[player24]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi player,
A few thoughts in response to your observations. [ QUOTE ]
At least one of us is trying to 'game' the competition

[/ QUOTE ] If you mean I'm trying to win, you're absolutely correct, if you mean something different, please explain. [ QUOTE ]
by concentrating the entire portfolio in one high risk security

[/ QUOTE ] A four month stock market contest will be won by concentration, not diversification. If the time horizon was five years, my strategy would certainly be much different. [ QUOTE ]
Apparently, we believe that we should buy 'undervalued' stocks

[/ QUOTE ] While that may be true for most of the participants, I'm trading a stock at all-time highs. fwiw

[/ QUOTE ]

Perhaps the best analogy would be play-money poker. If we all sat down at the table with play money, some of us would (conceivably) play according to our 'normal' discipline - viewing the game as a test of skill. In contrast, some of us would (probably) play like maniacs, taking ill-advised risks, devaluing skill and making a mockery of the competition.

IMO, picking one high volatility stock and pressing the bet to the max conflicts with the basic intent of the competition - but It is a fair strategy. As things stand, most of us will be competing for second place - although it is possible that your strategy will be contagious and others will decide to bet their entire stack on a gamble.

I used the word 'undervalued' as a catch-all-phrase to describe stocks that we believed would rise in price (whether for technical, fundamental or valuation reasons). I was merely noting the fact that this group seems averse, generally, to shorting stocks that they believe will fall in price.