Hello Contest Support,

Thanked once and for all that clarifies the following rules:

3 . Dukascopy expects Participants to adhere to the following list of recommendations:

d . "The back-testing result has to be adequate and similar to the live trading results."
e . "The strategy must be written in accordance with Java Code Conventions. All comments have to be provided in English."

4 . "You can update your strategy during the contest month but only once."

There currently are contestants with almost 10 updates of strategy so far. Have strategies with over 15 000 lines of white space which is against the rules of Java Code Conventions.

How can we see the performance of such strategies?

I wonder what is your position regarding compliance with these rules?

I liked to see this topic here clarified once and for all so that all competitors know what they can not do.

Thank you,

LinnuxFX

Hi
Linnux has raised some interesting points regarding the Competition Rules and the interpretation put on them by Dukascopy.
I am not sure where No. 4 - updating only once comes in - I can NOT find it in the rules! ( but I know I have seen it somewhere)

Rule 3d. to me is the crux of the matter

I came to forex trading knowing nothing about it at all. I knew how to program but not in Java.
Since I began I have learnt a tremendous lot about automatic trading...by watching the 'masters' such as Quantisan.

To be able to improve on your own knowledge, you do need to be able to look at various strategy codes and understand their complexities.

This is where the 'syncronized swimming team' as they have been referred to, have made it somewhat difficult

By submitting multiple versions of a strategy (or even completely different strategies) in the same month and presenting them in a way that Linnux refers to with thousands of blank lines - then backtesting becomes impossible!

I think that being allowed only one strategy submission per month makes a lot more sense.

I believe that most of us in the strategy competition - do seek a level playing field where the only difference in performance is a direct result of the strategy's trading rules.

Oh well, back to the Rugby World Cup - looking forward to seeing the Kiwis beat France tomorrow night in the Final

Hello us_copiosus,

You said:
"I am not sure where No. 4 - updating only once comes in - I can NOT find it in the rules! ( but I know I have seen it somewhere)"

Here it is:
https://www.dukascopy.com/strategycontest/?action=recommendations

Really, i want knew the Support interpretation of this rules and recommendations.

You remember well, when we have Quantisan in this contest the results were more fair, a long time ago, more than one year, when i win my first prize in September-2010 with a 10th place.

In my opinion, Dukascopy should see some of the rules at the Annual Metatrader5 Championship, where contestants have to submit the strategy for approval and only entering the contest after it is approved. They can not make further changes until the end and all strategies begin and end at the same time.

Another thing that I think is not right competitors can put the strategies to running up to day 25 of each month, it makes no sense, in any contest all the competitors start at the same time...

How can evaluate correctly the performance of a strategy that run 30 days against one that run only 10 days?

I would like to see here the views of some participants and Dukascopy to see if we can improve anything at this point, because I think the contest is not being very fair...

Thanks,

LinnuxFX

You are absolutely right and my support on this. I have noticed this earlier but thought it was my mistake that i couln't see the strat properly.

LinnuxFX you are looking very dangerous mode at your profile picture....anyway...(1)VB, VB.NeT or other code may does not exists at Dukascopy's servers except java, my code is running at Dukascopy's servers mean my codes have pure java language, otherwise LinnuxFX knows (if programmer) this massage "Compilation error" in red color. (2)"You can update your strategy during the contest month but only once." means that you can update NEW STRATEGY only once but NEW VERSION max 11. (LAST) Dukascopy gives or provides us excellent opportunity for learning and improvement of strategies/models.I have 30% to 40% improvement of my old models we can test strategies with live market.We should take maximum advantage of this opportunity.My strategy have reverse position or 1st position from end but i am cool, LinnuxFX has 1st position but.....?????.

why are there white spaces in your code ?

For a programmer/developer like (Cesar, egidijus, pipscity, tdurai84, Kelvinmaster, stroegeorge, adask, plskyline, anichka, Tacite, karamel, mike77, hut, us_copiosus, Erimo, schnitzel, Otaniemi, Victor, Jakil_, sintra, SFXbernhard, Quant-Trader, MobNaga, Barney, mustapha, SDProg, slimih, mutsi, Schaolin, nikunj0580, Frank_, dontonka, Aircooled, OGA, okina13, randomwraith or may be YOU, this is my favorite list) no white spaces there, but yes a COPY_PLAYER like....???? can raise a question "why are there white spaces in your code ?" .Because programmer can shrink this code very easily in 2 to 3 seconds like JAVA compiler but COPY_PLAYERs can not erase a simple comment too.

I have never appear at this forum without original user name, because i am right, if you are right or have right thinking then should be appear with user name may be i could explain in details.

These programmer is intelligent/good programmers have excellent strategies, my strategies may be a "piece of crap".Some my friends have claim that my strategies have same or similar parameters, if my strategy have same parameters then result should be same like Imiimi, MASAEH, thomasr, quantum_fx, najsaeh they have 100% same Kelvinmaster's strategy, but no.

