Quote from TriPack:
As your positions are now flat, let me interject this idea here - apologies if this is way too far away from the intent of this journal. If I were designing your system here is what I would do: (untested and just in concept, so the usual caveats apply)
Use a long term system as a filter for long term direction - like a weekly or monthly system that has a positive expectancy on its own. It doesn't have to be much, just positive expectancy over time - obviously the better the system the better the rest of this system will work. When I say weekly or monthly system I mean a system that will not reverse positions for extended periods of time.
If your long term system goes long enter a long position at the current level. If you are not flat, get flat then enter the first position where the system says to enter. This will be your pivot position. Don't use a stop or profit target on your pivot position.
If the market goes in your position's favor then add additional positions at given increments (like if it has extended 25 pips or more above the last level within the past hour, you add another) and use a large take profit (like 100 pips). If the market goes under your pivot position, add at given increments (like if the market goes 50 pips or more against you within your time period) and use a smaller take profit (like 25 pips). If the market is really going against you, increase your increment from 50 to say 100 to reduce the amount of capital you have to allocate to that position.
If the long term system switches, like from long to short, then go flat and start over.
Pros: you can use a higher % leverage on your positions because you go flat every so often and you can exactly calculate the historical max drawdown of your system and then position size accordingly. And you add more positions as it moves in your favor, and less positions as it moves against you. Long term systems tend to be a bit sloppy in their entries so using multiple levels should help to average out better.
Cons: Your fortunes are tied to the long term system's fortunes. However you will still get the benefit of smaller bounces even if it trends against your position. You also won't be hedged so your long term system getting the direction correct is really the hedge. If the max drawdown of the long term system is 1000 pips over the past 10 years, for example, you could then figure out the % of capital you can use based on the levels you will be adding.
BINGO !!! Give the man a cigar !!!
Not precisely what I would do, but it's getting deliciously close.
Dave
