Van Tharp's New Position Sizing Game

I just got this in an email. I have the original. I beat the game the second time I used it and never used it again. It looks like they've made it more realistic and challenging. I'm not endorsing this, I'm just letting you know it's available. VT may not be the best trader in the world, but he does know a bit about Risk and Money Management, and all the issues that screw us up.

I'm contacting you via email because you have purchased my trading simulation game 3.0 and I wanted you to know that the NEW Version 4.0 of The Position Sizing Game is ready for release!
Since you already own the previous edition of the game, I have a very special upgrade price for you.
Only $75
Get version 4.0, at a big discount, and pay only $75! (Upgrade now using coupon code .)
You get a discount and still benefit from all the improvements in this latest version. Most companies would charge you full price for an upgrade, for such a modified product.
What's New?

 

1. Realistic Mode: People used to tell us that they had made trillions of dollars in the previous version of the game. While some of you may still want to do that, we’ve taken the game to a new level by adding a realistic mode. Realistic mode allows for slippage, commissions, taxes, and trader mistakes to eat into your equity just as in live trading. The beta testers have been blown away by the cumulative effects on their earnings of all those “little” expenses. So here’s our challenge: buy the new v4.0 and see if you can make billions of dollars now in realistic mode, let alone get past Level 2 at 90% trader efficiency. It’s very, very tough! And it’s a lot more like real-life trading.
2. New Screen Designs: The game’s greatly improved user interface makes the screens simpler, more informational, and more like what you are used to seeing when you trade.
3. Works on New PCs: You can now play the game on any PC running Windows Vista or Windows 7 (or on a Mac operating in Windows mode).
4. Track Your Drawdowns: Get an idea of what drawdowns feel like and how big they might get using your own trading system’s results in simulation mode. Can you imagine living through a drawdown in your live account when you have already lived through a worse one in the game? That experience and knowledge can be invaluable.
5. Simulate Your Own System: You can also simulate your own trading system by adding in the R-multiple distribution of your system. And while that's not new, with the new drawdown information you can now use position sizing(TM) to make sure you never reach ruin as we recommend in the Definitive Guide to Position Sizing.
6. Hands Free Updates: The game now automatically checks for updates to the game software, so you will always be playing the most updated code for the version available.
7. Easy to Read Instructions and Help Section: The Instructions and Help Section have been completely rewritten. The updated section guides will help new players learn the game faster and guide experienced players with some position sizing ideas.

The feedback on all of the improvements from our beta testers has been glowing. We took a lot of time to make the game an excellent teaching tool as well as a fun activity. Based on the initial feedback, it looks like we are meeting those objectives.
To upgrade, click here. Use this coupon code "" to get the special price of $75.

What's The Position Sizing Game About?

People always look for the "real" secrets of master traders, but their mental biases cause them to look in all the wrong places and at all the wrong things. To many traders it seems that success will come with the ultimate stock picking methods or magical trading systems with 80%+ winning trades. Picking the right stocks has nothing to do with trading success and neither do amazing trading systems with high percentage wins.
How then do you become a master trader? The Market Wizards agree that there are three keys to trading success:

(1) Follow the golden rule of trading—cut your losses short and let your profits run.
(2) Master the part of your trading that tells you how much.
(3) Develop the discipline to follow both of those elements.

This game will help you focus on one of the three most important aspects of trading—position sizing strategies. Additionally, it will help you learn how to let your profits run—and protect them, as well. Finally, playing the game numerous times using your own system’s results in simulation mode allows you to practice proper position sizing and can help you develop the discipline to follow the other two keys for trading success. I designed The Position Sizing Game to help you learn these keys to trading success without risking your capital.

As with real trades, there’s only one position sizing question to answer in the game: “How much do I risk on each position?” You establish the risk amount in two ways: through your initial stop price (your risk per share) and your decision about how many shares to buy (which determines your total risk). Do this well and you are on your way to profits. Do this poorly and you blow up your account.

To complete the game, you have to prove your proficiency in four key principles: (1) the importance of R-multiples; (2) the difference between expectancy and probability; (3) letting profits run without letting them escape; and (4) using position sizing strategies to make sure you have a low-risk trade. The Position Sizing Game is designed to drive these principles home by giving you the experience of making (or losing) money in a game environment where losing is safer.

Through the game, you’ll begin to understand these principles experientially without having real money at stake. My book, The Definitive Guide to Position Sizing, explains all of these ideas conceptually if you are interested.

To upgrade from version 3.0 to 4.0 click here and use coupon code "" to get your discount. This code is intended for your use only. Please do not distribute it to others. This offer expires March 31st.

Thank you. I hope you love playing Version 4.0 of The Position Sizing Game as much as I do.

Sincerely,
Van K. Tharp
Trading Coach
The Van Tharp Institute
www.vantharp.com

I've only read his book - Trade your way to finacial freedom- has to be the best book i've read.

never realised there was a game to it though, will have to take a look

thanks for the post

must be interesting. Thanks Sir!

Don't get me wrong, I think that Van's a clued-up guy, and an articulate author, even if he doesn't trade himself.

However, a couple of points:

1. IMO Van makes position sizing overly complex. In reality, all that's required is to keep sizes small enough to protect capital against the possibility of series of losses. I don't mean to sound conceited, but I don't need to purchase a game to prove that to myself.

2. Keep in mind that Van's trading strategies are not necessarily forex-specific. For example, if we take "cut losses quickly; let profits run", that is profitable only to the extent that markets trend. I recall reading a post of Daytrading's where he said "FX has short trends and no directional bias except carry. His view of this asset class being the most 'trendy' is delusional at best.......". Hence we would need to find setups with a higher-than-normal propensity to trend, in order to maximize the potential of this strategy.

I posted in more detail on all of this here.

I agree for the most part. I tried the demo of the above and concluded that I already know what he's trying to teach (I did do a seminar with him and we spent a day on MM). Also, the program above utilizes some huge assumptions, some of which I've yet to encounter in trading FX. Specifically, that there are going to be quite a few losses which get out of control so that you end up with ones that are 5 and even 10x your planned loss. I've seem some get up to 2x due to executions errors but that's it.

I suppose when people are new that it will happen due to not closing losing positions and not using a SL, but those folks wouldn't utilize the principles he's trying to teach anyway.

I think all anyone needs is to read his book TYWTFF and study the MM section.