Check equity graph of my strategies every graph deferent or separate from each others or you can check my strategy deeply in next month.

RSi parameters or fake parameters etc only for COPY_PLAYERs, actually codes are different for original order generating.
I remind you that i have write these strategies for my cousin and colleague ColDogar, Fjabeen and Hrdogar these users not only my cousins or friends but also my LiVE account's clients and these users not a COPY_PLAYERs, and have separate laptops and ips, my coming user for DUKASCOPY is Dr.Atiq.My all users or friends or clients are decent and mature people except me (i am mature but not a decent like LinnuxFX) but all these yet learning process in this field.

Logically no need 4 or 5 same strategies for running because only one strategy can beat to all same strategies.I'm 100% systematic trader and have plenty and different kinds of strategies or systems.ColDogar have Turtle base system, Hrdogar have Volume spread base or VSA, me RSi with filters, Fjabeen have On Balance Volume (OBV) & Time Segmented Volume (TSV) and Dr.Atiq Rsi Reverse system, these systems are not a same.

Short term i have not found profitable method yet, because market behavior always or every month change, every strategy could be "piece of crap".But my long-term method is very profitable check it https://postimage.org/image/1ou5djomc/ you can compare my model with Dr. Chris Kacher's model (not a big deference), at every tech stock or NASDAQ's ETFs my model has brilliant performance.Dukascopy gives or provides us excellent opportunity for learning and improvement of Algorithmic strategies or models.I have 30% to 40% improvement of my old models we can test strategies with live market THANKS DUKASCOPY.

I have my own backtest and market view software you can check https://postimage.org/image/1ouu6lw10/full/

I remind you once again this is unique opportunity for learning and improvement of our strategies/models take or get maximum advantage of this opportunity.I can send my strategy to everyone if they wants but i sure no need for this, they can easily erase lines & spaces except COPY_PLAYERs.I think COPY_PLAYERs will never try for learning.My some friends told me that no need for explanation to everyone because a programmer knows everything. Ok thanks and Sorry for weak English.

Hi *

I am new in Forex , then this is just my current understanding of it. But as you asked for opinions, here is mine.
I dont think that rules will make any difference. In my opinion Metatrader Contest rules are only rules. Different than the ones here, but not better, not worse.

Forex contests have the problem that people win only because of luck. All strategies (profitable and not) have the same chances to win a forex contest, because you need to risk too much in every trade.

Trying to find a profitable method would require a contest that last at least 1 year, is measured by a combination of risk factor, profitability, drawdown, etc. Where minimum requirement for winning is that contestants must have at least 100 trades per month, and make minimum 10% profitability every single month in one year. And the prize for the winner would probably be few millions in a PAAM account.
Anything less means just tossing a coin and wishing for good luck.

Also, and most important, the Strategy must not be shared. A winning strategy is supposed to find an imbalance in an otherwise perfect market. If that finding is shared, it will quickly be absorved, and the method wont be successful anymore. The key of successful traders lies in the secrecy of their methods. To buy when price > SMA(50) is a successful method if the trader knoww when to apply it. If a trader applies it and hope for market to behave in that way, that is not a successful method. However in both cases, the strategy looks identical.


Below method works for every currency pair, it can beat 50% of players in any forex contest, and win contests with probability = 1/#ofPlayers:

if ( toss_a_coin() == HEADS ) {
buy();
else {
sell();
}

No rules will change that.


Cesar

Cesar You are absolutely right...

I agree with LinnuxFx that rules clarification is needed. 1 line rules gives space to many different interpretations.
And the different interpretations seem to be also within Dukascopy team. Few weeks ago in different thread, when LinnuxFX asked Dukascopy about the "updating strategy once per month" limit, Dukascopy answer was that current limit is 10 (!!!), and that in the future it will be only 1. Then why do they have that rule now. Shouldnt that rule exist only in the future then, when it is actually 1 per month?

However i agree with Cesar, that whatever rules, those are good only for trying to not break them. Submitting a totally new strategy once per day wont make a contestant more successful than if submitting once per month.

The best way to win that contest is to run 10 strategies at the same times and to circle comment, this has been well understood by the 2 or 3 synchronized swimming team participating in that contest.

The other way to win the contest is to get some of the synchronized contestant to run opposite entries which one of the synchronized team has always been doing pretty well for 2 of their contestant (including one of the winner of this month), i could care less to check if more are doing it as Dukaskopy is not willing to take action. Considering the 2 guys are circle commenting 2 or 3 times each trades i really dont see why Dukas dont ban both of them, they are the 2 worst cheat i have seen around here.

