Maverick74 and marketsurfer's TopstepTrader Combine (daily trade reports and journal)

[shiko2000]

Regaridng missing target by 1 tick. I actually hit high of $53560on 17th trading da. Had 13 winning and 4 losing days by then. If it were not for the rule to trade minimum 20 days I would pass of course. But I was not willing to risk so close to the end. but cushion was not enough and one small slippage took me 1 tick below target on my last day. Thinking it is ok, I did not press to trade it back to $53500. The rest is history.
But, after some thinking I see no big deal. If I cannot do it repeatedly I cannot trade live. I see no big difference between $30K and $50K account. For 1 contract which I intend to trade when going live until I build cushion it makes no difference to speak of. $1550 vs $2000 max DD. I have had max DD of around $1000 on Combine before the last and other 3 I had DD ranging form $60 to $500. so, statistic wise chances are good $1500. so, I decided to go for $$30000. Once $2000 made it makes no difference. and I am sure I can make $1500.
I had issue to break $2% profit as it was like a stone wall for me for about a year.
Now I know I can.

From my perspective I am trading like Jr Trader along same rules. No difference.

 

[Pekelo]

I actually hit high of $53560on 17th trading da. Had 13 winning and 4 losing days by then. If it were not for the rule to trade minimum 20 days I would pass of course.

Hm, that kind of makes the story a bit different. You see, this is an interview, in a way a short of trading IQ test. Since there is no difference between passing by $1 and $1000, the obvious strategy (for future reference for you) would have been once you passed the profit target is to take it easy and either take only dead sure trades or just trade each day 1 quick trades (even if they are losers) just to satisfy the rules. I thought you came close to the profit target only on your last day, with fairly constant profit gaining until then.

Sure, in a perfect world where you are a perfect trader you pass the profit target by day X and keep gaining more profits after that. But in a test/sim world with overly complicated rules, you only need to pass by $1, so strategize and play by those rules.

You managed to lose $560 in 3 days when you didn't need to. All you had to do was to trade 1-1-1 times for 1 tick even if that meant a loss. So TST could argue correctly that you couldn't even game the system.... next time this happens just wait for your very best set ups and if they don't come, take a 1 tick loss each day....

 

[shiko2000]

Nothing different. i did take it easy.

18th day I opened and closed trade for loss 1 tick plus fee so was on 19th day. NBut on 20th day I entered and trade slipped 2 ticks against me. Hence I ended a bit down instead of $53500 or better. i decided not to risk anything to trade back 1 tick. I am pretty calculative. I have been since November 2013.

Hm, that kind of makes the story a bit different. You see, this is an interview, in a way a short of trading IQ test. Since there is no difference between passing by $1 and $1000, the obvious strategy (for future reference for you) would have been once you passed the profit target is to take it easy and either take only dead sure trades or just trade each day 1 quick trades (even if they are losers) just to satisfy the rules. I thought you came close to the profit target only on your last day, with fairly constant profit gaining until then.

Sure, in a perfect world where you are a perfect trader you pass the profit target by day X and keep gaining more profits after that. But in a test/sim world with overly complicated rules, you only need to pass by $1, so strategize and play by those rules.

You managed to lose $560 in 3 days when you didn't need to. All you had to do was to trade 1-1-1 times for 1 tick even if that meant a loss. So TST could argue correctly that you couldn't even game the system.... next time this happens just wait for your very best set ups and if they don't come, take a 1 tick loss each day....

 

[shiko2000]

Here is my last combine.

