Michael's (zlabis) Journal [The Magician]

[zlabis]

Tue. April 05, 2016

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

DAX offered very nice structure during my session which was only distorted after LO with some erratic, jaggy up- and down-candles.

Trade 1 - Breakout:
I wanted to take advantage of strong down momentum on both M1 and M5. I even waited for first breakout before I placed LO at break of AIMS level but the second breakout candle went up as well, missing SL->BE level by 0.2p and hit init SL before going down further. Next time it will work in my favour ;-)

Breakout, SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R
Result: -10p = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 2 - Cherry
New peak of AO, first pullback after LO, therefore green light for it. Went down nicely and hit SL->BE level (1R) but reversed to BE level before going down further.

Cherry, SL = 13.4p = 1R, TP = 26.8p = 2R
Result: BE = +/-0R, DS = 1

Trade 3 - Adam's Apple (AA) + 1 add on:
My first Adam's Apple since I re-integrated it on Friday. Was a nice one into possible w5 which turned out to be correct anticipation. TP was some points above TZ1 and I added on once at next AIMS level. This time I didn't add on more often although there were 2 more spots to build up the position (see screenshot). Trade developed as wanted and TPs got hit slightly above TZ1 which turned out to be nearly the perfect spot for this campaign.

AA+1 addon, SL = 13p+27.3p = 0.5R each, TP = 38.4p+27.3p
Result: +38.4p+27.3p = +1.5R + 0.4R = +1.9R, DS = 1


Today's result: +51.8p = +0.9R, DS = 3 / 3, 2.25 hrs

[immy]

Adam's Apple, if traded correctly, can change the bottom/balance line big time.

[zlabis]

Adam's Apple, if traded correctly, can change the bottom/balance line big time.

100% agree!!!

Btw: Your look changed dramatically compared to your "old" profile image. Very sporty ;-)

[zlabis]

Wed. April 06, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 8:45 - 11:00 (GMT+2 DST) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

Today's DAX LO session on M1 was full of action. I missed that a bit during last three months of pure The Hunt trading as I have extensively outlined in Skype already. Some classic AIMS breaks (2 were even double AIMSbreaks on M1 and M5) and a couple of nice The Hunt signals (Seeds and Cherries) made it a rather profitable day.

Trade 1 - LO breakout:
Tight box so I had bracked the box. Short was even double AIMS break of M1 and M5 lower AIMS level. But this first attempt failed.
LO breakout, SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R
Result: -10p = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 2 - LO breakout, 2nd attempt
Although 1st attempt of breakout failed, I was still confident that this breakout will work, so I placed a 2nd 10-10-20 PO below the box. Tis time it worked out and passed 1R and 2R levels in only 2 minutes.
LO breakout, SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R
Result: +20p = +2R, DS = 1

The breakout was against trend direction therefore I had left TP at 2R level untouched as there was no structure in direction of the trade at that time.

Trade 3 - Cherry:
Nice pinbar Cherry signal at first pullback of LO breakout taken with confidence and without hasitation. Was considering that it might fill the gap and was ready to give exit a bit more room by moving TP further down. But trade simply didn't work out and init SL got hit with -1R, next ;-)
Cherry, SL = 12.8p = 1R, TP = 25.6p = 2R but would have moved it further away
Result: -12.8p = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 4 - PC-Seed:
Still in the correction of initial LO breakout but with rather much pullback. But as it was a good Principle C right below LO breakout range, I took it nevertheless. It simply failed again and init SL was hit with -1R. Next.
Seed, SL = 10.8p = 1R, TP = 21.6p = 2R would have moved TP further away again
Result: -10.8p = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 5 - Classic breakout
Structure was good into small w5 but previous spiky candles let me hasitate a bit therefore I didn't take first attempt. As that failed, I was sure, that a second attempt would work out and I placed a 10-10-20 breakout PO below the box. TP was nicely above TZ1 so I left it there. PO got filled immediately and it pushed down but failed 1R level for fraction of a point before it reversed and kicked init SL with -1R. Next.
Classic breakout, SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R
Result: -10p = -1R, DS = 1

Trade 6 campaign - Classic breakout + 1 addon
After failed attempts of Trades 3-5 catching w5 down, price hovered around FO/LO level forming a deep w4. There was price action which could have led in both directions but structure was more down than up according to my analysis. When there formed a double AIMS box (!!!) on M1 and M5 I decided to place a PO below and above the common M1/M5 box. I deleted short PO once and re-placed it again. After it got filled, it went in direction of trade nicely.
At the first pullback, there was a Seed signal where I placed an addon PO. The entry of the Seed was equal to 1R level of initial trade therefore risk was reduced to 1R of addon.
By handling the campaign I was fiddling around a bit with SLs as there was some ATM issue (will observe it and report it to Steve), therefore I switched off SL and TP function of ATM. When there was that strong down-push through 2R level of init trade (=1R level of addon), I moved SLs there but had TPs further down. I decided to move back TPs at 2R level of addon where it got hit.
Should have let it run but unexpected/unwanted behavior of SL placement during trade pulled me out of zone and made me a bit nervous. Nevertheless a good result of +5R.
Classic breakout + Seed addon, SL = 10p+11p = 1R each, TP = 20p+22p = 2R each, but moved further away
Result: +30.3p+22p = +3R+2R = +5R, DS = 2/2 although I screwed exit a bit but it was caused by unexpected software behavior, therefore no indiscipline from my side. But I have to add point "handling unexpected trading software behavior" to my Trading Plan.

