I have no experience with TSTrader, but I was a little alarmed a while ago when you mentioned that you were using it for your Combine.

Why? Well, it's a TST-branded version of Tradovate, a somewhat new platform and broker. Tradovate's claims to fame, as I understand it, are that they have a mobile (web-based) platform (a good thing) and they don't charge broker commissions (they have subscription payment model). You do pay the usual other fees that are not from the broker. I don't believe the TST version has any subscription fees, so the total cost per transaction is attractive, and they do push it, for whatever reason.

Certainly, there are traders on FIO who have used them (Tradovate) and who like them for their regular accounts.

I have no knowledge of Tradovate, good or bad, and can't say anything one way or another about them.... Except that they are (relatively) new. If you want to use Tradovate, cool. But on the TST Combine and, eventually, the funded account, I would have chosen a well-established platform that I knew well (which would be NT or Sierra Chart for me, and there are others), and which would use a data, trade execution service and broker that I knew more about.

This is perhaps just me, but some things make me suddenly turn very cautious.

I do not want to be unfair to either Tradovate or TST, but in some areas I generally let other people try the new things, that's all. Call me chicken.

If you want to stay with TSTrader, fine with me. But if not, you might want to see if you can switch, once you get funded (as I am assuming you will.) They do want you to stay with the platform you passed the Combine with, which is natural, but I think they have allowed a switch before if someone is very familiar with some other platform. I'm not sure what they do currently.

I don't know for sure why you have had these issues with the TST account, and you may never have them again, but if you were on the NT platform you would be going through NT Brokerage and Rithmic....

Just a thought.

Bob.

...

My goal is to prove to myself and anyone else trying one of these evaluations or combines as TopStep calls it that just because you can use big leverage doesn't mean you should. And, that even with these tight restrictions on myself, reaching the 9k in profit will still be done within the 10 days of trading needed. Or really close to it.

Every day when they update the reports I will capture a screen shot and post it here. I think I can export my trade history as well so you can see that I am complying with the rules I have set for myself...

Watched a guy live on youtube drop 10k on NQ on Friday. He's not doing much better today. I don't understand some peoples trading style but man this dude needs to drop back to demo and figure it out. He was up 600 bucks a little while ago but has let it drift back negative, then he added 4 more contracts short now he is down 1300 bucks. No stop just a profit target. It's like watching a train wreck. I hope it turns around for him but looks like today is a day to be long not short.

Great volume so far since market open. Could be a great day of trading.

Hope everyone has a tremendous week.

Hi TradingOgre,

Have not seen anything yet. Have you changed your mind about it? Thanks

might be able to get some back if we close this gap other then that hes SOL.. closed at a 2 week high, wouldn't be surprised if we ran up the yearly high this week. Only 30ish pts away


-P

Haven't really thought about it much. Getting lazy when it comes to this journal. I find myself focusing 100% on trading and not thinking about posting here much.

Poor guy ended up dropping another 4k+ today. Had to stop watching it, I was having heart palpitations watching his money float away like that. I tried to figure out how he makes his trades but it just doesn't make any sense to me. It looks like he was blindly buying at support and selling at resistance. Works great in a choppy market. Sucks in a trending one.