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trader000's Topstep Trader Combine Journal


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trader000's Topstep Trader Combine Journal

  #41 (permalink)
 
Big Mike's Avatar
 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
Site Administrator
Developer
Swing Trader
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: Custom solution
Broker: IBKR
Trading: Stocks & Futures
Frequency: Every few days
Duration: Weeks
Posts: 50,399 since Jun 2009
Thanks Given: 33,173
Thanks Received: 101,538

I think you are missing the point and only focusing on the discount.

TST is encouraging good behavior - kind of like a parent paying their kids for A's in school. The kid doesn't yet have the wisdom to know the benefit, but the parents do.

At the end of the day you get out what you put in.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

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  #42 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64


Big Mike View Post
I think you are missing the point and only focusing on the discount.

TST is encouraging good behavior - kind of like a parent paying their kids for A's in school. The kid doesn't yet have the wisdom to know the benefit, but the parents do.

At the end of the day you get out what you put in.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

I understand what you are saying Mike. I just find it hard to reach at least 200 words when I'm trading a mechanical system that doesn't change. The only thing that changes, is my execution.... which obviously needs help and I thought the journal was helping there. I'm also posting on days that I don't trade (not a requirement) and other info, such as the big combine changes (also not a requirement).

Can you confirm if my T4 images are showing up though? The email says that I'm not including trade images for each day that I traded. Do you know what else is required besides a screenshot of the T4 account screen showing the current day P-L as well as current balance?

I like the journaling, even if I am not long winded, but it's also an added step in my daily routine.

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  #43 (permalink)
 
Big Mike's Avatar
 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
Site Administrator
Developer
Swing Trader
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: Custom solution
Broker: IBKR
Trading: Stocks & Futures
Frequency: Every few days
Duration: Weeks
Posts: 50,399 since Jun 2009
Thanks Given: 33,173
Thanks Received: 101,538


I see only the TST combine report screenshots, nothing from T4 best I can tell.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

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  #44 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64


Big Mike View Post
I see only the TST combine report screenshots, nothing from T4 best I can tell.

Sent from my LG Optimus G Pro

I am confused then. Each day that I had trades on, I always included my account snapshot from T4. I can see them on my end looking back at old posts as well.

So you're saying you do not see any of these...




If you can't see them, that would explain why TST can't either. But I uploaded them, embedded them and they show on my end now. Should I not use the BigMike image upload and use an external site?

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  #45 (permalink)
 
Big Mike's Avatar
 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
Site Administrator
Developer
Swing Trader
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: Custom solution
Broker: IBKR
Trading: Stocks & Futures
Frequency: Every few days
Duration: Weeks
Posts: 50,399 since Jun 2009
Thanks Given: 33,173
Thanks Received: 101,538

No you are right, they are there. I was looking from my phone w/Tapatalk earlier, they were probably too small for me to see or I just overlooked them.

Mike

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  #46 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64


Big Mike View Post
No you are right, they are there. I was looking from my phone w/Tapatalk earlier, they were probably too small for me to see or I just overlooked them.

Mike

Thanks Mike! Will work on more in-depth analysis going forward.

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  #47 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64

Trade Date: 9/9/2013
P-L: $15.00
Balance: $50,487.50

Trade 1: Short trade for +1 tick. First trade of day on the combine platform was a short and I was patient with it and liked my profit targets. It got close to my first target and I trailed the stop, which got taken out unfortunately. I do not like trailing my stop b/c I know that over time it just costs me money, but the first trade of the week and wanted to lock in something, even if minimal. Price did hit my first target, so once again the trail cost money.

Price then gave a nice looking re-short and I did not take on the combine platform. That turned into a very nice drop, exactly what I was playing.

I had planned to keep trading the combine account, but after a couple no fills, I basically gave up on the day partly because I ‘missed’ the short move. While price had moved down, there were more trades to get into on the short side and most were nice trades.

So once again I am reminded of 2 things:

1. Do not trail your stop.
If you are about to trail stop, just hit flatten and take the profit that is there.

2. Do not quit mentally just b/c a trade or 2 does not fill.
Soybeans provides so many great opportunities every single day that 1 or 2 trades will not make the combine, nor cost the combine.


