Michael's (zlabis) Journal [The Magician]

[zlabis]

Thu. Mar. 24, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 11:00 (GMT+1) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

Weren't the clearest or most obvious conditions today at LO. There were erratic, big candles but small swings back and forth through gator. There was one winning situation with a lovely Monarch Cherry-Seed-Classic breakout combo which I skipped because it took place in the big range above FO price level where it already had bounced off before. I was not even focused on trade during that time. I simply placed alert lines above and below that range to get notified when it got interesting again. Was probably a mistake because that Monarch Cherry was definitvely worth trying even inside that range. I have to pay attention all the time to the chart for my whole trading session, which is very short with 2 hrs anyway.

Trade 1 - Cherry:
After the previosly mentioned singnals it actually broke down through the range and formed the second pullback situation with a nice Cherry at green gator. It was potential start of w5 of w3 with 2R-TP above mTZ1. I placed PO with confidence and without hasitation but at the moment PO got triggered by 0.5p it reversed immediately and hit init SL with -1R. Although rent, there was nothing wrong with the trade:
- good down momentum
- impulsive break of range(s)
- good pullback
- appropriate correction (tiny zigzag)
- nice Cherry-pinbar signal (bouncing off green gator and swing low)
therefore DS = 1.

Cherry, SL = 10.7p = 1R, TP = 21.4p = 2R
Result: -10.7p = -1.0R, DS = 1

After that it went into big w4 up to purple at more than 61.8% pullback what let me consider the down-cycle was broken. But it reversed at purple to the down side again. Then there was a classic breakout situation again, this time into potential w5 but it was back in the range again and wasn't that clear as previously skipped Monarch signals therefore I skipped it as well.

Alltogether I unfortunately took 3 trading decissions (skip, take, skip) with the exactly opposite outcome as expected (win, rent, win). Anyway the decissions were based on proper analysis therefore I'm happy with my discipline following my analysis according to my plan.

Today's result: -10.7p = -1.0R, DS = 1 / 1, 2.00 hrs


Result of week 12, 21.03.-25.03.2016 - M1/M5 live:
Mon. 21.03. +3.5p = +/-0R, DS = 3/3, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Tue. 22.03. no trades +/-0p = +/-0R, DS = 0/0, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Wed. 23.03. +11.7p = +1.0R, DS = 3/3, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Thu. 24.03. -10.7p = -1.0R, DS = 1/1, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Fri . 25.06. DAX closed due to Good Friday
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result ...... +4.5p = +/-0.0R (with compounding), DS = 7 / 7 (100%), 8.00 hrs

[immy]

You corrected yourself but I wanted to comment that if you don't want to focus on your chart even for as short as 1 or 2 hrs then that means you are not supposed to trade m1. That is why we have higher time frames. But if you want to trade m1 or m5, you have to analyse it minute by min and candle by candle. IMHO

hope you had a good break...

[zlabis]

You corrected yourself but I wanted to comment that if you don't want to focus on your chart even for as short as 1 or 2 hrs then that means you are not supposed to trade m1. That is why we have higher time frames. But if you want to trade m1 or m5, you have to analyse it minute by min and candle by candle. IMHO

hope you had a good break...

Thanks for your post, Immy. Of course, you're right and I had already realized it as I wrote my journal comment. That's another proof for me that keeping a journal regularly is one of most vital tasks to achieve to be/become a serious trader.

My Easter break was great joy and fun but I'm looking foreward to trading tomorrow and even more when it comes to trading a bit more comprehensively from 1st of April.

[zlabis]

Mon. Mar. 30, 2016
Easter Monday - no trading, DAX closed

Tue. Mar. 29, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 11:00 (GMT+1) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

First trading session after Easter break was featured by spiky moves followed by small ranges. At first strong break out of the range, I tried to catch some movement during pullback 3 times. All of the attempt s failed without being too fortunate. Trade's 2 SL got hit to 0.0p and Trade 3 missed 1R level by 0.2p. But that's trading and next time, it works out in my direction.

Trade 1 - PC-Cherry, SL = 8.5p = 1R
Result: -10.0p = 1.2R, DS = 1

Trade 2 - Cherry, SL = 7.5p = 1R
Result: -8.0p = -1.1R, DS = 1

Trade 3 - Cherry, SL = 13.0p = 1R
Result: -13.0p = -1.0R, DS = 1

Today's Result: -31.0p = -3.37%, DS = 3 / 3, 2.00 hrs

[zlabis]

Wed. Mar. 30, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 11:00 (GMT+1) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

Today LO session was much smoother and offered some good trading opportunities during the steady up-move during first hour after LO:

Trade 1 - Seed:
First pullback after LO which bounced off green gator. Was a bit big but volatility was good and TP was below BRN of 10,000 therefore I took it with confidence. It took a while to reach the 1R and finally the 2R level as volatility decreased immediately after PO was triggered.

Seed, SL = 12.8p = 1R
Result: +25.6p = +2.0R, DS = 1

Trade 2 - Classic breakout:
I took that second entry after the first part of the previous up move, the w3 or at least w3 of w3, had come to its end. It went into flat correction where I skipped several signals (see screenshot). Then the flat AIMS boxes started to tighten and as the box turned dark (box < 10p) AO was already close to ZL and I placed the PO for that classic, S1-like, breaukout which got triggered 2 candles later. TP was right at mTZ1 which pullback-leg remained at 50% pullback what I use to do if pullback of w4 is very small of less than 23.6%. It took only 1.5 minutes to proceed to TP at +2R level.

