> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://serotolabs.gitbook.io/tradeclash/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://serotolabs.gitbook.io/tradeclash/getting-started/quick-start.md).

# Quick Start Guide

Play your first lot in three minutes. No wallet required. No deposit. Just join a room.

***

## Step 1: Join a Room

Open [tradeclash.xyz](https://tradeclash.xyz). The globe shows active auctions by region. Tap any pulsing region or hit "Join Room" from the auction feed.

Rooms seat 2-4 players. Open seating — join anytime there's space.

## Step 2: Street 1 — The Peek

A new lot deals. You see three things:

* **Category** (e.g., Politics, Macro, Tech)
* **Payout range** (e.g., $180–$420) — deliberately wide
* **Your private position** — one fully revealed prediction market position that only you can see (market name, side, entry price, current price, size)

This is your hole card. Nobody else sees it.

**Action**: Place a sealed bid (any amount) or pass ($0). You have 30 seconds.

After the timer, all bids are revealed to the table.

**First-place win check**: If your bid exceeds the next-highest by 50% or more, you win the lot immediately. Skip to the reveal.

## Step 3: Street 2 — The Flip

One new position is revealed to all players. Now everyone knows:

* Their own private position
* The shared position
* What everyone bid on Street 1

**Action**: Sealed bid. 30 seconds. All bids revealed after.

**First-place win check**: 20% gap wins it early.

## Step 4: Street 3 — The River

One more shared position revealed. You now know 3 of 7 positions (your private card + 2 shared). The remaining positions — including at least one burn card — stay hidden.

**Action**: Final sealed bid. Highest bid wins. No first-place win on the last street.

## Step 5: The Reveal

All seven positions are exposed. The burn cards flip. The lot's true value is calculated:

```
trueValue = sum of (currentPrice - entry) × size
```

across all seven positions.

**Winner's profit = trueValue - winningBid**

* Positive profit: you got a deal.
* Negative profit: winner's curse. You overpaid.
* All players bid $0 on the final street? No winner. Next lot deals.

***

## What Just Happened

You competed in a sealed-bid auction with incomplete information. Your edge came from:

* **Your private position** — a data point nobody else had
* **Shared reveals** — narrowing the range each street
* **Bid history** — reading what others think the lot is worth
* **Burn cards** — positions nobody saw, keeping the lot unsolvable

The winner's curse is real. Aggressive bidders win more lots but overpay more often. Conservative bidders miss lots but protect their P\&L.

## Your First 5 Lots

Don't try to win every lot. Focus on:

1. **Reading your private position** — if it's high-value, the lot probably is too
2. **Watching bid patterns** — a player who bids big on Street 1 thinks they saw something good
3. **Passing when uncertain** — $0 is a valid bid. Live to bid another lot.
4. **Sizing the payout range** — if the range is $180–$420 and your private card alone accounts for $100 of value, the lot is probably on the higher end
5. **Tracking your P\&L** — the leaderboard rewards consistency, not one big swing

Top leaderboard players earn weekly $SIM rewards. The game is free to play — your skill is the bankroll.


---

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