There are lot of solution to the current issue, including to run the contest on a longer term, to suppress the Popularity point, my favourite one though would be to let the contest run on real money so that synchronized swimming team will think twice about entering ,-)

as far as i am concerned i have stopped trying to make my "contest" strategies better, there is no point when you start with up to 30 points deficit (pop point) i have been really disapointed with the permanent breach of the rules without any sanction, i will just drop dumb strategies that trades with a lot of leverage and try to beat the high score from now on ,-)

That's going to screw my dukaspoint but i dont really feel like building strategies that are doing 12/13 trades with a sl/tp ratio of 1/3 or 1/4 just to get the max points ,-)

Here is an exemple of comment from one of the swimming team which pretty much allowed him to finish in the top10, all for the same trade with the same people saying 3 times the same things(does this make sense at all?):

hull yesterday at 17:42 GMT
Bes luck for you.
thomasr yesterday at 11:27 GMT
Good strategy, BL for you!
Kelvinmaster yesterday at 08:28 GMT
Best of good for you and your strategy.
aniko 29 Oct
Wishes good luck for you!
thomasr 29 Oct
Best luck for you!
okina13 28 Oct
Your strategy awesome..., best luck for you!
Kelvinmaster 28 Oct
Good direction, best of good!
hull 28 Oct
Best luck for you!
thomasr 28 Oct
Good luck on the last day!
aniko 28 Oct
Best luck for this trade

As a conclusion i would suggest everyone to spam 10 or 12 times the sames things on each trades ,-) (although spamming is forbidden the example above show you that it is allowed and REWARDED)

We seem to be getting off the point here............
I believe the strategy contest should be just that - a competition between differing strategies with each contestant putting up one (1) strategy per month
Otherwise what are we competing against?

To provide strategies with thousands of blank lines is silly and counterproductive.
Remember we are all so-called 'programmers' but at very different levels of competence

Those new to the game and wishing to learn by example are getting no assistance from strategies with thousands of blank lines

What I want is a level playing field (as you know Kiwis are very good at seeking this aim)

Please, Dukascopy, have the gumption to address the above concerns and make it clear that we do not want any form of cheating!

As far as I am concerned, Linnux has won the October competition, fairly and squarely.

Respected pipscity@: Only simple question for you: (1) tell me way if a person wants to participate of this contest (like colleague, brothers or cousins etc), i condemned if they give comments three to four times, definitely you have a advantage, if you have these participants.(2) if they have no such a knowledge for java but have try for learning, tell me solution for those people except COPY_PLAYER, but i think no need to participate such a people or COPY_PLAYER.

This contest has two main problems (a) COPY_PLAYER (b) popularity, COPY_PLAYER problem can be solved but popularity? impossible for Dukascopy.I know popularity is very difficult job than to make a new strategy, but solution?. I have been write huge comments in every blog but no return, i think NO_REPLY_USERs have claim for popularity, i have always reply this is my habit you can check it in future, lol.

Anyway I remind you again no need 10 same strategies for running because only one strategy can beat to all the same strategies, if you have different strategy with different users (with different laptops & ips) what's wrong?. if a strategy has opposite entries (i have no such a strategy) but with different user i think this is not wrong, but this is wrong that a COPY_PLAYERs have every top strategy for running .If you deeply study you know that make short term profitable strategy is very very difficult.

I 100% agree with Cesar that people win only because of luck (short term) not a opposite entries or right side entries. All strategies have the same chances to win. Criticism is very easy job i can write 100 pages for this contest, but for solution i have no single line too.

In my August blog some users have been comments for me or now may be for you, lol (1) We should concentrate on our own strategies instead of pointing fingers on others.why don't you concentrate on your own strategy and make it so good that nobody could defeat it. (2) you should be careful in your remarks /comments as this could back fire Dukascopy principals are very well defined so (3) Such a poor performance shows that you are not fit for trading. I advise you to do what the Looser always do.......blame all the world but your self....so keep on blaming, lol .

Pipscity last i expect by you for solutions, i will agree 100% with you. No doubt about it contest has little problems but gives us huge benefit / advantages. Today Dukascopy not allowed to us for uploading or running strategies like second last month. please careful...Thanks and sorry for my English that is just as good as my strategy, lol

Abdul or HrDogan, or ColDogar or whoever you are. I would agree with you, but in your thoughts I see one disagreement - all strategies should be DIFFERENT. I do not call strategies with different values of one or more parameters (RSI for example) DIFFERENT. Strategies should be really different. Then maybe I would agree with you 100%. But now... I think Dukascopy also do not agree with you, this we can see from October results. Sorry man.

Yes, Adask...

I want to thank everyone who supported me in this topic and noted that all deserve to win but honestly. Dukascopy saw how these competitors have tried to circumvent the rules.

For a fairer competition will continue to do a good job as fair players....

LinnuxFX