Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

thalestrader

The Race

Recommended Posts

No problem, bathrobe. Remember, there is no requirement that you trade everyday, every week, or even every month. The only requirements are that you start with 3K or less, and you post a screen capture whenever your positions/equity changes.

 

A note on my participation, I suffer from migraine headaches and am unable to trade when I have one as I do today 4/28. So I will not be trading unless I feel better.

 

As a fellow migraine sufferer, I truly feel you pain. I hope it passes quickly for you.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Whilst I battle to post real time entries and exits this thread looks like it have the makings of a lot of fun and a worthwhile challenge, at that. I will join "The Race".

 

I have a small FXCM account that I use to play around in. I will use that for "The Race"

 

Starting equity is $453 - the account is a live account.

 

Today's snap included herewith. Unfortunately it is quite big, I can't get another way to display all the data required ito the rules for this thread.

 

Cheers,

Fxt

5aa70ffeba3f1_28April-start.thumb.png.46e2626dec1fedca1e531fa563be42c9.png

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
A note on my participation, I suffer from migraine headaches and am unable to trade when I have one as I do today 4/28. So I will not be trading unless I feel better.

 

I ended up doing my least favorite thing :) scalping the fed announcement because I had genuine excitement about the Race, great idea guys. Back to bed for me, I will post my statement later.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I, too, suffer regular migraines. I feel your pain and hope you feel well soon!

 

I have been having them since I was about 16-17 but they have been getting worse over the years my neurologist is pretty certain staring at monitors all day make them worse. But what are we going to do.

 

Sorry for the off-subject post.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Whilst I battle to post real time entries and exits this thread looks like it have the makings of a lot of fun and a worthwhile challenge, at that. I will join "The Race".

 

That's great, Fxt, we're glad to have you join us, and I wish you good luck. I would like very much to see you pull One Million Dollars from the vaults of FXCM (via trading, of course, no dynamite and tunnels allowed!

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
So far I have the following folks who have posted an opening statement and declared themselves in the race.

 

Let me know if I am missing anyone.

 

 

Here is the updated list of all those who have thus far declared for the race along with the posted starting equity of each Racer.

 

 

yeaheah $137.80

 

fxThunder $453.43

 

sicktrader $941.31

 

thalestrader $1537.75

 

daedalus $1653.85

 

bathrobe $2542.38

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thales,

 

One small rule change request. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take my 3 year old to pre-school, and don't get to the office until say 9:15. After the greetings and such at the office, I am running very close to 9:30 by the time I get to my desk. I would believe that others may have a similar problem. Can you change it to 10:00, or allow for a little slippage. Thanks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
...One small rule change request. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I take my 3 year old to pre-school, and don't get to the office until say 9:15. After the greetings and such at the office, I am running very close to 9:30 by the time I get to my desk. I would believe that others may have a similar problem. Can you change it to 10:00, or allow for a little slippage. Thanks.

 

Office? You mean you work for a living?

 

Sure, we can allow for some slippage a couple days a week. I think we do want to maintain some degree of uniformity and hence credibility, so we should all try to post our statements by 9:30 AM whenever possible, and if not by then, at the earliest possible chance one gets.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Office? You mean you work for a living?

 

Sure, we can allow for some slippage a couple days a week. I think we do want to maintain some degree of uniformity and hence credibility, so we should all try to post our statements by 9:30 AM whenever possible, and if not by then, at the earliest possible chance one gets.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

 

Ha. I used to work for a living, then came the great housing collapse. Placing big bets in California and Nevada didn't pan out well. Now I just go there to get away from the house and take calls from all the banks that I owe. Thanks for the slippage.

Edited by sicktrader

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi folks,

 

I know that sick will, at some point, explain to us his approach to money management and how he manages to trade a small account. I have no such secrets to tell. Someone mentioned in a PM to me this evening that he is looking forward to learning how to trade a small stake to one million dollars. Well, so am I! I am here to learn by doing.

 

Taking 1k to 1 million is, admittedly, a seemingly insurmountable task. Certainly it is a rare feat. But it has been done. Typically the time span is measured in years if not decades, rather than weeks, but it has been done. It is well known that Richard Dennis parlayed an initial $200 stake into an estimated $200 million fortune. Of course, this was done over many, many years, and not over the course of a 20 week contest.

