Phase 1: Baseline and Route Planning
Begin with a two week calibration block. Record thirty unbroken runs per solitaire variant you plan to speedrun. Use Numbers or Google Sheets to track opening draw patterns, redeal counts, and heart rate spikes. The goal is understanding your decision bottlenecks before adding harder constraints.
Metrics to capture daily
- Average solve time, best solve, and worst solve for the day.
- Redeal usage compared to personal average.
- Apple Watch heart rate variability before and after a set.
- Manual notes on misreads, misclicks, and hesitation frames.
Phase 2: Micro Split Training
Weeks three and four focus on isolating the slowest portion of your run. Break the game into three splits: opening, mid-game, and endgame. Practice each split independently using saved states from Solitaired or Vision Pro snapshots so you can loop problem segments without resetting the entire deck.
Split drill ideas
Opening Burst
Practice ten back-to-back openings with a 60 second limit. Record the time needed to find first foundation transfer and number of columns unlocked.
Endgame Closer
Use saved layouts with four piles remaining. Aim for under 30 seconds to finish while maintaining accuracy. Compare success rate daily.
Phase 3: Pressure Simulation Weeks
Weeks five and six add tournament stressors. Set Focus mode timers to 15 minute ladders, enable crowd noise playlists, and stream a mock run to a private Discord to simulate audience pressure. Review the VOD and tag moments where decision speed slowed 20 percent or more.
Pressure checklist
- Enable screen recording and capture hand cam if possible.
- Use a metronome at 120 bpm to subconsciously maintain pace.
- Apply a two strike rule for misclicks so consequences feel real.
- Schedule a review call with a teammate to discuss decision drift.
Phase 4: Peak Week and Taper
The final fortnight is about consolidating speed without overtraining. Reduce volume, increase sleep, and shift your nutrition toward complex carbs and hydration. Run three timed sets per day and stop as soon as you achieve a new personal best to lock a positive association.
Peak week blueprint
| Day | Focus | Volume Cap | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Two full runs plus endgame split set | 3 total attempts | 15 minute walk, wrist mobility |
| Wednesday | One ladder, one mock final | 2 attempts | Breathing drills, early lights out |
| Friday | Personal best attempt window | Stop after new record | Celebrate, gentle mobility |
Tech Stack Recommendations
Speedrunning solitaire demands both precision and repeat data capture. The right tools shorten feedback loops.
Hardware staples
- Apple Watch Ultra for granular heart rate variability tracking.
- 60 Hz or higher external monitor to minimize latency.
- Mechanical keyboard with linear switches for consistent input speed.
Software staples
- Shortcuts automation to log solve times into Numbers automatically.
- OBS scenes with timers and split notes for post run analysis.
- Freeform board to store deck states and annotate recurring patterns.
Keeping Progress Sustainable
Elite speedrunners refine consistency more than raw aggression. Keep a weekly retro where you tag the three positive habits that moved your time forward and one drift to correct. Share the notes with a training partner or coach to stay accountable and celebrate incremental wins.
Weekly retro prompts
What was the best solved route and why. Where did fatigue appear. Which tool or playlist made the biggest difference. Capture your answers in under ten minutes so you do not turn reflection into another chore.