Topsteptrader

I agree that the only relevant rules are for funded or live account. I will absolutely not be changing my strategy in the live account. 3 lots 30 tick stop $900 risk per trade. If I lose 3 days in a row I will simply not trade until the following week. I will not be paying attention to any average daily pnl from combine as to me this is irrelevant. The combine will be passed by hitting 1 or 2 large winners and several small losers, scratches. As soon as the target is done I will only be hitting tiny trades to bat out the required 10 days hence the average daily pnl in is meaningless to me. In the live account things change I will be looking to trade the 1st 10 days where I believe a trend day is more likely.


The average daily p&L in the combine over 10 days will reflect the average daily p&L in the live account over 10 days as long as the strategy is the same.

I see your point that you're in essence going to meet the parameters of the combine with a few big hits to cover the P&L requirement, and then trade light to meet the # of days requirement, makes sense.

I agree that in the live account you can always choose to limit the number of days traded to adhere to the weekly loss rule of $3,000, and also limit the days where you "believe a trend day is more likely."
 
I can see why people have an issue with labelling of combines '$150k account' as they are not really getting a $150k account. They should just start at $0 not $150k as this is what other prop firms do. Let's not kid anyone, there is not actually $150k in that sub account, there is a central pool of money and a sub account is opened with nil starting balance, assigned risk limits and parameters.

..."They should just start out at $0 not $150k..."

In fact, they do exactly that...in the live account! It's just another one of the inconsistencies between the combine vs. the live account. The balances in both the FTP and live accounts are "zero" since it's the "starting balance."
 
Amazing start (especially for a Monday?)!

Yes lol mondays are rarely trend days but price was being marked up with urgency.

1 trade off my phone this morning and $9k target is done. Profit $9225. I am just going to bat out the remaining 8 days on a 1 lot. I will do a 1 lot of 6Eeuro, 6Bpound, ESminiS&P just so I have these limits for the FTP and live. GL

Screenshot_2016-03-08-09-04-24.png
 
..."They should just start out at $0 not $150k..."

In fact, they do exactly that...in the live account! It's just another one of the inconsistencies between the combine vs. the live account. The balances in both the FTP and live accounts are "zero" since it's the "starting balance."

Ok I didn't know that. All accounts should start from zero, I think they need to take onboard this feedback. Its in everyones interest to be as transparent as possible.
 
Yes lol mondays are rarely trend days but price was being marked up with urgency.

1 trade off my phone this morning and $9k target is done. Profit $9225. I am just going to bat out the remaining 8 days on a 1 lot. I will do a 1 lot of 6Eeuro, 6Bpound, ESminiS&P just so I have these limits for the FTP and live. GL

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Endicott,


Here are the parameters for the FTP.



Note the first condition. Seems to me that they will only let you trade products that you had a positive balance in the combine.
 
Endicott,


Here are the parameters for the FTP.



Note the first condition. Seems to me that they will only let you trade products that you had a positive balance in the combine.

good spot sir. I will bear that in mind when batting out the remaining 8 days. I am only $225 over the target but I intend on playing for -1,0,+1 ticks on ES,6E, 6B contracts, ideally I will take 1 tick winners on these 3 contracts, then -1,0,+1 back on the CL to pass. In the past 'batting out' the combine like this resulted in me being asked to take the FTP, this is when the FTP was discretionary. Now the FTP is mandatory so I guess it doesn't matter. Thanks for the heads up.
 
"In the month of January, the TopstepTrader team made it even simpler to earn a Funded Account™ by eliminating some of the Combine rules. The proof is in the pudding, this month we have funded more traders than ever before, and these guys and gals are killing it!"

Yes they did, 68 guys made it but as I pointed out a month ago, these traders took the Combine WAY before the big rule changes took effect in the new year.

But sure enough, February must be better right? The rule change trickle down effect. What does the newsletter say?:

"Congratulations to the 47 traders who started their Funded Account™ this month!"

I only clicked on a few guys, but it looks like some of this bunch still did the Combine way before January. One of them had his Combine in September. And getting finally funded 5 months later. So we still have to wait another month when we see the full effect of the new rules.
 
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I am only $225 over the target but I intend on playing for -1,0,+1 ticks on ES,6E, 6B contracts, ideally I will take 1 tick winners on these 3 contracts, then -1,0,+1 back on the CL to pass.

Good show on the combine thus far. Another point to consider is that TST changes the rules from combine to funded trader regarding ES, where trading is restricted one minute before/after these 18 different economic releases, many of which have little or no impact on the volatility, go figure.

https://topsteptrader.desk.com/cust...es/1950863-economic-release-calendar?t=558735
 
So we still have to wait another month when we see the full effect of the new rules.

The email they sent today has many funded traders listed with samples of their LIVE trading results from February. This shows more transparency than simply the # of those passing a simulator.
 
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