SIG's Degenerate Games: Forge Your Trading Edge
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Resources & Recommendations
Books
- "Getting the Best of It" by David Sklansky - This book, primarily about poker, served as an "advantage handbook" for Chris's job interview at Susquehanna International Group (SIG), covering topics like expected value, mathematics of parleys, Bayes theorem, card counting, horse racing, casino mistakes, and sports wagering.
- "Liar's Poker" by Michael Lewis - This influential finance book, which gets its title from a gambling game played by Salomon traders, is mentioned in the context of how office poker games influenced the public perception of the Long-Term Capital Management meltdown.
People Mentioned
- Chris Abdelmessih - The guest for this episode, a trader who has worked in various markets and for Susquehanna International Group (SIG). He is also focused on education and learning in trading.
- David Sklansky - Author of "Getting the Best of It," known for writing about poker and advantage play.
- Robert Granieri (Bloomberg) - Mentioned as a former SIG employee who later became a prominent figure, highlighting SIG's influence on the financial industry.
- Axl Rose - Lead singer of Guns N' Roses, quoted by the host with the line "nothing lasts forever" to illustrate the transient nature of market advantages.
Organizations & Institutions
- Susquehanna International Group (SIG) - A prominent trading firm where Chris Abdelmessih started his career. The podcast discusses their unique approach to recruiting, training, and their significant influence on financial markets.
- Robinhood - A brokerage app mentioned for its simplified user interface for options trading, which the host contrasts with the inherent complexity of options.
- Jane Street - Another prop trading giant, whose founders came out of SIG, highlighting the shared lineage and similar approaches to education and technology in trading.
- Parallax Volatility Advisors - The fund where Chris Abdelmessih transitioned to a role as a portfolio manager after working as a market maker.
Websites & Online Resources
- Chris Abdelmessih's Substack - Chris writes a newsletter covering topics relevant to traders, from implied volatility to behavioral biases.
- SIG Games Blog - A website where SIG traders, particularly those interested in chess, League of Legends, and NFL coaching decisions, write about strategy and decision-making.
- Chris Abdelmessih's Twitter - Mentioned as a place to follow Chris.
- Risk of Ruin Podcast Substack - The podcast's substack where "advantage podcast mixtapes" are posted, offering collections of other podcasts and interviews.
Tools & Software
- Moon Tower AI - Chris Abdelmessih's options analytics software, designed to help investors understand the effect of volatility and construct trades for better volatility pricing.