Article translated from: https://botacademy.ddns.net/

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Nowadays, the word trading seems to be misunderstood as an easy shortcut to getting rich quick. Perhaps this is because too many self-proclaimed "gurus" are peddling the dream of effortless wealth. Just follow their courses/methods, and anyone can get rich. But what these "gurus" won't tell you is that trading, especially short-term trading, is essentially a zero-sum game — that is, every winner necessarily comes with a loser. Even if everyone in the world adopted the same strategy, it would be impossible for everyone to get rich.

What Is a Zero-Sum Game?

A zero-sum game is one in which one party's gain is exactly equal to another party's loss. The total amount of money in the system neither increases nor decreases — it simply moves from one participant to another.

Imagine you're playing poker with your friends. If you win $50, the rest of the table (or all the other players combined) lose a total of $50. The total amount in the game hasn't changed — it has just shifted from one person to another. That is the essence of a zero-sum game: one person's gain is exactly offset by another person's loss.

Why Is Trading a Zero-Sum Game?