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[amibroker] Re: 'Rule Based' versus 'Discretionary' trading...



PureBytes Links

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I acknowledge your point.

I am sure mundane psychology is full of comebacks on both sides of 
the argument.


brian_z

--- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "bilbo0211" <wjdandreta@xxx> wrote:
>
> I have 2 simple questions for u:
> 
> What set of rules do you use to recognize a person's face?
> 
> What set of rules do you use to recognize a person's voice?
> 
> Bill
> 
> --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "brian_z111" <brian_z111@> wrote:
> >
> > From the 2nd article:
> > 
> > "Paul Taglia sees high-probability Window set-ups that the rest 
of us 
> > don't. I've seen him do this for nearly two years. He can't 
explain 
> > it...he simply says that he's looked at thousands and thousands 
of 
> > charts over his career and some charts simply look better to him 
than 
> > others. We once asked him to keep a journal to see if we could 
> > systematize what he saw. It was a useless exercise. He sees it 
but he 
> > can't explain it."
> > 
> > 
> > According to Occams Law the simplest explanation is usually the 
best.
> > 
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simplicity
> > 
> > Possible explanations, of Paul Taglia's discretionary style are:
> > 
> > a) He can 'see', or sense, the future in the charts,
> > b) he has a set of rules that he learnt in the past (based on 
> > experience) and they have become second nature - possibly he has 
> > forgotten what they are or when he learnt them (or at least some 
of 
> > them)
> > c) he has a set of rules, and he knows that, but this is an 
excellent 
> > posture to take if his game plan is never to reveal them to anyone
> > d) he has a set of rules but has a playful nature OR likes to 
take 
> > the mickey out of his associates OR has a superiority complex and 
> > disdains the idiots who surround him
> > e) he has an inferiority complex and needs the boost that comes 
from 
> > the adulation of others - this is an excellent strategy to 
establish 
> > mystique as a trader and achieve legendary status
> > f) it is a great way to market ones employment value in a 
transient 
> > workplace (its a resume that can't be questioned to any extent 
either)
> > g) some combination of a-f
> > h) he has a set of rules (some conscious, some sub-conscious) but 
he 
> > can't be bothered explaining them (it is a form of energy 
> > conservation - an alternavtive version of this is that he could 
be a 
> > very focused trader and has eliminated the non-essentials, like 
> > defining his style OR chatting about his style.
> > 
> > BTW irrationality is the common name for the shadow (I used the 
> > symbolic name).
> > 
> > There is no irrationality in maths, programming etc which is 
probably 
> > why I quite like programmers etc.
> > 
> > Trading myths are born out of, and perpetuated by irrationality.
> > 
> > brian_z
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "wavemechanic" <timesarrow@> 
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > 
> > 
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/stocks/commentary/lcbattlep/082720
> > 04-39801.cfm
> > > 
> > > 
> > 
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/swingtrading/commentary/lcbattlep/
> > 09022004-39899.cfm
> > >   ----- Original Message ----- 
> > >   From: sidhartha70 
> > >   To: amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> > >   Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 10:52 AM
> > >   Subject: [amibroker] Re: 'Rule Based' versus 'Discretionary' 
> > trading...
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   I think you're right Brian. We do all use rules of some sort.
> > > 
> > >   But I guess discretionary traders don't use 'hard and fast' 
rules 
> > and
> > >   can't always define the same set of rules by which they 
choose to
> > >   define an entry or exit.
> > > 
> > >   For example, as we all know, something as simple as defining 
a 
> > trend
> > >   programatically can be more problematic as you might at first 
> > think.
> > >   However, a good trader can see very quickly what state the 
market 
> > is
> > >   in by looking at various time frame of chart.
> > > 
> > >   Likewise, divergences of various sorts can be easy to see 
with the
> > >   naked eye but difficult to code in their entirety.
> > > 
> > >   Like driving a car, or a golf swing, you learn the 'rules' 
but 
> > when
> > >   you get really good you are no longer thinking rules... you've
> > >   effectively let go of the rules and are just 'doing'...
> > > 
> > >   --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "brian_z111" <brian_z111@> 
> > wrote:
> > >   >
> > >   > Here is my definition:
> > >   > 
> > >   > We are all rule based traders.
> > >   > 
> > >   > Mechanical Traders are a specialist group who have 
programmed 
> > >   > computers to autotrade their rules OR automatically 
announce 
> > their 
> > >   > rules via computer communications (audio, email, chart 
prompts, 
> > >   > spoken text etc).
> > >   > 
