What exactly is a Holy Grail, in terms of characteristics?

Discussion in 'Strategy Building' started by OddTrader, Nov 10, 2006.

  1. A serious Pro would never use such an idiotic phrase...
    Or think in such terms...
    Because your trading operation must evolve constantly...
    Or fall behind the curve and fail.
     
    #31     Feb 26, 2011
  2. nitro

    nitro

    Not having more than three losing days a year, whose loses are kept inline, while the rest of the time mostly showing decent profits, sometimes breaking even, after commissions. All this done while being flat EOD.
     
    #32     Feb 26, 2011
  3. Just like the holy grail in the traditional sense, it is frequently what the seeker defines it to be.
     
    #33     Feb 26, 2011
  4. nitro

    nitro

    A High Frequency System that, then the above.
     
    #34     Feb 26, 2011
  5. nLepwa

    nLepwa

    Phew, you have high standards!

    99,988% confidence. :)

    What combination of pf/trades per day do you need to achieve it?

    Ninna
     
    #35     Feb 26, 2011
  6. fjpenney

    fjpenney

    The Holy Grail of investing is realizing that there is no Holy Grail.
     
    #36     Feb 26, 2011
  7. Redneck

    Redneck

    The Holy Grail (of trading)

    Does it exist…, and if it exist what does it look like…,

    And how would we know

    Is it a gold challis…, or perhaps a wooden cup




    The holy grail of trading – is that which allows a trader to consistently and repeatedly - extract profits from the market

    Consistently and repeatedly is not/ and does not mean – the same as always…, or 100% of the time…


    You will know if/ when you have it

    Every trader’s Holy Grail could be different


    Here’s to you – finding yours

    RN
     
    #37     Feb 26, 2011
  8. Who says redneck's aren't bright?
    Well stated.
     
    #38     Feb 26, 2011
  9. All things considered, the Holy Grail might just be the ability to withstand drawdowns.

    Why? Well, in my own case, I have a strategy which could have taken $10K to over $2.9T over the past two years, using Kelly style position-sizing, if I were willing to withstand 90%+ drawdowns from the high-water mark every so often (assuming I had sufficient capital to place the trades in their proper size). The stats for it are rather mundane, really. 61% winning percentage, 1.3 to 1 winner to loser size ratio, profit factor of 2.1 and a little over 1 trade per day, so it's only when combined with the Kelly position-sizing and a willingness to withstand that level of drawdown that it becomes something so incredibly profitable. I'm sure almost any positive expectancy method with a high enough frequency can achieve somewhat similar statistics if the Kelly method of position-sizing is used.

    Of course, then there is the practical fact that there is no market in the world liquid enough to enable such a strategy to be put into effect. But, if you could implement it, you'd have to withstand the psychological hit of watching 90% of your gains disappear without knowing if you'd ultimately lose everything that remains. Fortunately, I have that level of confidence in my strategy, which itself is based on principles similar to what Soros uses in his trading (not saying I'm anywhere near that level, just that I share some of his assumptions about markets always being wrong, rather than right).

    If anyone is looking for something which provides huge returns without the risk of drawdowns of that scale, it doesn't exist and you will waste your life seeking it.
     
    #39     Feb 26, 2011
  10. Redneck

    Redneck

    Thank You Sir:)

    RN
     
    #40     Feb 26, 2011