I also remember why I was unable to post screenshots from the TST website – their site does not update till later (I’m guessing after the indexes close) but I am unavailable at that time. So I hope my T4 screenshots work (which are real time) and then I can post the TST screenshot on Fri or over the weekend.


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  #48 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64

9/10/2013
No trades on the combine platform today.
I missed a couple entries to start and for whatever reason, that seems to put me into a cautious mode on the combine.

9/11/2013
P-L: +$305
Balance: $50,792.50


Trade 1: First trade that filled on the combine platform was a nice trade. I got into my normal position for the combine of 2 lots and then price just sat there. For 5 minutes price really didn’t do much, but I did see the same exact level being respected for each of those 5 minutes. One big advantage to minute based charts IMO is that you can see when price is respecting the same level multiple times. This especially true on ag’s. I have seen this same pattern on corn, wheat, soybean oil and soybean meal. For me and my trading, this is golden. B/c of seeing this pattern on the ZS appear while in a trade, I entered 2 more contracts once I saw 13566 level being held for 5 minutes. So this trade produced a nice $325 profit and my exits in hindsight were pretty damn good if I do say so myself. I saw that the ZS was moving, but nothing huge (yet) and so I kept my target very modest and achievable. I was also thinking about exiting the trade for a small loss at one point, but stayed patient and it worked out nicely.

Trade 2: Did not get another fill and decided to shut T4 down for day since the ZS was very tight today. Getting my +3 target was looking huge and focusing on the same market each day, you learn the ebb’s and flows of that market. Today the ZS (as of 1230pm EST) was pretty tight and slower moving. Even w/ that said, some decent moves as long as you’re not swinging for the fences.

Daily P-L screenshot:


TST screenshot (minus today):

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  #49 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64

Date: 9/12/2013

No trades in the combine.
I came into the day ready to trade, but after missing the first great looking short and then the next one, I went into my combine shell mainly due to huge ag news at 12pm coming out. Ag’s do have major econ reports often (when compared to indexes) but when they do, the ag’s will move quickly and swiftly. I knew I probably wouldn’t trade post 12pm, but there were a handful of trades before the news that I should have been in.


Date: 9/12/2013

No trades in the combine.
Today was frustrating. I got up late and felt rushed. Then the day started slower on soybeans and my brain kicked in thinking – ut oh, this could be a slow Friday. Problem is that this is a residual from my time trading the indexes and the ag’s do not operate like the indexes. As a result of my ‘knowledge’, I decided to not trade and then a gorgeous down trend kicked in. Just short after short was possible and I watched them all b/c I just knew better… I wish I could erase all this great ‘knowledge’ I have and just trade what I see.

Back at it Monday.

TST Stats:


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  #50 (permalink)
trader000
Ohio USA
 
Posts: 65 since Jun 2013
Thanks Given: 23
Thanks Received: 64


I'm not required to post on days when no combine trades are placed, but I do like keeping a tab on each day.

Date: 9/16/2013

No trades in the combine.
Did not get a couple fills on T4, decided to shut it down because ‘missed’ the short. Then soybeans continued to drop, drop and drop. Once again, the mentality of ‘missing’ a trade is costing me time and money. Purely a mental issue that is probably my biggest mental monkey.

Just to illustrate how silly this is – I miss the short after the open and just watched price crater. Price pulled back, which I expected, and did not take the short b/c missed the first one that was a winner. That short was a fairly quick +3. Another confirmed pullback shows, I pass, and an almost instant +3. By the end of the day, there were 12 possible trades and missing the first one resulted in me watching the rest of the day, where plenty of shorting opportunities were present. But since I just knew better, I wasn’t letting the market trick me…

Date: 9/17/2013

No trades in the combine.
Had some connection issues and was not comfortable putting trades on. In hindsight, turned out to be a decent day (again) offered by soybeans. I am amazed most days just how many ES points the ZS provides regularly. When I look at ES charts and see a bunch of slop, I wonder why people even bother with that market.

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Last Updated on October 11, 2013


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