• Stock Market
• Stock Investing Blog
• Trading Options
• Forex Trading
• Options Trading
• Bonds and Mutual Funds
• Stock FAQ
• Stock Market Basics
• Fund Information
• Investor Definitions
• Stock Market Forums

• Stephen Cooper

Home >> Stock Forums >> Superiorinvestor Trading Game Progress

Superiorinvestor Trading Game Progress

holzie said: "I decided to create this thread here because we were not able to get a special forum for this game and it got lost in the clutter of Stock trading forums. So as of today here are the current standings. BTW, this is a year long game so new guys, join up and play with us. I see a lot of untouched trading accounts....you guys scarred? Holzie [IMG]http://linuxgaming.us/images/superiorinvestorgame-12282006.JPG[/IMG]"

thezster said: "Glad I'm not number 7 - whoever he is... looks like he swung for the fence... and fouled out......"

holzie said: "[QUOTE=thezster]Glad I'm not number 7 - whoever he is... looks like he swung for the fence... and fouled out......[/QUOTE] Hehe, biotech play?"

Rbreb13 said: "[QUOTE]I see a lot of untouched trading accounts....you guys scarred? [/QUOTE]hahaha For a long time all the untouched accounts were in first place though!"

Hanger said: "In due time LOL"

lb19984 said: "he yhey hey i wanna get be part of this "game" how do i enter? :th_coolio:"

holzie said: "[QUOTE=lb19984]he yhey hey i wanna get be part of this "game" how do i enter? :th_coolio:[/QUOTE] You can sign up here:[URL="http://simulator.investopedia.com/Games/SearchGames.aspx?S=1&T=superinvestorcomp"]http://simulator.investopedia.com/Games/SearchGames.aspx?S=1&T=superinvestorcomp[/URL] I hope the forum won't block the link. If it does, just email me at [email]holz@linuxgaming.us[/email] Holz."

lb19984 said: "ok guys i think i have joined... so this is just going long right? no options no shorting right?"

holzie said: "Options are allowed but the way they are traded is basic calls and puts. No credit spreads, calendars, diagonals....It's pretty rough and it seems that the Doc and I are taking a beating :)"

drdan said: "[QUOTE=holzie]Options are allowed but the way they are traded is basic calls and puts. No credit spreads, calendars, diagonals....It's pretty rough and it seems that the Doc and I are taking a beating :)[/QUOTE] Yeah the whole reason I started playing those other strategies was that I was unable to watch the markets during the day. Well it is still happening. I just need to change my strategy a little bit if I want to do better, but then again I am having fun remembering why I choose to do spreads in the first place. LOL"

drdan said: "Ya know what though? I am only down $5K so thats nothing in options play."

dumaman said: "[QUOTE=drdan]Ya know what though? I am only down $5K so thats nothing in options play.[/QUOTE] yeah options are not risky at all.. im only down about 50k... ill be #1in no time lol.. jus having fun.. yall can laugh at me if ya want.. just remember if my call swings the other way i could be up 100k in just weeks... hmmm as a gambler id say im trying too get 7's 100 times in a row.. it could be done :th_dblthumb2: :laugh:"

dumaman said: "[QUOTE=lb19984]he yhey hey i wanna get be part of this "game" how do i enter? :th_coolio:[/QUOTE] this is the link.. its 100k starting capital.. 100 margin.. no rules as far as diversifaction.. no pennies.. [url]http://simulator.investopedia.com/Join.aspx?ad=IG_PREVITE_1&G=46457[/url].. all can still join... starting 07 no more though.."

thezster said: "I figured earlier that I didn't have time to play.... but then thought - if I don't at least join... I may be pissed later on. So - I'm in..... Let the games begin! Zster"

dumaman said: "cool welcome zman.. EVERYONE JOIN ALREADY>> the new year is here.. we all have time for a little simulator competition.."

dumaman said: "wow... i think ill sit back at this point and watch lmao.... hmm how can i turn 25k back too 100k too break even.. :th_dblthumb2: :whacky011:"

lb19984 said: "[QUOTE=dumaman]wow... i think ill sit back at this point and watch lmao.... hmm how can i turn 25k back too 100k too break even.. :th_dblthumb2: :whacky011:[/QUOTE] lol id suggest u create a new name and forget u ever opened this one up :-P im only down 6% lol but we shall seeeeeee but wow what the hell did u do to loose so much so fast?"

