Universum TP 55/ SL 50 robot review - BUSTED -$4,043

[PipCop]

These are the live results from the Universum EA using a Stop Loss of 50 and Take Profit of 55 on a 1 hour EURUSD chart. I have re-activated this as I realized I foolishly stopped this one before it had a chance to perform.


The Universum EA can be downloaded from here: http://codebase.mql4.com/en/3343


Universum uses a Martingale system. Please also read this anti-martingale and position sizing article.

2009-09-16 UPDATE - Another spectacular Martingale failure, nearly wiping out the entire account balance. This EA hit it's loss limit (which I set to "4") and won't start. I may try to reset it manually to see if it can continue.

2008-09-08 RESTARTED this EA as the version that was running previously was a modified version I was working on which accidentally was put on this machine. Now it is back to the original as coded by the author.

2008-09-08 This EA is often under-capitalized and is unable to open a trade in the desired amount (3.10 lots) as there is not enough money and it’s trying to open too many lots. As a result, I have changed it from 1.0 lots to 0.1 lots. Let’s see if that helps.


2008-08-21 Changed TP to 55 as the SL of 50 generated slightly more losses than a subsequent win. This should help even it out a little.

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Should I buy/use this EA on a live account? - Government Required disclaimer - Earnings disclaimer

universum50-50

XP3/universum50-50

[PipCop]

Here is the modified version of Universum. The changes are:

• Losses limit = 4
• Lots = 0.1
• If losses limit is met, then losses are set to 0 and lots are reset back to default (0.1)

//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                 Universum_v3.mq4 |
//|                               Copyright © 2008, Yury V. Reshetov |
//|                               http://bigforex.biz/load/2-1-0-170 |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright "Copyright © 2008, Yury V. Reshetov http://bigforex.biz/load/2-1-0-170"
#property link      "http://bigforex.biz/load/2-1-0-170"

//---- input parameters
extern int       p = 10;
extern double    tp  = 55;
extern double    sl  = 50;
extern double    lots = 0.1;
extern int       losseslimit = 4;
extern bool      fastoptimize = true;
extern int       mn = 888;
static int       prevtime = 0;
static int       losses = 0;


//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| expert start function                                            |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
int start()
  {
   if (Time[0] == prevtime) return(0);
   prevtime = Time[0];
   
   if (! IsTradeAllowed()) {
      prevtime = Time[1];
      MathSrand(TimeCurrent());
      Sleep(30000 + MathRand());
   }
//----
   int total = OrdersTotal();
   for (int i = 0; i < total; i++) {
      OrderSelect(i, SELECT_BY_POS, MODE_TRADES);
      if (OrderSymbol() == Symbol() && OrderMagicNumber() == mn) {
         return(0);
      } 
   }
   
   int ticket = -1;
   
   double lt = getLots();
   if (losses >= losseslimit) {
      SendMail(WindowExpertName() + " Too many losses", "Chart " + Symbol() + " - Bal: $" + DoubleToStr(AccountBalance(),2));
   }
   
   if (iDeMarker(Symbol(), 0, p, 0) > 0.5) {
      RefreshRates();
      ticket = OrderSend(Symbol(), OP_BUY, lt, Ask, 1, Bid - sl  * Point , Bid + tp  * Point , WindowExpertName(), mn, 0, Blue); 
      SendMail(WindowExpertName() + " " + DoubleToStr(tp,0) + "/" + DoubleToStr(sl,0) + " buy position opened", " Chart " + Symbol() + " - Ask:" + DoubleToStr(Ask,4) + " - Lots:" + DoubleToStr(lt,1) + " - Bal: $" + DoubleToStr(AccountBalance(),2));
      if (ticket < 0) {
         Sleep(30000);
         prevtime = Time[1];
      }
   } else {
      ticket = OrderSend(Symbol(), OP_SELL, lt, Bid, 1, Ask + sl  * Point , Ask - tp  * Point , WindowExpertName(), mn, 0, Red); 
      SendMail(WindowExpertName() + " " + DoubleToStr(tp,0) + "/" + DoubleToStr(sl,0) + " sell position opened", " Chart " + Symbol() + " - Ask:" + DoubleToStr(Ask,4) + " - Lots:" + DoubleToStr(lt,1) + " - Bal: $" + DoubleToStr(AccountBalance(),2));
            RefreshRates();
      if (ticket < 0) {
         Sleep(30000);
         prevtime = Time[1];
      }
   }
//-- Exit --
   return(0);
}
//+--------------------------- getLots ----------------------------------+

double getLots() {

   if (IsOptimization() && fastoptimize) {
      return(lots);
   }
  
   losses = 0;
   double minlot = MarketInfo(Symbol(), MODE_MINLOT);
   int round = MathAbs(MathLog(minlot) / MathLog(10.0)) + 0.5;
   double result = lots;
   int total = OrdersHistoryTotal();
   double spread  = MarketInfo(Symbol(), MODE_SPREAD);
   double k = (tp + sl ) / (tp - spread );
   for (int i = 0; i < total; i++) {
      OrderSelect(i, SELECT_BY_POS, MODE_HISTORY);
      if (OrderSymbol() == Symbol() && OrderMagicNumber() == mn) {
         if (OrderProfit() > 0) {
            result = lots;
            losses = 0;
         } else {
            result = result * k;
            losses++;
         }
      }
   }
   result = NormalizeDouble(result, round);
   double maxlot = MarketInfo(Symbol(), MODE_MAXLOT);
   if (result > maxlot) {
      result = maxlot;
   }
   if (result < minlot) {
      mn = mn + 1;
   }
   if (losses >= losseslimit) {
      result = lots;
      losses = 0;
      }
   RefreshRates();
   return(result);
}

I have also attached it for your convenience.

