Originally posted by mooddude
If I make cash breaking my rules I deserve a kick in the head, and so does any trader. If you plan it and stick to it then you're a winner every time........even when you lose.
If you're desperate, and can filter out the pathetic idiots and offensive bile, Elite Trader has a few interesting threads here and there.
Trading index futures avoids the games; but it's entirely different game, ya know? Futures requires a lot of time dedicated to watching. I'd certainly recommend it; and if you're like most people once you trade them you'll be hooked. I strongly recommend papertrading them first so that you can get the discipline down. Stops are a must; whether you're scalping or swing trading. It's not uncommon for the inexperienced trading only one contract to fall into the hope trade and end up down over a grand in a day. A day like today (15 points range) is $750 range per contract, which can make a dent in the account if you experience a poorly timed trade and a breach of discipline with a stop, or worse still, adding to a losing trade that continues to move against you. Futes can be unforgiving and often they won't give you a pull back to exit. Hard stops are the only way to protect yourself against such a move. YM is trading better these days in my opinion, so I'd recommend starting there. It's all about support and resistance in my opinion. Find where they are; trade them with good r/r setups, and trade patterns like double tops/bottoms, SHS, wedges, breakouts. The hardest thing is spotting the difference between a range day and a trend day. Lots of people get chopped up in range days while they look for trends that don't come. And then when you're least expecting it, and trading a system for a range day, you'll get hammered by a trend day
One needs a system that covers both kinds of days; or can keep you out of chop. The best advice I can give is to watch patiently for those two or three trades a day that just scream out to you, that have wonderful risk reward at areas of support and resistance. Smile when you stop out; and patiently try again until you nail a great entry and a decent swing.
I still like it long.
maybe raise it up with the channel each day. Patience is key for it. If it pulls back but fails to tag your order, and you still want to chase it, wait for a fresh and healthy looking channel turn up to buy the pivot the next day. Holler when you enter, cuz I might forget! 



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