Still issues pulling trigger, or even getting energy to come to the computer in the morning. I hate hate (did I say hate) getting up in the DARK.... Have to get a house in FL. That would solve that problem... Either that or figure out a way to trade later in the day....
I feel you on the trigger shyness. It's tough and everytime I overcome it... I get burnt.
But pulling the trigger is key to learning more. Will folow you from now on... see how you do.
Also I like your homework, also similar to what I do... excel based and looking at market generated info. We look at different things though.
Don't think hard, Think clearly. - Me
You don't get smarter IN a trade - FT71
Ever wonder how Jon Snow trades?
Follow here. Vote for Jon Snow's King of the pits! here
The following user says Thank You to IequalsS for this post:
Nice journal, I'm definitely following along. I too am getting tired of the tight range chop. I keep telling myself to be patient and just take my setups and don't try to trade outside of my plan. I think times like this really test people whose trading method is not in sync with the market. But at some point conditions will change and there will be opportunity. Better to sit on your hands and save your capital for when better days arrive - that's how I'm approaching it anyway.
Again, I really like the journal.
The following user says Thank You to Comeback King for this post:
I feel you. I really was looking to fade the moves down for the longest time as well. Given the months of range bound action such a day was really hard to grasp. I'm in a chat with a lot of other ES traders and so many were getting long, even close to the close.
A lot of people lost a lot of money today, the fact that you were not in that company is a win.
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Still having trouble finding my groove. Two entries semi-planned... Need better execution on my part. So true that nervous money does not win in the market. Just too much lately.
Okay... Getting more back into swing of things... Will probably be the new year before I'm totally back to being myself. Just lots of changes, machine, and man.... LOL
Okay well didn't trade this week. Still working on HEAD issues. Today there were some possible points of entry that I passed on. Will get there in time. Taking next week off... Yes lots of time off this year... Guess it was time... L8r
Been long time now since I've been in the groove. Time will come again. Well closing up shop early and heading north.... Best wishes to all.... Abbreviated journal too.
Just totally was not with it today. I'm am there 24/7 for friends and family. Need to get 8 hours in prior to 5am and if not then 99% of the time I just don't trade. Late call from GF. Oh well they needed support last night. There are things in life more important than $$$, but as my grandfather said. "Money isn't everything, but it soothes the nerves."
Here's my chart for the day. Was the type of trading I expected for the entire week.
LATE NOTE: Also finished labeling my charts late today so I was looking at old Value Area... Not to say that it isn't of Value pardon the pun, but just that I didn't have it on my main trading chart.
Thanks for continuing with your trading journal, I have not had the patience to start let alone maintain one. Maybe later this year.
I think your chosen 2 minute charts provide tons of possible entries, most likely scalps where you need to be really good, quick, and disciplined. I personally fail on at least 2/3 of these criteria.
Tick charts seem to settle things down for me, have been playing with different variations from 320 to 3600. Here is a 1024 tick chart from 01/18/17 for comparison. One day I may even trade the ones shown from the strategies....
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Okay.... Still not attacking the market the way I should, no excuse.
Mind just was not there for trading today as is evident from my lack of journaling.
Finally getting some of my MOJO back... A small spec, but I'll take it.
One thing I realize from people looking at my journal is that it would appear that the chart I post daily is my only trade chart. What I am posting is my STC Short term Trade Chart. My LTC is a 6 min chart. I run with seven screens. That really means nothing as I still have long way to go before getting my trades down. I am going to post my main screen that I spend most of my trading time on. To the left of that screen is a watch list for ES metrics/ 4 different ES Filtered Time and Sales/ and Level II
Just realized I didn't explain charts on right of my main trading screen: Top right is three period ES chart 6min/Hour/Day There is a MACD indicator that I'm still working to incorporate into trading. Basically when market is trending it works well. Chop days like today it is almost better to go opposite of what it is saying. Lower right is Control Center that I keep open to my Journal 99% of the day, below that is a 7500 TICK chart that I should be looking at more often also. Hope that helps...
