Like playing chess with the black pieces (ie going second) and winning a game against a strong opponent, there’s nothing more satisfying than sparring with a bookmaker and triumphing. Indeed, betting is a game of chess – a bookie bets to a considerable theoretical margin in his favour, which is like always starting with the white pieces; his first move is his opening prices, yours is your bet; he takes bets and adjusts prices accordingly and at the end of the game he usually wins the tournament like a grandmaster playing simultaneous chess. But will you win your board? Well, a professional will certainly win more than he loses.