Victor Niederhoffer and Nassim Nicholas Taleb: A Quick Comparison

Both of their performance is significantly worse than their egos and marketing savvy would have you believe. Both have shut down multiple funds due to poor performance.
I think their relatively extreme and diametrically opposed views towards risk had something to do with it. That was what captured my attention.
 
So you knew it was 2 funds that were closed over a 40 year career of huge profits. So rather than being specific and saying 2, you said multiple--- wonder why?



surf
Surf, Soros predicted that VN was going to run into serious trouble. He was playing it too close to the line and Soros saw the writing on the wall. That tells you something. When you play too close to the line the going can be great until you inadvertently cross it. Compare VN to Soros and the other perennials and you have to conclude that VN was playing with fire. He didn't show risk its due respect. Consider a race car driver who does not show due respect for speed. He might do better than any of the other drivers at the straightaways, but he'll flame out at important turns. I don't know if that's a good analogy, but you get the idea. I'm not suggesting we don't give the man his due respect, but you have to look at it fairly and from both sides to get the "due" part right.
 
So you knew it was 2 funds that were closed over a 40 year career of huge profits. So rather than being specific and saying 2, you said multiple--- wonder why?



surf

Ooh. The semantics defense....

Because "multiple" means more than one. And according to gladwell he blew up in 2001. So that would be three - again fitting in the definition of "multiple."

And for a guy of his ego who compares himself to the greatest traders in the world blowing up that spectacularly even once is too many.
 
Surf, Soros predicted that VN was going to run into serious trouble. He was playing it too close to the line and Soros saw the writing on the wall. That tells you something. When you play too close to the line the going can be great until you inadvertently cross it. Compare VN to Soros and the other perennials and you have to conclude that VN was playing with fire. He didn't show risk its due respect. Consider a race car driver who does not show due respect for speed. He might do better than any of the other drivers at the straightaways, but he'll flame out at important turns. I don't know if that's a good analogy, but you get the idea. I'm not suggesting we don't give the man his due respect, but you have to look at it fairly and from both sides to get the "due" part right.

From WIki--

Niederhoffer became a partner of Soros and managed all of the fixed income and foreign exchange from 1982 to 1990.[2] Soros said in The Alchemy of Finance that Niederhoffer was the only one of his managers who retired voluntarily from trading for him while still ahead. Soros held Niederhoffer in such high esteem that he sent his son to work for him to learn how to trade.[2]

That's a very strong endorsement from the greatest and largest speculator ever--
 
Ooh. The semantics defense....

Because "multiple" means more than one. And according to gladwell he blew up in 2001. So that would be three - again fitting in the definition of "multiple."

And for a guy of his ego who compares himself to the greatest traders in the world blowing up that spectacularly even once is too many.

Regardless of semantics--- VN is one of the greatest traders who has ever lived. Just ask George Soros.

surf
 
Surf, Soros predicted that VN was going to run into serious trouble. He was playing it too close to the line and Soros saw the writing on the wall. That tells you something. When you play too close to the line the going can be great until you inadvertently cross it. Compare VN to Soros and the other perennials and you have to conclude that VN was playing with fire. He didn't show risk its due respect. Consider a race car driver who does not show due respect for speed. He might do better than any of the other drivers at the straightaways, but he'll flame out at important turns. I don't know if that's a good analogy, but you get the idea. I'm not suggesting we don't give the man his due respect, but you have to look at it fairly and from both sides to get the "due" part right.

No question, VN has his flaws like all of us. That doesn't takeaway from his accomplishments, trading skill, and market insight.

vn is a scholar among traders and a trader among scholars creating a great learning experience for everyone. An iconoclast of the modern financial markets.

surf
 
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