 

While I intend to give it the "old college try," I know the odds do not favor me parlaying my initial $1500 to $1,000,000 during the initial 20 week period, I am going to try. But in order to try, I must learn how.

 

In another PM I received, a TL member said he'd like to participate, but, perhaps fearing failure, he did not feel comfortable making his attempt in so public a manner.

 

Here is what I said to him:

 

I think a thread tracking our efforts to grow a real trading stake from a small stake is a worthwhile thread on its own, whether any of us turns a million or not, don't you? I started trading stocks with a mere 5K in 1986, added options in 1987 when my balance was but 10K, and I funded my first futures account with a paltry $3K taken from my stock account in 1995. We all have to start somewhere, and most of us start small.

 

While I'd love to make a million out of my sand box, I am starting off with a much humbler goal of doubling the $1500 to $3000 without falling below $750 in the process. We'll see how that goes. After all, if I am to make a million, I have first to make $100, right? Making a $100 profit on a $1500 stake hardly seems ridiculous, now does it? If $100, is reasonable, then, given some time and opportunity, is $500 ridiculous? Hardly. And if $500, why not a double? A $1500 stake run to a $1500 profit? No mean feat, but certainly not insurmountable, wouldn't you say?

 

The secret to this thread, I feel, is this - too many are overwhelmed by the sheer ridiculousness of attempting to run 1K to 1 million. However, if you break the ridiculous up into less and less and less ridiculous goals, eventually you will get to a level that not only is no longer ridiculous, but is downright reasonable.

 

Trade for the reasonable, and at some point, you may astonish yourself to find you have accomplished the ridiculous.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Edited by thalestrader

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I don't want to get into details until I have proven something. At this point, I am fine, as I needed to get by $1,300 to reduce the risk of blow-out to single digits. The next step will be to add another contract at $2,600, then every $1,300 from there. In my 20 week goal I assumed doubling my account every two weeks, but my average is better that. I also have a reserve fund, built from what I take out of my account, to use when I have a bad week, which does happen. I have numerous expected trades before the end of the week, so I'll just wait and see how that plays out. I'll stop for the week if I get up 100 to 120 points, which would mean I have doubled. Up 45 points so far, so one or two trades could get me there. Then again, I can lose 50 in a day.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
... The next step will be to add another contract ...

 

What you have outlined here is very close to what I have worked up on my end. I have several weeks coming up where I will be unable to trade much if at all, however, so my pace will be hampered somewhat. But I am having great fun puzzling this out.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

On another note, one thing that has always pissed me off are those people saying that "if you double every two weeks you would be a billionaire in blah blah blah". Well, I don't perpetually increase my account. I have a base, I double it, then I cash out, then do it again the next week. I also have a reserve fund ready to post up when I have a big drawdown, which happens a few times a year. I know what I need, or want, to make each month, and I make it. This isn't that difficult.

Edited by sicktrader

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just a tip to those of you posting actual account statements...

 

Unless you know how to redact them appropriately, please don't expose your details to the world.

 

Enoch, you might want to take a second look at your recent 4/27 statement above, as I didn't have to do anything special to reveal your data in that .pdf file :doh:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I might add slow stochastics (5,3,3) after a losing streak - not for entry but to filter out trades.

 

 

Interesting... most advocate a slow stoch for entry. Care to elaborate how you employ it as a filter?

 

snowbird

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just a tip to those of you posting actual account statements...

 

Unless you know how to redact them appropriately, please don't expose your details to the world.

 

I would suggest taking a screen capture and posting a .jpeg rather than the actual .pdf of your statement.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
how late is the latest possible time to post a statement from the 28th?

 

We'd like to have them posted by 9:30 AM EDT (US equities RTH open). However, we will allow some slippage.

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is the updated list of all those who have thus far declared for the race along with the posted starting equity of each Racer.