[PipCop]

Here are the results from last month, 2008-09:

<iframe src="http://www.pipcop.com/mt/universum50-50/2008-09-30-statement.htm" scrolling="auto" width="900" frameborder="0" height="2600"></iframe>

[PipCop]

Well that didn't last long.

Official - BUSTED BY PIPCOP!

[ElectricSavant]

I beleive that this EA should be traded with an IBFX mini account set at 0.01. There should not be a limit of 4 and you should have 2K minimum. The little profits add up over 1 month and if you stop trading on Fridays and turn the EA off, you should be able to last long enough to get a profit. On NFP week stop trading before Thursday hits....

I have been trading this EA live for several months and have not blown up yet. You must be patient and accept small daily profits and be well capitalized for nanolot trading.

I have adopted the 55 TP presented here and the default of 50 SL ....that was a good idea....but I do not get net losses in any trade-set as I do not limit it to four trades...I let it run till it gets its TP . The EA's code will double and sometimes add an extra nano...I do not know why it does that...but that helps cover the spread when deep into the trade.

ES

[PipCop]

It's funny that you mention that, because I was thinking the same things. Overall I liked the 105/100 version as it ran for a really long time, and had I set the loss limit to 10 it would have recovered. If it were using smaller lots, it would have been fine as well. I am considering re-starting this EA in a while to see if that would work.

Do you have results you could care to publish? Check this link:

http://www.pipcop.com/forums/showthr...?p=122#post122

[ElectricSavant]

Before I found this site I had been doing a lot of testing with this EA with different settings. I just restarted it live with 2K. So I do not have any history to share....at one time I tested it on four live account at the same time with different settings....I have never blown up once using nano's. It's just that most people grow bored making nickles and dimes...but over a month or a year Universum outperforms all EA's even with nano's and 2K.

but remember you need to shut it off on Fridays and early in the NFP week...or you will lose money...I am a believer that there is no such thing as a set and forget EA...

Nice site by the way....

ES

Originally Posted by PipCop

It's funny that you mention that, because I was thinking the same things. Overall I liked the 105/100 version as it ran for a really long time, and had I set the loss limit to 10 it would have recovered. If it were using smaller lots, it would have been fine as well. I am considering re-starting this EA in a while to see if that would work.

Do you have results you could care to publish? Check this link:

http://www.pipcop.com/forums/showthr...?p=122#post122

[PipCop]

Yeah, the small profits don't really interest folks. However, I had been playing around with it and made an automatic lot sizing function that gradually increased the lot size over time. It does start to have a nice uptrend after a while.

Personally, I would like to see if there were some way I could program this to be more accurate at placing profitable trades. I have been experimenting a lot with this, combining it with iPWR and iATR and some other indicators, but no luck so far.

Have you had any success with modifying it?

Originally Posted by ElectricSavant

Nice site by the way....

Thanks. I've got a lot of plans for it over time. Feel free to spread the word.

[ElectricSavant]

I am not a coder and would have no idea how to modify it, even if I trusted an indicator enough to do so...lol. I do not even know how Universum currently chooses its direction...lol...

I just have worked with it for several months and do not argue with what works...so I see no need for modification. The answer to this EA for me was, that you just need to be well capitlized and use nano's...1 nano per 2K seems reasonable, but more conservative folks may choose 3k...to be able to last longer in the trade set.

My discretion of when to turn it off...prolly helps a little too....just remember no Fridays and half week on NFP week.

ES

Originally Posted by PipCop

Yeah, the small profits don't really interest folks. However, I had been playing around with it and made an automatic lot sizing function that gradually increased the lot size over time. It does start to have a nice uptrend after a while.

Personally, I would like to see if there were some way I could program this to be more accurate at placing profitable trades. I have been experimenting a lot with this, combining it with iPWR and iATR and some other indicators, but no luck so far.

Have you had any success with modifying it?


Thanks. I've got a lot of plans for it over time. Feel free to spread the word.

[PipCop]

I have taught myself to program MQL4 recently, and have picked it up pretty quickly. I am by no means an expert, but I am having fun making rudimentary changes to EAs, reading what others do in their code, etc. I do have some ideas on how to make it smarter, and am going to pursue that with help from a friend who is making EAs using C++ and testing with ForexTester.

I would like to make it stop trading on Friday, and no NFP as well... yikes, I learned that one the hard way last year.

Trying to make sense of each indicator , and how to use it, takes a lot of time. And I really don't have a good grasp on that so far, so it's a lot of testing for me - usually with bad results.

If I had $10k to put into an account, then this could be profitable, that's for sure. Alas, I don't have that much money to put to risk, so in the meanwhile I hope to see what else is out there as soon as more folks have more EAs to test.