How to Always Stay 5 Moves Ahead in the Market (Inspired by PBD’s Playbook)

The market isn’t a game of speed—it’s a game of strategy.

And most people? They’re not thinking five moves ahead.

They’re not even thinking one move ahead.

They’re just reacting—news headline by news headline, tweet by tweet, chart by chart.

But if you’re serious about building wealth that lasts, you need to start playing chess.

You need a system. A framework. A mindset that outlives hype cycles, red days, and social media panic.

This is the blueprint I use.

It’s rooted in discipline, conviction, and one of the best books I’ve read on strategy:

Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David.

And today, I’m going to show you exactly how to apply that five-move philosophy to your investing game—especially if you’re trying to retire faster, not just react smarter.

Why I Built My Whole Strategy Around 5 Intentional Moves

If you’ve been following my journey, you already know what I’m doing:

• I invest $50 a day into MicroStrategy ($MSTR), every weekday the market is open

• I’ve committed to doing this for 20 years straight, and I document every week on BakoInvest.com

• No hype, no skipping, no emotional exits. Just showing up daily and stacking conviction

But this didn’t happen by accident.

It was the result of stepping back, thinking deeper, and asking:

“If I had to play this like chess, what are the next five moves I need to lock in for real wealth?”

That’s where PBD’s framework hit home.

And here’s how I applied it.

Move 1: Know Exactly What Kind of Investor You Are

This is where most people blow it.

They say they’re long-term.

Until a red candle hits.

Or a friend posts a 10x meme coin.

Or CNBC says the world’s ending.

So first, define your identity.

For me?

I’m a conviction investor.

Not a trader. Not a dabbler. Not a guesser.

I’m betting on one stock—$MSTR—not because I’m chasing the next big thing, but because I believe in Bitcoin long-term and I believe MicroStrategy gives me clean, leveraged exposure to it while generating enterprise value.

If you’re not clear on your investor identity, no strategy will save you.

Because you’ll keep switching lanes every time the wind shifts.

Ask yourself:

• Are you a swing trader? A DCA builder? A momentum chaser?

• Do you want fast flips or slow freedom?

• Are you here for dopamine or for discipline?

You don’t have to pick my path.

But you do have to choose yours—and own it.

Move 2: Pick One Strategy You Can Stick to for 20 Years

Forget the noise.

Forget the fancy portfolios with 17 ETFs and a crypto side hustle.

Real wealth comes from a simple strategy repeated with discipline.

For me, that’s:

• $50/day into $MSTR

• Every weekday

• No skipping, no stressing, no changing based on market mood

That’s my floor.

I don’t always buy more—but I never buy less.

And I track it weekly right here:

How I Buy MicroStrategy Daily Without Stress, Guessing, or Going Broke

If you’re not automating your strategy, you’re probably still negotiating with yourself—and that’s expensive.

Want to follow my path?

Start with what you can afford. Even $5 a day.

Then set it and forget it using a clean platform like:

• Robinhood — Where I run my $MSTR challenge

• Acorns — Perfect for starting with spare change

• Webull — Great for charting and position tracking

• Crypto.com and Coinbase — For Bitcoin exposure if you’re stacking outside of stocks

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being consistent enough to win when everyone else gives up.

Move 3: Build a System That Doesn’t Need Willpower

Let’s be real:

Willpower fades. Systems win.

That’s why I:

• Set up automatic transfers: 35% of my paycheck goes straight to my investment account

• Use preset buy schedules

• Treat investing like brushing my teeth: boring, necessary, non-negotiable

If you’re depending on “motivation” to build wealth, you’ve already lost.

Discipline isn’t something I wake up with. It’s something I built by removing decisions.

Ask yourself:

• Is your strategy harder to execute when you’re tired?

• Does your money hit your debit card before it hits your investment account?

• Are you overthinking every dip, every candle, every news alert?

Then it’s time to build a better system.

Simple. Repeatable. Protected from your feelings.

Move 4: Anticipate Pain—Then Train for It

This one’s big. And it’s where most people fall apart.

Everyone wants the freedom. Nobody wants the drawdowns.

But drawdowns are part of the process.

When $MSTR drops 20% in a week, I don’t panic.

I already made that emotional decision before the market moved.

I expect pain.

So I’m not shocked when it shows up.

That’s why PBD’s book resonated so deeply.

He talks about seeing multiple moves ahead—not reacting to what just happened.

That’s how I beat the market. Not by predicting it—but by preparing for it.

And when that moment hits for you—when you’re tempted to sell, to stop, to switch—

pull up this post and remember: You’re playing chess. Not checkers.

Move 5: Know What Your Endgame Actually Looks Like

Everyone says they want “freedom.”

But what does that actually mean?

• Is it quitting your job?

• Retiring early?

• Traveling the world?

• Owning your time?

• Leaving your kids a portfolio, not just a story?

For me, it’s this:

I want to be the first person in my family to retire free, wealthy, and on my terms—with documentation to prove it.

That’s why I blog every week.

That’s why I post every trade.

That’s why I’m stacking shares of one company—not because it’s safe, but because I believe it’s enough.

Want to Read the Book That Inspired This Framework?

Patrick Bet-David’s Your Next Five Moves isn’t about investing directly—it’s about thinking, planning, and moving like a leader.

I keep it close when I’m recalibrating.

(Insert your affiliate link to the book here)

Highly recommended for investors who want to think like strategists, not followers.

What’s Your Move Now?

If you’re tired of guessing,

If you’re done panicking on red days,

If you’re serious about building wealth before the system tells you, you’re “allowed to.”

Then it’s time to make your next five moves.

I gave you mine.

Now it’s your turn.

Here’s What to Do Next:

• Subscribe to my YouTube channel where I break this all down in video

• Join my email list so you never miss a new play, post, or market update

• Read my flagship post to see why I’m betting my entire retirement on $MSTR, publicly

• Pick your one asset. One strategy. One mission. Then lock in your five moves.

This is chess. Not checkers.

Start playing like it.

How to stay 5 moves ahead in the market: investing strategy inspired by PDP and BakoInvest.

Ready to stop guessing and start stacking?

Join Robinhood where I run my $MSTR DCA challenge — $50/day, no excuses.

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