Vishy to Naiditsch...

<"Arkadi, if you're not too busy say after July 6th or thereabouts there are some things I'd very much like to discuss with you! All at your convenience of course. :) All the Best, V.Anand...">

I've been thinking about this day for months... The players have been thinking about this day for months... It did *not* disappoint! <sheepish grin> :^) - Mal

Congrats on the bet! And to <Kreifi> too... :) How much???

Re. Anand, I rather tend to think Eyal had the right idea there:

<Eyal: <[Gouki:] NAIDITSCH is surely on the short list of Anand's seconds now :)>

Actually, Anand may be bitterly cursing Naiditsch this very moment for exposing such a potentially dangerous novelty against the Petroff before the match:-) >

PS - The <Bookie> would have my nomination for sainthood if he'd continue with the right-after-the-day's-payoffs Leaderboard updates... ;)

I'm cooling my heels with <NET WORTH: 6,551 chessbucks (max bet: 2500)> atm...

Gosh, what to ^do^ now?!? ~lol~ ;) - Mal

I figured, OK Naiditsch probably isn't going to win, but with 47:1 odds... WHY NOT???>

Have to remember, if I make mistakes, it's good to make them big time.

Hehehe... What I've learned over the course of time playing the <ChessBookie> betting game is *not* to play it strictly 'Player A vs Player B' - instead to play the odds! Especially if I sense weakness in the overall betting structure (where the bulk of the betting money is going or has not gone)...

At first it was tough to play against all of my Chess heroes (I have so darn many of them!). Now, I'd bet against <GOD> if the odds and circumstances are ripe! <sheepish grin> Oh and one last - don't overlook unique opportunities that present themselves... Why isn't there a small bet on this extreme longshot? Hmm, think I'll just fill in the gap! ~lol~ I've surprised myself more than once and of course it's <never> enough! :^) - Mal

But anyway, our <Bookie> is hereby nominated for sainthood as promised! :) Just keep up the good work. ;)

Nice going guys! =)

<<Gosh, what to ^do^ now?!? ~lol~ ;) - Mal>

Well that's an easy one, keep betting! You've already assured your place in the Championship leg, so your only challenge in the next two legs is to make #1 and then hang on to it - oh, and/or have fun. ;)

<Re. the betting strategies discussion...>

Personally, I tend to bet larger sums on what I believe is likely to happen (after doing some history/statistics research), with somewhat less attention to the odds (although <also> betting smaller sums just for the odd's sake - yup, can be a very profitable habit!), but the important point here is to be able to distinguish between "what is likely to happen" and "what I'd like to happen", as those two are most empathically not the same thing! :p

The worst fallacy in this line, is confusing your desperation with a player's chances, as in the following "reasoning": I bet 1000 on Chucky to win Dortmund, so he <HAD BETTER> win all his remaining rounds, or I'll lose my 1000! And then actually proceeding to bet on Chucky winning all his remaining rounds, because "he has to". Uh, if Chucky's already shown that he's not in good form this week, pay attention to the trend, and don't think his performance is going to improve just because you're worried about your bet.* All this line of wishful thinking will most likely get you, is losing the 1000 <AND> all the round bets <TOO> on top of it. Not a very sound strategy!

*(Although we're speaking of Chucky here after all, so his performance can turn around 180 degrees on any given day - or not - but in any case, it won't be our betting that makes the difference). :p

Hehehe... As we all know Annie sometimes ('missing a round') can be a blessing... :)) Depending on what we thought we were going to do had we actually bet! ;) In my case it would have saved me $1.3K on *not* betting on any action (other than Pick 3 'D-D-D' or Nepo-VW) in Round #4! ~lol~ However, it was a risk that I was willing to take. Had there been <action> in the Pick 3 the gains would have far outweighed the loses! Although I didn't have every possible contingency covered... Just my best guess! ;D

<<<Gosh, what to ^do^ now?!? ~lol~ ;) - Mal>> Well that's an easy one, keep betting! You've already assured your place in the Championship leg, so your only challenge in the next two legs is to make #1 and then hang on to it - oh, and/or have fun. ;)>

Some wise words there Annie... That's indeed my grand plan! :)

<Re. the betting strategies discussion...>

I too especially in the early going of any given leg (where our funds are severally limited) do not like to risk too much on the eventual outcome of any given Chess tournament. Since the <favorites> return little profit for the total investment made...

Much prefer having a healthy supply of c-bucks betting on the enticing daily action! ;) The fine line on what we believe will happen and what actually does happen is a fine one indeed! I've learned early on that the force of one's will is <not> quite enough to make up this difference. ~lol~ Adding insult to injury, as Annie mentioned, continuing to believe in it adds considerably to one's losses. :-(

Anyway, Dortmund is still wide open with some interesting match-ups yet to take place. GM Leko looks to be good shape but I don't see the 'Fat Lady' anywhere on center stage yet... We shall all just have to wait and see. Have fun everyone! :^) - Mal

PS: <ChessBookie> - hope you can entertain the idea of betting on the 'Karjakin-Short' 10 game Rapids match starting today! Details in my Chessforum... ;) Cheers too for your super fast updates. Sainthood really looks good on You! :))

No problem <ChessBookie> - I'm so glad you could just get some Rapid games in! ;) After the 2-0 trouncing today we can all have fun guessing when Nigel might extract his pound of flesh back from Sergey? ~lol~ ;)

You have FUN on July 4th <ChessBookie> :)) May the picnic table be full and all the seats filled up with your best friends! :^) Warm Regards, - Mal

<Dortmund Rd 6: Gustafsson vs Leko : Leko 259 -- 1,240

Dortmund Rd 6: Pick Three : Draw-Black-Draw 50 -- 1,329>

Drawmaster, eh? Leave it to Leko to demonstrate that Black is OK! ;p