AVERAGE 174 24 60 8 4 3 131 175 -115 2:1 54 2 2 00:08:28 00:03:01
APR 10 -42 2 5 1 0 1 37 0 -37 0:1 0 0 1 0:00:00 0:00:00
APR 09 -17 2 5 1 0 1 12 0 -12 0:1 0 0 1 0:00:00 0:00:01
APR 08 -17 2 5 1 0 1 12 0 -12 0:1 0 0 1 0:00:00 0:00:01
APR 07 490 4 10 2 2 0 250 250 0 2:0 100 2 0 0:22:24 0:00:00
APR 04 422 6 15 3 2 1 254 300 -162 2:1 66 2 1 0:06:38 0:06:12
APR 03 605 8 20 3 2 0 208 312 0 2:0 100 1 0 0:13:27 0:00:00
APR 02 332 32 80 16 10 6 91 93 -87 10:6 62 4 2 0:04:15 0:05:33
MAR 31 297 26 65 13 5 6 91 155 -68 5:6 45 3 4 0:29:14 0:03:04
MAR 28 -25 40 100 20 9 8 58 69 -68 9:8 52 2 4 0:09:35 0:07:52
MAR 27 410 6 15 3 3 0 141 141 0 3:0 100 3 0 0:13:39 0:00:00
MAR 26 -430 32 80 9 3 5 113 112 -137 3:5 37 1 3 0:08:53 0:04:02
MAR 25 15 24 60 6 3 3 170 183 -158 3:3 50 2 2 0:01:44 0:02:03
MAR 24 390 24 60 6 3 2 175 250 -150 3:2 60 2 1 0:03:47 0:01:09
MAR 21 -420 58 145 15 4 11 128 206 -100 4:11 26 3 6 0:04:53 0:04:32
MAR 20 552 24 60 7 5 1 137 157 -175 5:1 83 5 1 0:02:12 0:03:33
MAR 19 535 36 90 9 6 3 141 158 -108 6:3 66 3 1 0:05:08 0:01:25
MAR 18 445 32 80 8 6 2 140 137 -150 6:2 75 3 1 0:03:43 0:01:22
MAR 17 -955 32 80 8 3 5 134 33 -195 3:5 37 2 2 0:05:15 0:03:28
MAR 14 385 36 90 9 6 2 125 133 -162 6:2 75 4 1 0:04:04 0:01:15
MAR 13 510 56 140 14 6 6 192 279 -170 6:6 50 2 3 0:05:20 0:02:57

It is already in the past. i am on new Combine so I am more concerned about trading in the now.
But keep in mind last Combine I am targeting $1600-1700. to build safety cushion.

 

[shiko2000]

1

 

[shiko2000]

My Combine target was $53500. Not $53000. 7%. I hit $60 above target. not $560. Hence was the problem as I did not want to risk and had only $60 of risk capital for the last 3 days. So, I lost a bit more than $60 in the last 3 days of Combine while planned to lose $60 or less.
So, nothing is different.

Hm, that kind of makes the story a bit different. You see, this is an interview, in a way a short of trading IQ test. Since there is no difference between passing by $1 and $1000, the obvious strategy (for future reference for you) would have been once you passed the profit target is to take it easy and either take only dead sure trades or just trade each day 1 quick trades (even if they are losers) just to satisfy the rules. I thought you came close to the profit target only on your last day, with fairly constant profit gaining until then.

Sure, in a perfect world where you are a perfect trader you pass the profit target by day X and keep gaining more profits after that. But in a test/sim world with overly complicated rules, you only need to pass by $1, so strategize and play by those rules.

You managed to lose $560 in 3 days when you didn't need to. All you had to do was to trade 1-1-1 times for 1 tick even if that meant a loss. So TST could argue correctly that you couldn't even game the system.... next time this happens just wait for your very best set ups and if they don't come, take a 1 tick loss each day....

 

[Pekelo]

My Combine target was $53500. Not $53000.

Sorry, my bad. Still the general principle applies, once the target is reached trade only the best set ups or if they don't come, take quick losses.... In 3 days I assume you should have an opportunity where you make at least $100, and that covers the 2 quick losses....

 

[shiko2000]

LOL, once I hit it I did not want to trade. But UI did trade what appeared for me 1 tick risk set ups But last trade just got me a sudden slippage. it was the first time I attempted this set ups. sh*t happens. I always lost 1 tick on such sets up before. Probably 20+ times. Thsi was the first time it slipped on me.
Anyway, I got what happened. once you set some mental target it is hard to do anything once it is reached. The further you are planning to jump the further you will actually jump. so, as I posted, i am targeting now $100-200 more than my current Combine target.

Sorry, my bad. Still the general principle applies, once the target is reached trade only the best set ups or if they don't come, take quick losses.... In 3 days I assume you should have an opportunity where you make at least $100, and that covers the 2 quick losses....

 

[shiko2000]

If one wants to make it there should not be a problem in doing another Combine. But I will not be looking at LTP after I make it. I am looking forward to trading live.

 

[nazzdack]

----Here is my last combine.
----MAR 17 -955 ....
----in the past.
----I am on new Combine....
----to build safety cushion.

With the benefit of hindsight, it could've, should've, would've, might've if only of been better to limit that day's loss to no more than $500. That may have given you the "cushion" you wanted on the last few days when seemed to have "froze up".