Classic breakout, SL = 10p = 1R
Result: +20.0p = +2.0R, DS = 1

Today's Result: +35.6p = +4.0R, DS = 2 / 2

[zlabis]

Thu. Mar. 31, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 11:00 (GMT+2 DLS) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

LO session with strong moves in a big range, where The Hunt signals can't work out their strengths BUT it saves as from big harm as well -> nothing bad happened.

Took some trades after pullback of breakouts. 2 POs were canceled and one trade (Trade 1) was filled. There was one Monarch Cherry which I unfortunately missed by my mistake and one Classic breakout into w5 which I didn't consider taking.

Trade 1 - Cherry:
Cherry at pullback after LO breakout which simply didn't work out.
SL = 6p = 1R, TP = 12p = 2R
Result: -6.5p = -1.1R, DS = 1

Today's result: -6.5p = -1.1R, DS = 1 / 1, 2.00 hrs

[zlabis]

Fri. April 01, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 10:30 (GMT+2 DLS) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

First day of new/old way of AIMS trading. I'm combining The Hunt with Adam's Apple (+add ons) and with breakouts. I used to trade that way before I joint the 3-month The Hunt challange with rigid trade handling to check/improve discipline. Now I'm exiting trades more flexibly by trailing AIMS, green gator or candles to let winners run but alway keeping an eye on target zones, espacially TZ1 or mTZ1 ("m" is for manually drawn TZ).

Wasn't the easiest session for me but I'm rather happy that I kept my urge to jump on the moves under control.

Trade 1 - Monarch Seed:
although DS=0, it's alright because it wasn't impulsive trade. M5 red and green gator hadn't crossed yet but on M1 price/entry was already above purple and there was AO Monarch.
SL = 7.8p = 1R, TP = 15.6p = 2R
Result: -7.8p = -1R, DS = 0

And having missed one winning signal was ok as well because it was based on my best possible analysis. It's correct quite often, this time it wasn't.

Today's result: -7.8p = -1R, DS = 0 / 1, 2.00 hrs

[zlabis]

Result of week 13, 21.03.-25.03.2016 - M1/M5 live:
Mon. 28.03. holidays - Easter Monday
Tue. 29.03. -31.0p = -3.37R, DS = 3/3, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Wed. 30.03. +35.6p = +4.0R, DS = 2/2 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Thu. 31.03. -6.5p = -1.0R, DS = 1/1, 2.00 hrs, M1/M5
Fri . 01.04. -7.8p = -1.0R, DS = 0/1, 1.50 hrs, M1/M5
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result ...... -9.7p = -1.45R (with compounding), DS = 6 / 7 (86%), 7.50 hrs

[zlabis]

RESULT OF MARCH 2016
Week 09: + 43.1 P = +3.3R, DS = 9/10, 10.00 hrs (The Hunt)
Week 10: + 32.1 P = +3.6R, DS = 11/12, 9.00 hrs (The Hunt)
Week 11: + 7.7 P = +1.1R, DS = 1/2, 4.50 hrs (The Hunt)
Week 12: + 4.5 P = +/-0.0R, DS = 7/7, 8.00 hrs (The Hunt)
Week 49: -1.9 P = +0.4R, DS = 6/6, 6.00 hrs (The Hunt)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result: + 85.5 P = + 8.5R (with compounding), DS = 34/37 (92%), 37.50 hrs

[zlabis]

Mon. April 04, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 9:00 - 10:30 (GMT+2 DST) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

DAX had much movement and volatility again today and offered some opportunities

Trade 1 - S1
I took a promising S1 (Trade 1) into possible w5 a few minutes before LO which simply failed by spiking up at LO before it went down in direction of already stopped out trade.

SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R but would have moved TP further down near TZ1 at around 4R level
Result: -10R = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 2 - Monarch Seed
Although entry was still inside the range, there were some signs that it's going to break out to the upside:
- w5 down clearly and obviously finished
- M5 gator started to open to the up side
- M1 break and retest of purple
- M1 zigzag-like correctio
- Seed signal ad red gator
I wanted to play it properly and placed hard TP at around +4R slightly below mTZ1 and FO level. As it passed 2R level, I started to look out for potential exits. It went up rather sharply, creating big angulation between price and gator, which indicated the possibility of some snapping back. After there was the 5th green candle, I started trailing candles but hard TP got hit first at a very good level with +4.3R - very nice )

Monarch Seed, SL = 7.7p = 1R, TP = 4.3R below mTZ1 and LO level
Result: +32.9p = +4.3R, DS = 1

Trade 3 - Cherry:
Still in the same w3 as Trade 2 but this time w5 if w3. Nice Cherry after a zigzag correction. Hard TP was at 2R level some points below mTZ1 (Fib Exp of most recent pull push cycle). Survived pullback by 1p before it went up sharply to hit TP at 2.1R with some slippage to my avantage. As I mentioned last time when trades got kicked out or missed SL->BE level by 0.1 or 0.5p, next time furtune will be on my side, what was actually the case today. But in the long run, "good luck" and "bad luck" will be eased out.

Cherry, SL = 9.3p = 1R, TP = 18.6p = 2R (below mTZ1)
Result: +19.8p = +2.1R, DS = 1

Was a cool trading session where I took advantage of some flexible exits and let one winner run nicely. Like in "old" days ;-)

Today's result: +42.7p = +5.4R, DS = 3 / 3, 2.25 hrs