Need better discipline. Used stop entry. Still having issues with using STOPS and have to get over it. UGG
Relief shortly after FOMC knew there was a good chance for whip saw action, and enough to get me out, still allowing trade to get as much against me is bad trading. Stopped trading for day after that trade. Kept active with market though.
Hi BD, I've been following your journal for a while now. I was wondering if you have a specific plan in place in terms of how you are timing your entries and if there is a specific set of criteria you are looking at in order you to enter the market. You certainly have a lot going on with your chart but I don't know what you are really using and not using to make your decisions...just curious.
Comeback King thank you for asking.
I've been watching the ES fairly exclusively now for over five years. (Ya think I'd have it figured out by now... NOT)
Most of my trades are GUT trades with some initial indication from indicators and trading levels. Even though gut trades in nature I try to use Stop Limit (I don't like slippage) for entry and to either put stop for exit or close trade early within a few minutes of entry if trade does not feel right. Working to get 1 risk for every 3 gained, but it doesn't always work that way.
There are three charts that I use even though I only post my main trading chart. Main chart is a Two minute chart with confirmation from 6 and 15 minute charts. For me to take an entry about 80% of the time all three have to be in alignment with Stochastics. I'm looking for coming off Oversold or Overbought conditions for entry.
A while back I made my Battle PLAN: to continue forward with. Was hoping I'd find it quickly so I wouldn't have to retype... LOL
Okay decided to take a picture instead. Battle Plan and my intended trading times.... I don't always follow both.
In addition to all this I'm influenced by all my teachers past, and present.
While I don't get actual trading tips from them, I've learned a lot from them.
Two of my biggest lessons that I'm still working on. 1. Manage loss 2. If it feels wrong don't.
A lot of times I feel like I can feel your torment and conflict reading your journal, to trade or not to trade so I'm not surprised you're going off of a gut feel. I'm not saying that's good or bad, it just is. Keep what works and drop what doesn't; I suppose that's what we are all trying to to.
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Win 10 Pro Update 1607....
Managed to jam it onto my machine somehow earlier this week, and my machine has not behaved since.
I'm now back on Update 1511 after a whole day of working and backing data off my computer because I didn't know if I was going to be able to get at things again.
Luckily I'm still able to run my trading program, but only until my computer decides to do something to render my screens BLACK again.
Well I'll be taking off until Thursday next week.
May you all have a great weekend.
Still scratching head.... In search of GAP trading I found this on the WEB... Still working and don't know value as yet... Saw it referenced by another trader on Amazon... After digging found it in PDF format free
A couple of comments. From #2 on your trading plan, exit if not profitable in 90 seconds...that might be asking too much given the volatility we have on the ES. I could see that maybe being viable if you're tick scalping or something beyond that, I think you could expect to take a little heat off your entry.
I think it also might be helpful to identify an entry and exit scenario, rather than go by gut feel. You've got a lot going on with your charts as far as levels and indicators and such, but you could probably pick a set of criteria and go from there. If price breaks the PP and condition X is present, then I will enter a trade sort of thing. Then you can develop a risk overlay and do some back testing. Or maybe enter a trade when the IB high or low is broken, you would buy or sell the breakout if X is present, or enter on the pullback to that area if X is present, or fade the break if X is present.
I don't think that any one of those things also has an edge by itself or even in combination with some other set of circumstances, but if you have a good risk overlay you might be able to create a profitable model from which to start.
I have found it's very hard to count waves with bars under 5 min. The concept behind a "wave" is that the price action is conveying information, but the period is so short that that information you need to make a decision hasn't necessarily shown up in the chart pattern. The reason I say this is that anytime I see a lot of bars with the same price tops and bottoms then the peaks and troughs have less value not more as it doesn't take much extra volume to create a high or low tick.