 

 

yeaheah $ 137.80

 

fxThunder $ 453.43

 

sicktrader $ 941.31

 

thalestrader $1537.75

 

daedalus $1653.85

 

enoch benjamin $2036.36

 

bathrobe $2542.38

 

Best Wishes,

 

Thales

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • AMZN Amazon stock, nice buying at the 187.26 triple+ support area at https://stockconsultant.com/?AMZN
    • DELL Dell Technologies stock, good day moving higher off the 90.99 double support area, from Stocks to Watch at https://stockconsultant.com/?DELL
    • MCK Mckesson stock, nice trend and continuation breakout at https://stockconsultant.com/?MCK
    • lmfx just officially launched their own LMGX token, Im planning to grab a couple of hundred and maybe have the option to stake them. 
    • Date: 2nd April 2025.   Market on Edge: Tariff Announcement and Volatility Ahead!   The US economic and employment data continues to deteriorate with the job vacancies figures dropping to a 5-month low. In addition to this, the IMS Manufacturing PMI also fell below expectations. However, both the US Dollar and Gold declined simultaneously following the release of the two figures, an uncommon occurrence in the market. Traders expect a key factor to be today’s ‘liberation day’ where the US will impose tariffs on imports. USDJPY - Traders Await Tariff Confirmation! Traders looking to determine how the USDJPY will look today will find it difficult to determine until the US confirms its tariff plan. Today is the day when Trump previously stated he would finalize and announce his tariff plan. The administration has not yet released the policy, but investors expect it to be the most expansionary in a century. President Trump is due to speak at 20:00 GMT. On HFM's Calendar the speech is stated as "US Liberation Day Tariff Announcement". Currently, analysts are expecting Trump’s Tariff Plan to impose tariffs on the EU, chips and pharmaceuticals later today as well as reciprocal tariffs. Economists have a good idea of how these tariffs may take effect, but reciprocal tariffs are still unspecified. In addition to this, 25% tariffs on the car industry will start tomorrow. The tariffs on the foreign cars industry are a factor which will particularly impact Japan. Although, traders should note that this is what is expected and is not yet finalised. Last week, President Trump stated that he would implement retaliatory tariffs but allow exemptions for certain US trade partners. Treasury Secretary Mr Bessent and National Economic Council Director Mr Hassett suggested that the restrictions would primarily target 15 countries responsible for the bulk of the US trade deficit. However, yesterday, Trump contradicted these statements, asserting that additional duties would be imposed on any country that has implemented similar measures against US products. The day’s volatility will depend on which route the US administration takes. The harshness of the policy will influence both the Japanese Yen as well as the US Dollar.   USDJPY 5-Minute Chart   US Economic and Employment Data The JOLT Job Vacancies figure fell below expectations and is lower than the previous month’s figure. The JOLT Job Vacancies read 7.57 million whereas the average of the past 6 months is 7.78 million. The ISM Manufacturing Index also fell below the key level of 50.00 and was 5 points lower than what analysts were expecting. The data is negative for the US Dollar, particularly as the latest release applies more pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. However, this is unlikely to happen if the trade policy ignites higher and stickier inflation. In the Bank of Japan’s Governor's latest speech, Mr Ueda said that the tariffs are likely to trigger higher inflation. USDJPY Technical Analysis Currently, the Japanese Yen Index is the worst performing of the day while the US Dollar Index is more or less unchanged. However, this is something traders will continue to monitor as the EU session starts. In the 2-hour timeframe, the USDJPY is trading at the neutral level below the 75-bar EMA and 100-bar SMA. The RSI and MACD is also at the neutral level meaning traders should be open to price movements in either direction. On the smaller timeframes, such as the 5-minute timeframe, there is a slight bias towards a bullish outcome. However, this is only likely if the latest bearish swing does not drop below the 200-Bar SMA.     The key resistant level can be seen at 150.262 and the support level at 149.115. Breakout levels are at 149.988 and 149.674. Key Takeaway Points: Job vacancies hit a five-month low, and the ISM Manufacturing PMI missed expectations, adding pressure on the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate decisions. Traders await confirmation on Trump’s tariff policy, which is expected to impact the EU, chips, pharmaceuticals, and foreign car industries. The severity of the tariffs will influence both the JPY and the USD, with traders waiting for final policy details. The Japanese Yen Index is the worst index of the day while the US Dollar Index is unchanged. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.