(Originally Drafted 11/17)
Addiction is described as “a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. Therefore, I think I am figuratively addicted to TriPeaks. If you're unfamiliar with TriPeaks, it is, “a patience or solitaire card game that is akin to the solitaire games Golf and Black Hole. The game uses one deck and the object is to clear three peaks made up of cards. It was created by Robert Hogue in 1989, and popularized as a result of being included in Microsoft Solitaire Collection.”
In its most basic form, The game starts with eighteen cards dealt face-down on the tableau to form three face-down “pyramids” of six cards each, and a row of ten cards beneath. This is built by dealing out ten cards face-up in a row; then nine cards face-down above them, offset by half a card to the right; then six cards above those, offset by the same amount (and leaving a one-card gap after the second and fourth cards); then three cards to cap the three pyramids.
The twenty-four remaining cards make up the stock. The first card from the stock is put in the waste pile (sometimes known as the foundation/discard). For a card in the tableau to be moved to the waste pile, it must be a rank higher or lower regardless of suit. This card becomes the new top card and the process is repeated several times (e.g. 7–8–9–10–9–10-J-10–9–8, etc.) until the sequence stops. Along the way, any face-down cards that are no longer overlapping are turned up.
Something about the game is just so addicting. I don’t know why, but stacking long chains of cards over and over is just so addicting. I’ve got the point now where when I close my eyes, I see TriPeaks boards. I’ve begun speed running easy boards (my record is 1:45 for 3 easy boards). I’ve tried my hardest to solve the expert boards, but am just not good enough. Overall, this is where I’m at:
Now, Level 54 may seem like small potatoes to some people and in the grand scheme of things, it probably is. However, this is in about one month of game playtime. Over the course of 1 month, I’ve played over 500 games. This is the equivalent to about 16 games a day minimum. This also doesn’t account for the daily challenges, which are about an additional 4–5 games per day. In the course of a month, I’ve played a frankly stupid amount of virtual solitare.
On a random Tuesday, in which I only have 1 class, I kept telling myself just 1 more game. I lost track of time and played for easily over 4 hours. I like to full screen my programs and not think about the time when I’m doing an activity I enjoy. The only thing I remember was it was light out when I started and pitch black when I finished. I was in a zone of TriPeaks.
After writing all of this, I’m debating posting it because it reads like a poorly written copypasta. What idiot gets addicted to a card game? This idiot does. Thankfully, I don’t play all the time and am not literally addicted, but it is crazy how much time I’ve played something over just the course of a month. Hopefully, when I look back in a few years I get fond memories of staying up till 1 AM drinking IPA’s and playing solitaire.
Anyways, going to play more right now. I want to hit level 100 at some point, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Maybe it will take a month. Maybe a few days. Or maybe I’ll just lose interest. Who knows?
Oh well. Going to play more right now.
