They are subjective! Can you give me a PA-only trade set up which is not subject to interpretation?
Ramblings of a degenerate gambler
- Thread starter Millionaire
- Start date
I don’t think we, as traders, should have such strong opinions. Everything is BS and nothing is BS. I can tell you for a fact that both can be very profitable.
qlai,
Automated Trading is pure Bullshit if a trader is doing it alone. The competition is way too much for single trader. Best to trade discretionary. Been there and done that, and wasted ALOT of time and effort.
I agree with you, sort of. If you are starting out, definitely start discretionary, imho. After awhile, the more automated, the better. Try to retire with a few fully automated systems
After awhile, the more automated, the better. Try to retire with a few fully automated systems
That is not true. Automation requires having entry and exit signal that is optimal based on historical tick data or OHLC data points. Everyone else has the historical tick data or OHLC data points as well, and will fine your optimal entry and exit. You trying to compete against computer Ph.d scientist and high powered server by your self and your little server.
And you still have to beat the SP 500 index returns year to year. Too much work and you better be a good programmer and ready back test 300 trading ideas a year. All that work to find 1 or 2 systems AND build a portfolio of algos to try and beat the SP 500 index returns.
While guess what I am doing? Just investing in the SP 500 index monthly and kicking the algos portfolio return ass. And I spend 0 seconds per month doing this and sleep 6-8 hours a night. While you clicking Back test and Optimize button 1000 times a month and programming AND your portfolio of algos still might not beat the SP 500 index. Plus you will get scared during drawdown and turn off algos, and then turn it back on playing around.
Like I said, automation is bullshit and waste of time and makes no money. Better to discretionary trader with eyes on chart.
I do not know any algos or portfolio of algos beating the SP 500 index returns year after year.
Work smarter not harder.
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Done gambling for the day, going to stop while i am still a head nicely.
+$2000 USD
Intraday PnL swings today were something something like 0, +$800, 0, +$1000, -$2000, +$2000
TSLA bought home the bacon today.
Good week, up around $8500 in total this last five days, all day trades.
The markets have been good to me this week, very forgiving.
Day1: +$2200
Day2: +$1200
Day3: +$2200
Day4: +$1800
Day5: +$1400
Day6: +$2000
+$2000 USD
Intraday PnL swings today were something something like 0, +$800, 0, +$1000, -$2000, +$2000
TSLA bought home the bacon today.
Good week, up around $8500 in total this last five days
, all day trades.The markets have been good to me this week, very forgiving.
Day1: +$2200
Day2: +$1200
Day3: +$2200
Day4: +$1800
Day5: +$1400
Day6: +$2000
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I have some old day trading books, from the late 90's by Marc Friedfertig & George West, they wrote a couple of good books on day trading back in the day, when stocks still traded in fractions.
They describe my gambling mindset quite well:
"Many day traders push harder when they’re down, hoping to make up the loss—and maybe even score a win—with a powerful late-inning home run. It’s the mind-set of gamblers who are losing big-time playing $20-a-hand blackjack. Down on their luck and thoroughly dejected, they slouch over to the roulette table and bet their last $2000 on red—hoping to win everything back in one shot. Sometimes they get lucky. But if they repeat this gamble time and again, chances are that one morning they’ll wake up with a hangover and an empty wallet"
They continue with the following advice, which is correct, but if i had followed this advice would mean my PnL for the week might not have been so good:
"That’s no way to day trade. If you’re not making money, get smaller. Reduce your risk immediately and wait for a better opportunity. No trader should ever be ashamed to decrease their trading size. Big egos have ended many trading careers"
That hangover and empty wallet is going to come for me one day soon, if i keep trading with this gambler mindset. Im just hoping to bank some $$$$ before it happens.
They describe my gambling mindset quite well:
"Many day traders push harder when they’re down, hoping to make up the loss—and maybe even score a win—with a powerful late-inning home run. It’s the mind-set of gamblers who are losing big-time playing $20-a-hand blackjack. Down on their luck and thoroughly dejected, they slouch over to the roulette table and bet their last $2000 on red—hoping to win everything back in one shot. Sometimes they get lucky. But if they repeat this gamble time and again, chances are that one morning they’ll wake up with a hangover and an empty wallet"
They continue with the following advice, which is correct, but if i had followed this advice would mean my PnL for the week might not have been so good:
"That’s no way to day trade. If you’re not making money, get smaller. Reduce your risk immediately and wait for a better opportunity. No trader should ever be ashamed to decrease their trading size. Big egos have ended many trading careers"
That hangover and empty wallet is going to come for me one day soon, if i keep trading with this gambler mindset. Im just hoping to bank some $$$$ before it happens.
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@Millionaire, not sure if you are just making fun of discretionary trading here or serious. What exactly are you doing that is gambling? If you post positive PnL daily but call it gambling, what gives?
Don't be fooled by the PnL, its good now but could disappear with one bad day.
My trading style is subject to a big losing day that could give back all these profits and more.
1) Im not sure if i have an edge. My 'gut' entries may well be random. But the Market is so volatile at the moment, i can get out and go the other way. By doing this i seem to be able to catch an eventual winner.
2) Im doubling up, sometime even tripling up, adding to losers. Revenge trading.
3) I have no defined risk management on any of my trades, or even a daily stop limit. So I could give back all my profits in one day.
4) My PnL swings are massive, up and down.
5) I took a position just ahead of FOMC, i was down $2500 dollars a few minutes after FOMC but then the market magically reversed. And i was able to make $2000 for the day.
Contrast with my automated trading:
1) Based on a backtested Edge
2) No doubling up after losing trades, no adding to losers (actually adds to winners)
3) Well defined risk limits for each trade and each day.
4) No trading ahead of FOMC or NFP at all.
My automated trading is professional trading (more skill than luck), this Discretionary experiment i am doing recently is just a game (more luck than skill). I don't think it is viable long term, but i'm going to try and milk it while i can. And remove any lucky profits from my account on a regular basis..
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