dumaman said: "[QUOTE=lb19984]lol id suggest u create a new name and forget u ever opened this one up :-P im only down 6% lol but we shall seeeeeee but wow what the hell did u do to loose so much so fast?[/QUOTE] well, First i didnt take my own game too serious.. then I thought wouldnt it be neat if i could take off in outa space with my briliant option call on gold.. I thought gold was gona take off... So i put all my eggs in one basket and watched the big bad option boogy man step on them with all his might, and today gold took another huge hit.. sOOOOO ther ya have it.. lol.. dont worry I dont invest like this in the real world.. IF i did, it would mean i was a multi million air and didnt give a crap...:th_coolio:"

drdan said: "Damn - Forgot to sell my APPL call for the loss today!"

lb19984 said: "[QUOTE=drdan]Damn - Forgot to sell my APPL call for the loss today![/QUOTE] lol dont sell u will make money on monday... or tuesday ... or..... wednesday"

drdan said: "Well that sucked! I placed my closing trade on APPL this morning. I was expecting a price of $4.50 maybe $4.40. The simulator gave me Friday's closing price of $3.90 for a loss!!!! This morning the option has not been lower than $4.30! That's a $600 difference! They are lucky they are not my real broker!:laugh: I submitted a report on it, they will get back to me in 1 to 3 business days!:roll: Anyone else experience a problem like that?"

drdan said: "[QUOTE=drdan]Damn - Forgot to sell my APPL call for the loss today![/QUOTE] I guess I got the loss I was looking for...LOL"

dumaman said: "im starting over... :th_dblthumb2: oops nvm i cant.. its my game.. oh well, ill turn my 9k into 100.. piece of cake..:)"

Rbreb13 said: "[QUOTE=drdan]Well that sucked! I placed my closing trade on APPL this morning. I was expecting a price of $4.50 maybe $4.40. The simulator gave me Friday's closing price of $3.90 for a loss!!!! This morning the option has not been lower than $4.30! That's a $600 difference! They are lucky they are not my real broker!:laugh: I submitted a report on it, they will get back to me in 1 to 3 business days!:roll: Anyone else experience a problem like that?[/QUOTE]This is the 2nd game here for me and the trading delays can kill you. One thing I've found is you need to use limit orders on everything."

drdan said: "[QUOTE=Rbreb13]This is the 2nd game here for me and the trading delays can kill you. One thing I've found is you need to use limit orders on everything.[/QUOTE] That would be nice but they do not have limit orders for options. Another problem with trading options on that simulator.:sad010:"

holzie said: "[QUOTE=drdan]That would be nice but they do not have limit orders for options. Another problem with trading options on that simulator.:sad010:[/QUOTE] Yeah, the option trading has been really raw for me in this simulator. At least basic limit orders would make a 100% difference. But I was able to offset some of my losses with AAPL and NYX leap calls, which I am selling both tomorrow. Both over 40% profit, no need to be greedy without trailing stops. Holzie"

holzie said: "Tough week for my portfolio, some great picks and some not so great picks. But how the hell did Bongholio end up with $2000 in his account beats me :signs053: Man, I thought trading options with that caveman setup they have at the simulator would be a murder but what kind of charity you were into? :laugh: By the way, if any of you want to loose a lot or ALL your portfolio money, the earnings season is just coming up....just play earnings, I guarantee you will loose it all :) Holzie"

nicholasbellono said: "I signed up for the simulator game but have not used it yet. I have used it a few times before and I find that there are a lot of problems with the game. They often price wrong and sometimes delete your trades. I found when testing my trades, it is best to use an excel spreadsheet. Holzie- Earnings does not have to be as risky as you are making it out to be. It provides a great spike in volatility that can be used to your advantage. There plenty of events aside from earnings that provide these types of risks and rewards. Just pay attention to market calenders, world events, and business news. It is just as import, if not more, to know events that are taking place in a specific sector/industry as chart analysis. Just do your homework and be confident in your choices. A great book to help with these topics is Option Volatility and Pricing by Sheldon Natenberg. Make sure you get the new edition. I just read it last month it has a ton of information and is a great read for the intermediate level trader."

drdan said: "[QUOTE=nicholasbellono]Holzie- Earnings does not have to be as risky as you are making it out to be. It provides a great spike in volatility that can be used to your advantage. There plenty of events aside from earnings that provide these types of risks and rewards. Just pay attention to market calenders, world events, and business news. It is just as import, if not more, to know events that are taking place in a specific sector/industry as chart analysis. Just do your homework and be confident in your choices. A great book to help with these topics is Option Volatility and Pricing by Sheldon Natenberg. Make sure you get the new edition. I just read it last month it has a ton of information and is a great read for the intermediate level trader.[/QUOTE] The problem with what you are telling Holzie is that you are now talking to a man of experience. Experience of losing it all playing earnings. He will be a tough one to convince to play earnings again. He believes, like I believe, playing earnings is just like gambling. The way I use option volatility is to place a trade 2 to 4 weeks prior to earnings on something that has a lot of buzz around it and people are waiting on earnings. I buy a call at low volatility and then the day before earnings are released I sell the call. I make a small gain but I reduce the risk of earnings surprises."

