How do famous swing traders like Dan Zanger size up so fast?

[hilmy83]

I doubt they view themselves as degenerates lol but I also do not think the results are those that a professional would typically generate.

The day trade competition is strictly day trade - no overnight positions allowed.

As the standings are measured by % return, it makes sense to start with the minimum and try to run it up from there.

I spoke with the broker who holds the accounts for the day trade division, and he said there were over 50 entrants and that most were negative for the contest period. Anyone with a positive return will be listed on the leaderboard, even if it is just +.01%

I do know it is not a demo account and the results are not self reported, i.e. it is real production accounts and the daily p/l is delivered by the broker directly to the Robbins people.

Here's what I think a good competition would do that combines the best of USIC and World Cup:

1. Use the format world cup is doing, because like you said, the results are reported from the broker. I would add platform with automated reporting with investor access (journalytix, tradevue, Metatrader 5 etc)
2. Add sharpe ratio, calmar, information, etc to each contestant
3. 25k min (follow the PDT)

Organizer would follow the USIC apporach of marketing this to the top financial sites.

The winner gets a shot to work at a legit prop firm OR hedge fund.

Fundseeder is like the closest thing to this I guess, but they are still limited to what broker you can use to auto report (IB).

But I hate the fact that someone tells you which broker you need to use, and ultimately what platform to trade on. That's the biggest thing for me that makes USIC better. But I'm not going to deny that submitting some pdf is legit either.

If we combine all these things, then you'd have a good competition.

 

[hilmy83]

Here's what I think a good competition would do that combines the best of USIC and World Cup:

1. Use the format world cup is doing, because like you said, the results are reported from the broker. I would add platform with automated reporting with investor access (journalytix, tradevue, Metatrader 5 etc)
2. Add sharpe ratio, calmar, information, etc to each contestant
3. 25k min (follow the PDT)

Organizer would follow the USIC apporach of marketing this to the top financial sites.

The winner gets a shot to work at a legit prop firm OR hedge fund.

Fundseeder is like the closest thing to this I guess, but they are still limited to what broker you can use to auto report (IB).

But I hate the fact that someone tells you which broker you need to use, and ultimately what platform to trade on. That's the biggest thing for me that makes USIC better. But I'm not going to deny that submitting some pdf is legit either.

If we combine all these things, then you'd have a good competition.

Just want to add:

1. One entry per person (no multiple accounts). Can re-enter on new buyin (poker rules)
2. 1 year competition only (jan - dec)
3. Entry fee is $400 (USIC ex)
4. Use the format world cup is doing, because like you said, the results are reported from the broker. I would add platform with automated reporting with investor access (journalytix, tradevue, Metatrader 5 etc)
5. Add sharpe ratio, calmar, information, etc to each contestant
6. 25k min (follow the PDT)
7. Winner's results gets audited by legit financial audit firm (paid for)

I think this covers most retail frauds lol

 

[Rams Fan]

On the other hand, Kullamaggie seems to be a one trick pony and a gunslinger.

Qullamaggie has been on a steady onward and upward equity curve for a decade now. I've watch enough of his streams, both live and recorded to say that I don't consider him a "one trick pony" nor do I consider him a gunslinger.

 

[ironchef]

Just want to add:

1. One entry per person (no multiple accounts). Can re-enter on new buyin (poker rules)
2. 1 year competition only (jan - dec)
3. Entry fee is $400 (USIC ex)
4. Use the format world cup is doing, because like you said, the results are reported from the broker. I would add platform with automated reporting with investor access (journalytix, tradevue, Metatrader 5 etc)
5. Add sharpe ratio, calmar, information, etc to each contestant
6. 25k min (follow the PDT)
7. Winner's results gets audited by legit financial audit firm (paid for)

I think this covers most retail frauds lol

You beat all of them.

 

[Rams Fan]

More volatility on the leaderboard as another falls off, meaning all gains are gone and the account is now negative relative to its starting balance.

Bober. Dressel, and Stauffer are UNCH and I wonder if they aren't thinking "I'll just sit here with these gains while everyone else blows out and I'll win by default."

Hsieh up slightly from +19.7% to +20%. Valentini is off the board from +16.6% to a loss of unknown quantity.

 

[tomkat22]

For all practical purposes the bear market of 2022 ended around october of that year so for all we know Kullamagi may have been crushing it since then. Just resumed right where he left off. If my investigating is correct he went to work for that Stocksholm outfit in may of 2021 so I'm not sure how much trading he does in his personal accounts these days. He might not have the time or inclination to do that.

 

[Zwaen]

I ve looked up one method of qullamaggie and it goed a bit like this:
-stock is trending up (few rules on ma10,20,50,200 etc)
-tight consolidation forming
-enter in upside breakout(long) out of consolidation
-stopploss under day of entry with max adr
-trailing, some rules etc

Does anybody know the rationale behind a consolidation? If this is supposed to be 'indecision', why would this represent a 'border' of some kind? Eg why not skip it en just enter up on random day?

 

[tomorton]

I ve looked up one method of qullamaggie and it goed a bit like this:
-stock is trending up (few rules on ma10,20,50,200 etc)
-tight consolidation forming
-enter in upside breakout(long) out of consolidation
-stopploss under day of entry with max adr
-trailing, some rules etc

Does anybody know the rationale behind a consolidation? If this is supposed to be 'indecision', why would this represent a 'border' of some kind? Eg why not skip it en just enter up on random day?

It's useful to have price confirm the uptrend by resuming it after a pull-back. Using a buy entry order above some form of price level is a good way of doing this, as it offers price the chance to go lower (and not trigger the entry order) at zero cost/risk. Various entry opportunities also simultaneously define a stop-loss level.

While trying to define the absolute best rules for such an entry price is probably a fool's errand, I would still think rational entry patterns beat random entries over the long run.

 

[Zwaen]

It's useful to have price confirm the uptrend by resuming it after a pull-back. Using a buy entry order above some form of price level is a good way of doing this, as it offers price the chance to go lower (and not trigger the entry order) at zero cost/risk. Various entry opportunities also simultaneously define a stop-loss level.

While trying to define the absolute best rules for such an entry price is probably a fool's errand, I would still think rational entry patterns beat random entries over the long run.

So basically this would be a breach of a certain pricelevel, whereas the 'pattern' and/or behaviour before this line in the sand has no other meaning than random. I actually agree this can be a good stance, in other words, if it goes up, it goes up. Then it that case, sideways movement preceding would be basically irrelevant. It doesn't go down, but also not up (yet) is casus. And 'sideways movement' can occur in every bar, by definition.

 

[Rams Fan]

Does anybody know the rationale behind a consolidation? If this is supposed to be 'indecision', why would this represent a 'border' of some kind? Eg why not skip it en just enter up on random day?

Read William O'Neil How to Make Money in Stocks, read Nicolas Darvas How I Made $2,000,000 in the Stock Market, read Gerald Loeb The Battle for Investment Survival, read Jesse Livermore How I Trade in Stocks, read Richard Wyckoff Stock Market Technique 1 & 2 and Studies in Tape Reading.

Read almost any of the classic texts that use a more or less technical approach to timing one's buys and sells and you'll learn about consolidations (bases) and the what's, the why's, and wherefore's of such price behavior.

Hint: It isn't about the levels. It is all about what the institutions are doing.