In recent months, the game called “Charlie, Charlie” gained immense popularity on the Internet. Rules of this game lie in the fact that teenagers are calling the demon called “Charlie”, using two pencils and a piece of paper. So, let us figure out the origin of this game.

To play “Charlie Charlie” game, according to Wikipedia, usually a couple of simple pencils and a paper, divided into four zones with the words “Yes” and “No” are used. If you want, you can choose any other variants and increase the number of segments. However, the elements which are diagonal to each other should be the same. Pencils are being placed on the boundaries of the zones , perpendicular to each other. When the game field is ready, players are saying “Charlie, Charlie are you here?”, and waiting for the upper pencil to move and show the answer. In case if Charlie is saying “Yes”, players may continue ask him questions. For example. “Charlie, will I get an A for my exam?” or “Charlie, will I marry my group mate?”.

This kind of entertainment gained really huge popularity in social networks under the tag #CharlieCharlieChallenge. Such videos usually get millions of views on YouTube.

It should be noted that there is no unified version as for the origin of “Charlie, Charlie”. According to various legends, Charlie was a dead Mexican child, Mexican demon, pagan god, who was in collusion with Satan, or existing in the underworld victim of a violent crime. All these legends are being united by the legend that Charlie was cursed. Because of this curse he is obliged to answer all the questions he is being asked. According to the journalist of the Washington Post, who studied this phenomenon in her article, the prerequisite to the emergence of “Charlie, Charlie” could become old Spanish game «Juego de la Lapicera» ( “game with a pen”) - a sheet of paper in this game is divided only into two areas. In addition, there is another version of “Charlie Charlie”, in which pencils are not being placed on the paper, but held on weight, and the players get the answers due to unpredictable movements of the pencils.

Some media have speculated that “Charlie, Charlie” is a part of a viral campaign of “The gallows” horror film, but the movie fitted in a long-developing trend, rather than run it.

Pencils’ movements have two scientific explanations. Firstly, the construction used is unstable, so it can be easily moved by breathing or careless movement. The force of friction and the angle are such, that the pencil is located on top doesn’t fall, but moves or rotates. Secondly, during this kind of divination, the phenomenon called “ideomotor act” plays a huge role. It lies in the fact that a person may be strongly concentrated on something, that he may not notice the way he contributes to changes in the world that surrounds him.

According to psychologists, there are a couple of reasons of such a popularity of “Charlie Charlie” game among teenagers. The major one is the superstition exposure, together with the desire to play with the frightening and unknown, as well as the phenomenon of socialization: divinations are often being performed in a company. Such kind of games, as the talking board called “Ouija”, are more than hundred years. Previously, information about them was transmitted mainly verbally from one generation to the other. However, they have adapted to the era of social networking and turned into memes, flash mobs, and challenges.

This game is quite popular nowadays and it can be really fun. However, you should be careful, as game may appear kind of scary for you. It is up to you to believe the legend about Charlie, as well as to believe in this game or not.