holzie said: "[QUOTE=nicholasbellono]I signed up for the simulator game but have not used it yet. I have used it a few times before and I find that there are a lot of problems with the game. They often price wrong and sometimes delete your trades. I found when testing my trades, it is best to use an excel spreadsheet. Holzie- Earnings does not have to be as risky as you are making it out to be. It provides a great spike in volatility that can be used to your advantage. There plenty of events aside from earnings that provide these types of risks and rewards. Just pay attention to market calenders, world events, and business news. It is just as import, if not more, to know events that are taking place in a specific sector/industry as chart analysis. Just do your homework and be confident in your choices. A great book to help with these topics is Option Volatility and Pricing by Sheldon Natenberg. Make sure you get the new edition. I just read it last month it has a ton of information and is a great read for the intermediate level trader.[/QUOTE] Cool man, I know what you mean by playing volatility. I have had really good experience with pre-earnings volatility increase but as far as holding options trhough earnings..I don't think so. Thanks for the recommendation on the book. Holzie"

nicholasbellono said: "Dr.Dan- I am not trying to convince anyone to do anything. I also am not trying to say one approach to trading options is better than another, it is all what works for you and what you are trying to achieve with your investments. My only goal on this board is to learn from others and share what I know from my own experiences. Holize- Yes, you are very correct it is much less of gamble to sell before earnings. However, there are several patterns you can find that will show you if it is a good idea to hold through earnings. A great stategy for learning these concepts will be to watch the earnings season and put a few stocks you pick on an excel sheet. Watch what the option prices do as the approach earnings or another event and watch what they do after the event. You can usually find patterns through the company's history as well as the industry it belongs in to decide whether to hold or sell before the company or market event, in this case earnings. But as far as the book goes- you are welcome for the recommendation, it is really one of the better ones I've read on this subject. Good luck with everything! May 2007 be a very profitable year for us all."

drdan said: "[QUOTE=nicholasbellono]Dr.Dan- I am not trying to convince anyone to do anything. I also am not trying to say one approach to trading options is better than another, it is all what works for you and what you are trying to achieve with your investments. My only goal on this board is to learn from others and share what I know from my own experiences. [/QUOTE] Sorry if I came across as bashing your system of trading I am not. I was just explaining what mine and Holzie's experience has been by holding through earnings. Everyones inpout is very welcome here and I know there are guys out there that can somehow manage the earnings gamble just like there are professional gamblers out there that do quite well. If you have any secrets to avoiding the pitfalls of being correct on the earnings numbers but someone says something profound such as "well we hit our numbers but in the future we are not going to do so well." I'd like to know. This is where I usually get burned. I am correct on my assumption of the numbers but something else usually bites me in the buttocks.:) Also, how long have you been trading options? At first when you have posted it seems like you are a newbie to options but when it comes to earnings trades you seem like you have done this awhile???"

nicholasbellono said: "Dr.Dan- You did not come off as bashing a trading system. I've just noticed on this board when someone has an idea that is working for them and it is not a conservative spread it is usually shot it down with negativity instead of learning how they made those decisions to better help yourself and others who are on the board and then offering advice. Everyone has different goals for trading and need to reach those goals with strategies that work for them. The more strategies we know and practice, the better we will all be through the market changes. This is a great board because it is not overfilled with people and we can get fimiliar with one another's strategies. We shouldn't waste that by saying who is right and who is wrong. I have been trading for quite some time. I do not only trade earnings. As I was telling Holize, earnings are just one of the events that cause such a durastic change in a stock's price and volatility. Options are usually meant to protect your stock from those type of events. However, I do trade some spreads. The reason I came off as being so new is I have never traded an Iron Condor. I have not had the reason. I also have to used a screener before. Those are things I first saw disscussed and as I said before I am on here to learn. Thanks for your reply and remember that everyone has their own strategy and it would be better if we all can learn from each other rather than prove who is right and who is wrong. All of the members, including myself, truly benefit from your knowledge neutral market trading."