> > >   > I am prepared to continue the discussion with any seers, 
> > inituitives 
> > >   > etc, who come forward, and adjust my definition to meet 
> > anything new 
> > >   > that comes out of that.
> > >   > 
> > >   > In advance I admit to the possibility of exceptions to the 
rule.
> > >   > 
> > >   > brian_z
> > >   > 
> > >   > 
> > >   > --- In amibroker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "brian_z111" 
<brian_z111@> 
> > wrote:
> > >   > >
> > >   > > >Descretionary traders make decisions that are based on 
> > personal 
> > >   > > >knowledge and circumstances, perhaps using many factors 
> > unknown to 
> > >   > > >themselves. Like which journal they read the night 
before. 
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > This is the nub of the question for sure, and the point 
that 
> > I am 
> > >   > > investigating.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > I suspect that when they (self-nominated DT's) think they 
are 
> > >   > making 
> > >   > > discretionary decisions they are in fact making rule 
based 
> > >   > decisions.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > That is why I asked for specific examples 
of 'discretionary' 
> > >   > decision 
> > >   > > making e.g. I haven't seen Bilbo's chart yet but I 
consider 
> > it 
> > >   > highly 
> > >   > > unlikely that the decision about whether a trend is in 
place 
> > is a 
> > >   > > discretionary decision - I can define a trend in several 
> > different 
> > >   > > ways - all of them can readily be written as a rule (in 
words 
> > or 
> > >   > with 
> > >   > > code) - I don't care if the definitions are 'correct' or 
not 
> > as 
> > >   > long as 
> > >   > > the system that they are part of works i.e. my rules for 
a 
> > trend 
> > >   > depend 
> > >   > > on the context.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > As Dennis said, our rules might be difficult to program, 
> > causing us 
> > >   > not 
> > >   > > to automate the trade, but mentally we are still running 
the 
> > rules 
> > >   > and 
> > >   > > if we are honest with ourselves we do know what the rules 
are.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > >For a novice traders to try and mimic the techniques (of 
> > >   > Discretionary 
> > >   > > >Traders) without 
> > >   > > >having similar backgrounds merits caution.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > What I am suggesting is that, over time, the sub-
conscious 
> > mind 
> > >   > will 
> > >   > > automate what was intially habitual conscious behaviour, 
and 
> > even 
> > >   > make 
> > >   > > some improvements on it, so that 'we' can skip the 
conscious 
> > part 
> > >   > for 
> > >   > > some 'tasks' e.g. driving the car becomes second nature.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > That won't happen for new traders, in a short time, so 
they 
> > do need 
> > >   > to 
> > >   > > persevere, be patient and not try to mimic people who 
have 
> > been 
> > >   > around 
> > >   > > for years.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > IMO formal (written) rules based 
> > trading/backtesting/optimization 
> > >   > is 
> > >   > > the best place to start - it grinds the basic lessons in 
very 
> > well.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > If anyone can look at a chart, and without recourse to 
any 
> > rules, 
> > >   > know 
> > >   > > which way the price is going to move and trade 
successfully  
> > (long 
> > >   > > term) on that basis then that is something else 
altogether.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > If it is at all possible to do that then it definitely 
can't 
> > be 
> > >   > taught.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > That is why I asked, "Anyone doing it?".
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > It is just like >100%PA returns - anything is possible 
but 
> > once 
> > >   > someone 
> > >   > > confirms that they have done it then it moves from the 
realm 
> > of 
> > >   > > possibility into reality.
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > In the meantime I will stick to my guns by saying 
> > that "except for 
> > >   > > people who KNOW what the price is going to do everyone 
else 
> > is a 
> > >   > rule 
> > >   > > based trader and categorizing traders, as DT's or MT's, 
is 
> > >   > arbitrary".
> > >   > > 
> > >   > > brian_z
> > >   > >
> > >   >
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   ------------------------------------
> > > 
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only.
> > > 
> > >   To get support from AmiBroker please send an e-mail directly 
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> > > 
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> > > 
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> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > >   No virus found in this incoming message.
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> > >   Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.6/1623 - Release 
Date: 
> > 8/20/2008 8:12 AM
> > >
> >
>



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