Wi-Fi. This allows for real-time multiplayer matches. ### Does Matching Pennies have ads? No, Matching Pennies does not contain advertisements. ### What are the advanced features in Matching Pennies? Advanced features include Team Play for multiple players, Strategy Assist for guided play, Strategy Builder to create custom strategies, and Wagering to add stakes to each move. ### How does the wagering system work in Matching Pennies? The wagering system allows you to bet points (1-10) on your moves. Winning a round with a higher wager yields a greater reward, while losing results in a larger penalty. ### What devices is Matching Pennies available on? Matching Pennies is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. ### How often is Matching Pennies updated? The latest version, 1.1.10, was last updated on January 3, 2026. The app was initially released on December 9, 2016. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.1.10 — 2026-01-03 Upgraded to Xcode 26. ### 1.1.9 — 2025-06-03 Upgraded to Xcode 16. ### 1.1.7 — 2022-02-09 Upgraded to Xcode 13. ### 1.1.4 — 2020-11-23 Added a Welcome pop-up message to guide new users. ### 1.1.3 — 2019-01-02 Fixed a bug in Restore Default Settings. ## Apps similar to Matching Pennies | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [EMERGENCY Operator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emergency-operator/id1532199343) | 4.5 (850) | Free | Games | | [Match'em Up Brain Game!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/matchem-up-brain-game/id6457992873) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Games | | [Blind Gomoku - Five in a Row](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blind-gomoku-five-in-a-row/id6501974874) | — | Free | Games | | [The Guides](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-guides/id894022200) | 4.8 (716) | $2.99 | Games | | [Tower of Hanoi - Simple Puzzle](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tower-of-hanoi-simple-puzzle/id1123059388) | 4.7 (6) | Free | Games | | [Monster Truck: LKW Drag Race](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/monster-truck-lkw-drag-race/id1613515036) | 4.1 (35) | Free | Games | --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*