Trade 7 - Cherry:
After Trade 6 campaign was over, there showed up another Cherry signal. Momentum was still very strong and there was no obvious w5 of w3 yet, so I decided to give it a try. TP was a few points above BRN of 9500 point so there was green light. PO got triggered immediately and TP was reached in 2 minutes. After trade was exited, I realized that I hit "TP = 2:1" button but forgot to hit "SL = 1:1" button on ATM which I had deactivated earlier. That's a technical mistake due to stress caused by unexpected trading software behavior during recent trade. In the state of nervousness, it's better to stop trading until calmed down again, so I should not have taken the trade therfore DS = 0.
Cherry, SL = 11.5p = 1R, TP = 23p = 2R right above BRN of 9500 points
Result: +23.3p = +2R, DS = 0 for reason described above.

Today's result: +51.9p = +5R, DS = 7 / 8, 2.25 hrs

Trading was big fun today )

[immy]

I thought your journal writing might become a longer job since I know you'll be taking a lot more trades... well done though

[Hill]

omg, no one can match your journal. simply so disciplined and awesome, thanks Mr. Z

[immy]

omg, no one can match your journal. simply so disciplined and awesome, thanks Mr. Z

Yes, and now Zlabis will never change a strategy. Because i took him on several trips to kill or cure his curiosity. Its important we try a few things "methodically" no just randomly, to find out what suits best for our individual style of trading. And to find out what style is yours, you have to apply T20 principles for a set period of time, say 3 months per strategy.

Journal Keeping is An Edge that only the top .001% successful traders possess.

[zlabis]

Immy,
going through all sorts of AIMS strategies, including The Hunt during recent three months, over the last 1.5 years, led by you, the senior AIMSters and all others, offered me a very good insight of my skills, capabilities and inclinations. This is a good foundation for choosing the most appropriate and fitting mixture of strategies and tools. In my personal case it's the combination of:
- Seeds/Cherries according to The Hunt rules as solitäiry entries or as add ons to Adam's Apples
- Adam's Apples with addons (AIMS breaks and Sees/Cherries)
- Classic breakouts/S1/S2 with addons at AIMS break and Seeds/Cherries

As Immy has already pointed out, I actually need some action during realtime trading to keep full focus during my short sessions. It doesn't mean that I have an itchy trigger finger but if there's not enough action or things to do and analyse, my mind and fucus tends to stray away from charts.

Hill,
thanks for your kind words. I've discovered for me that keeping my journal and track records regularely up to date properly is vitaly important to keep in touch with my daily realtime trading routine. To be honest, it's rather an effort and takes me at least as much time, if not even more, than my trading session. It's my fix 2-hrs after-trading session in the evening which I accomplish on each and every day I'm trading.
The journal here is, as I've stated here several times, my main trading documentation beside a copy of the text and screenshots as Word-file and a print-out of the screenshots which I analyse quickly before my tradings session starts. Keeping detailed track records, as second part of documentation, is the only way, IMHO, to keep control over the effectiveness of the chosen system including hit-rate, profit factor, opportunity factor and over-all profitability and, nearly most important, discipline score.

[zlabis]

Thu. April 07, 2016 and Fri. April 08
no trading due to real estate business commitment.

Result of week 14, 04.04.-08.04.2016 - M1/M5 live:
Mon. 04.04. +42.7p = +5.4R, DS = 3/3, 2.25 hrs, M1/M5
Tue. 05.04. +51.8p = +0.9R, DS = 3/3, 2.25 hrs, M1/M5
Wed. 06.04. +51.9p = 5.0R, DS = 7/8 2.25 hrs, M1/M5
Thu. 07.04. no trading
Fri . 08.04. no trading
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Result ...... 146.4p = +11,7R (with compounding), DS = 13/14 (92,9%), 6.75 hrs


It was big fun trading this week. There's still quite alot of possibilities for improvement but for the first week of new/old trading style, I'm rather happy.

[zlabis]

Mon. April 11, 2016

Screen time:
London Open session 8:45 - 11:00 (GMT+2 DST) M1/M5 DAX only - LIVE

Great movement on DAX. Picked out a tiny bit.

Trade 1 - LO Classic:
SL = 10p = 1R, TP = 20p = 2R
Exit: init TP
Result: +19p = +1.9R (TP untouched but shuld have let it run)
DS = 1

Trade 2 - Cherry:
SL = 9.3p = 1R, TP = 33.5p = 3.6R (below mTZ1)
Exit: BE after 1R level hit
Result: BE = +/-0R
DS = 1

Trade 3 - Adam's Apple +1 classic add on:
SL = 10.7p + 15.5p = 1R + 1R
TP = 78.8p + 54.0p = 7.4R + 3.5R (below TZ1)
Exit: Trailing green gator
Result: +16.7p - 8.3p = +8.4p, +1,5R - 0,5R = +1.0R
DS = 1


Today's result: +27.4p = +2.9R , DS = 4 / 4, 2.25 hrs