I don't get it. Maybe you mentioned and I didn't see it in your comments?Here are my trades for Friday. I have already explained in a post above the first two long trades (each one two points with multiple contracts). They are located in far left of box. After these first two trades when around 20 bars sideways to down were made I then drew the box. Price trade started trading back down around bar 11:55. Then started back up bar 12:15. Since I determined it was in a TR by then I waited until price got back up near the top 1/3 of the box. I then shorted 3 contracts bar 12:40 (my first entry short). Sometimes as it moves against me I will continue to scale but martingale on each successive entry. However, from bar 9:00 to bar 10:40 there was a strong move up. In a case like this it is probably best to reduce the size of each subsequent scale in so if price were to go quite a bit above the top of the box before turning back down one's risk is somewhat reduced as opposed to martingaling. So, as I scaled in my second entry short was on bar 12:55 where I added 2 contracts. It broke above the box and I added the third time but this time one contract. So now I have 6 contracts in place waiting for the move down. Why? because 80% of BOs top or bottom of a TR fail and price heads back into the range or at least towards the range (if it had gone out of the range).
On bar 13:35 I covered my third entry short (1 contract) for 7.5 points. I covered my second entry short (2 contracts) on bar 13:45 for 3.5 pts profit. I covered my first short entry (3 contracts) capturing 2 points also on bar 13:45.
So that is how one captures 13 points on one trade scaling in twice after initial entry and done so in a few minutes at the top of an established TR and scaling in as price moves against you, but reducing size on each subsequent scale in. Your stop loss has to be wide. to give the trade the opportunity to work.
Context is what is important here. Established TR. Price in top 1/3. Most BOs in a TR fail. So, odds are successful trade.
Add the other two previous trades of two points profit each one (and each with multiple contracts but no scaling in) and that makes capturing 17 points in a relative small amount of time.
No sitting around twiddling thumbs waiting for some obscure setup that or may not come during the session. This scalping. 1 to 8 points in an index. Manual HFT. LOL
Notice that bar 13:45 where my last two times I covered shorts. It went down with momentum and a BO out of bottom of TR and kept going down. Too bad I was not watching to move my profit target orders on such strong momentum and capture even more points but I had placed my Profit targets and was busy doing something else and they got executed.
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Look at my post # 1803 for an explanation for first two. Why third trade? Bottom made on bar 12:10 tracking back up to top of a now established TR. I start shorting in 1/3 to 1/4 top of TR last short entry yes out of top of range by several bars but i just shorted anyway betting it would go back down in the range (80% BO attempts fail and price heads back towards or into TR usually within 5 bars or so) enough for a scalp. It did and since i believe in grabbing what the market gives me i did when all my short position gave me a profit.I don't get it. Maybe you mentioned and I didn't see it in your comments?
But if I am reading chart pic correctly there are 2 entries before a range is set. Why?
Then there are two entries at top of range, but then a 3rd way out of in an area where half a dozen bars trade above range high. Then all 3 are covered once back in the range but way off the low of the range.
I understand they are meant to be scalps but why cover when the momo and current PA is expected to extend to range low?
Sure it is Monday morning quarterbacking, range traders usually continue to trade the range until it breaks one way the other. Most times, certainly not always, resuming the trend prior to the range.
I understand but the last 3 short entries you covered about 3-5 pts back into the range, yet the range was about 15 pts overall?Look at my post # 1803 for an explanation for first two. Why third trade? Bottom made on bar 12:10 tracking back up to top of a now established TR. I start shorting in 1/3 to 1/4 top of TR last short entry yes out of top of range by several bars but i just shorted anyway betting it would go back down in the range (80% BO attempts fail and price heads back towards or into TR usually within 5 bars or so) enough for a scalp. It did and since i believe in grabbing what the market gives me i did when all my short position gave me a profit.
I did so regardless of what it does afterwards. Of course, it continued on down on that big bear bar after my last short was covered on that same bar. However, it could have just as well went back up to the top of the TR.
I scalp and that is the way I trade. When I short at top I usually cover on any move back down towards middle of the range or even a lessor move as long as I get a scalp. The reason: it could take an 30 minutes or an hour or even more to work back down to the bottom of TR. I am not content to wait. I grab the scalp and then look for another opportunity. Often times price will go down into the range just enough to give me a good scalp then simply go back up to top within a few bars. I will scalp short again. It may do this stuff for and hour or more giving me several more scalping opportunities BEFORE it every actually makes it back down to the bottom of the range.
I understand but the last 3 short entries you covered about 3-5 pts back into the range, yet the range was about 15 pts overall?
Thanks but that doesn't answer how I worded my question.If he's averaged into a position, he'll typically exit once the first entry has a tiny profit.
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Yes because again I have no idea WHEN it will make down to the bottom of the range. Once all my shorts were in the money and it has gone back a little over 1/3 into the range I took my profits. I was out before that big bear bar went on back down to the bottom. I believe in locking in profits because with scalping 1 to 8 points you can have a profit then hold for more and in a few seconds later see your profits dissipate. Price is continually probing back and forth.I understand but the last 3 short entries you covered about 3-5 pts back into the range, yet the range was about 15 pts overall?
Thanks but that doesn't answer how I worded my question.
Why have a range if you are not going to use it completely. Why not just scalp regardless of range/trend/reversal/etc?