If it's working for you then great, I was just wondering.....
The wave time period off my trading chart is automatic indicator from TOP DOG TRADING... It is dynamic and wave count numbers change based on Dr. Barry Burns rules. I only post just my trade chart as it would be a bit much to post all my charts as I look at multiple charts throughout the day to base trading decisions on.
Here's a look at my heads up display. I primarily go off Stochastics for my trades. I prefer to have 15/6/ and 2 min charts in agreement, but won't always wait for that to happen. If you want a better more detailed picture right click on picture select save as from the pop up menu and save to your computer. You can then open the JPG file with any photo editor to see more detail. My trade chart is that small chart near the lower right hand corner.
Thanks and hope this clears up peoples questions about charts.
Hey BD, I'm not so sure it's a good idea for you to also be looking at gap fill probabilities too. The part where you say, "would be up 6 points on morning trade had gone for the gap fill", that's not good. We can't control what has already happened, we can only control what will happen in terms of our actions. Focusing on what you could have done will take focus away from what you should be doing now and will do in the future. What we do now and what we will do in the future is all that matters.
I'd suggest that you are looking at way too much stuff. Very common advice from successful professional traders is to simplify. The simpler you make it the easier it becomes. Adding more indicators, statistics, time frames and other information will only complicate and cloud decision making. Rarely will all things line up perfectly at the exact same time, and when they do you're likely to have missed the entry point because it will take so long to figure it all out...analysis paralysis kind of thing.
If you're going to trade statistical probabilities, then just trade that. That would include gap fill probability, IB breaks and extensions, etc. Metricsmaestro on Twitter publishes all kinds of these statistics for free in addition to other sources on the web that are easily accessible. But I don't think anyone would be successful trading statistical probabilities AND stochastics AND MACD AND Elliot Wave AND floor pivots, etc.
It seems impossible that you'll gain confidence in what you're doing given you are trading by gut feel and at the same time looking at so many different technical indicators on multiple time frames and now adding in statistical probabilities.
Not much of day for me. Many behind the scenes issues putting me in wrong mindset at the moment to trade period.
Close to 30 point range from yesterday's close.
Nice job, pretty much nailed the top for that rally.
Have to love when you get +4.75 ES points, in 15 minutes. Pretty close to my weekly goal of 5.....
The following user says Thank You to mjarzoms for this post:
2 minute charts overwhelm me, too much going on. Do you ever look at tick charts?
Here is a 3600 tick chart of today which highlights some possible moves. Can ramp ticks down as needed.
I can only trade after hours, scratched long last night but made a few points tonight.
Thanks and best of luck with your trading as well.
As you can see from my February 23rd, 2017, 07:56 AM post I work off more than my posted 2MIN chart. My 2MIN is STC, LTC is 6MIN, and there's a 15MIN chart also. I guess those are my big three. Then I use Level II... I have 7500 VOL chart tucked under my main control window small.
I've tried TICK charts in the past, some people like them some people don't. Various charts will give you various pictures. Also use a UNIRENKO chart, but do not trade from it.
All my orders are placed on my two min chart. When I am trading my plan I'm getting confirmation of trade from several other charts and indicators.
Okay... Forgot to add to my journal that I didn't spend a whole lot of time analyzing my trade as I knew when I was stopped out and it ran the error that I had made. Working to get to the point in my trading to have confidence enough to trade a running stock or ES trade in either direction.
Worst than drunk driving. Wow need to add to my morning routine. Also just remembered. Never did finish the morning check-sheet that I do have. My biggest losing days have been ill-prepared.
Something about auto-entry for stops just does not work in my brain for me.
Yes it is automatic, but ... Well not for me. That said I'm glad it was automatic.
Also I have tried practicing placing my stop before entry and that has helped some. Another attempt to keep more situational awareness... Rough sketching along with notes.
Added this to my daily journal spreadsheet and printed out so as to have both.
Will have to start putting in trades too.