drdan said: "[QUOTE=nicholasbellono]As I was telling Holize, earnings are just one of the events that cause such a durastic change in a stock's price and volatility. [/QUOTE] Yes my favorite volatilty increaser is waiting for FDA approvals and drug testing. Since I have some knowledge in this area it makes it easier for me to speculate. Also high volatility is fantastic for trading credit spreads because you can usually get some more premium out of it. GOOGle is famous for this, especially now since it seems range bound now between 450 and 500! As for trading other option strategies I am open to all of them. I personally like spreads because I do not have time to manage straight plays. So instead I trade credit spreads and diagonal or calendar spreads. If I had a large stock account I would trade covered calls as well. When I started I did trade earnings, straight call/put plays, and very specifically I used to play the QQQQ's timing the market with way out of the money options buying at .10 selling at .15 or .2, just to build up my account. It was time consuming of which I have none to give up. If I only traded for a living I would certainly go back to some of those trades because the profit potential is there. It was cool getting 50% to 200% gains on straight plays. So please join the fray and give some different strategies for those that know little about options can use to build their trading arsenal."

nicholasbellono said: "That is a great example and a very good idea. I have never traded the QQQQs myself. I also found it too time consuming. I've really enjoyed straddles and strangles more than trading spreads. I find them to be very easy money when a big earnings season like this comes up or an economic statement. An easy play for anyone to follow lately has been Apple. We may have seen the last of the dramatic jumps for a little while but it was a great opportunity while it lasted. However, you are correct, playing calls/puts is very time consuming and you almost can not be successful unless you are trading for a living."

dumaman said: "my secrets for turning 100k into 2k with in weeks is coming out in a new book (bongholios legendary trading system) to a bookstore near you.. just 3 easy payments of $59.99 sorry no refunds as my system is 100% gaurantee too work :th_dblthumb2:"

Rbreb13 said: "[QUOTE=dumaman]my secrets for turning 100k into 2k with in weeks is coming out in a new book (bongholios legendary trading system) to a bookstore near you.. just 3 easy payments of $59.99 sorry no refunds as my system is 100% gaurantee too work :th_dblthumb2:[/QUOTE]Just for my info, what did you try to do that went so wrong?"

dumaman said: "[QUOTE=Rbreb13]Just for my info, what did you try to do that went so wrong?[/QUOTE] I bet on gold.."

nicholasbellono said: "I think futures are hard. I never got into them. Let me know if you ever figure it out though. I'd like to learn about them from someone who is successful with it."

thezster said: "Only futures I ever played was O.J. But - at the time, I owned a fruit juice manufacturing company - so... if I had to actually take delivery - it wasn't any big deal... I would just make juice out of it... and pass the costs on to my customers..... Now "that's" the way to play futures.... let someone else take all the risk - and you take all the profits..... Oh, boy.. the good old days of watching the weather reports as cold fronts swept in from Georgia.........."

Rbreb13 said: "The time delays are killing me. I played ICE short (100 shares) and couldn't get the exit I wanted. Ended up getting out a lot higher than I wanted. Still made $$ but not as much as I could have. Still got about $400 though."

dumaman said: "[QUOTE=Rbreb13]The time delays are killing me. I played ICE short (100 shares) and couldn't get the exit I wanted. Ended up getting out a lot higher than I wanted. Still made $$ but not as much as I could have. Still got about $400 though.[/QUOTE] really? i could have sworn i disabled time delay between trades.. ill chck it out."

dumaman said: "nvm .. it will screw the game up.. they say too keep the delay"

nicholasbellono said: "I played earnings on ASML the other day (outside of the game). Searched into in for the last month and I decided to take the risk. My JAN 25 Call went up 383.33%. Now I am just looking for another good earnings play while its earnings season. Also there are a few consumer confidence reports announced next week. Should make for some good trading. My current trade is AKS FEB 17.50 Calls."

worldcl said: "Im new to Superior and Id like to know if anyone out there can help me become an options expert? A mentor so to speak. I know a little about them. Buying calls and puts and a little covered calls."

Rickster said: "I think we are all willing to help. But none of us can make you an expert. That would be like asking a bunch of basketball players if one of them could make you a pro. We all have our style of play. And it may not necessarily match with your natural abilites. Your challenge is to figure out which style of play best fits you. Then maybe you can team up with whichever one of us is the best match. With that in mind, I think your best bet is to watch the game, learn what you can on your own, and ask questions as we go along. I think you will find that we wont blast you for asking a dumb question. Be very suspect of anyone who does blast you. One last thing. Beware anyone who seems to think he has a foolproof system that will work forever. Market conditions are constantly changing. The bragging usually occurs right before the fall."

nicholasbellono said: "AKS is up 85 percent for me so I sold this morning. DD is down, way down. I will wait and see what happens. Do you guys think it will rebound? I also have long calls on CY and AGR for this week."

thezster said: "[QUOTE=Rickster] One last thing. Beware anyone who seems to think he has a foolproof system that will work forever. Market conditions are constantly changing. The bragging usually occurs right before the fall.[/QUOTE] So true, so true..... :th_coolio:"

Rbreb13 said: "Where did the game go? It isn't coming up for me anymore. Is it over? Did I win?:laugh:"