back when my method worked great. I scaled up size very methodically maybe 20 percent at a time. I had friends who just doubled a few times. They pulled more money out than I did when the money was easy. I like the 5 times thing. If your method works while it works you should maximize your profits. Taking a few stabs at jumping levels is the only way to trade. If you are only making money because you have a very slight edge and you have big drawdown periods than this obviously does not apply. I will say this I have met a lot of traders who break the "rules" and make money. (also plenty that didn't) I have not met any traders who trade by the book that make money. I am sure there are, but I just have not met them. Good work.
Obviously, you are not yet even at the level of reading "trading rules" and your critical faculties are non-existent. Trading is all about consistency: jumping your trade size 5 times or so once is a joke and I would not start a new thread to inform the world about it. It's doing it consistently and in a disciplined way that is worth informing others about it... Once he has done that 100 times and is still at this game, we might start taking note of it. Otherwise, that's a non-event.
I think we all here applaud Cutten for his guts. I think it's admirable and very good of him to step up size. But the mathematics of risk mgmt will get to all of us in the end. Geometric growth of size with constant account size will result in some serious drawdowns. Why? Because every trade has a certain odds of success. We don't know if THIS particular trade will work out. Bt if you have a valid edge, then over time your edge should be realized and positive. To bet a huge part of your wad in any one particular trade is investing too much emotionally on one thing that has a certain but unknown probability of success... right? But having said that, there are times that I can see why betting huge is good. But I think it takes Market Wizardry to get to that level. Like constant betting most of the time and then huge position when you are so "sure". But even that it sounds iffy...
electron, trading 20/40 lots in the bund/bonds/es is not easy without consistency. for me i'd guess Cutten is there already: its moving up that he's finding harder... there are no "rules" for personal growth... peace, Q1
There is a huge difference between a discretionary trader who knows what is going on and a trader taking setups. The above if he is consistent must step it up while he is on and then back it off when he does not. Van Tharp expectancy tables do not apply to a discretionary trader who knows what is happening.
Mustering up the courage to do size is no small feat indeed. Whether sizing up is a step towards foolishness or progress depends, I think on how experienced and successful the trader is prior to sizing up.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote from sjp: What an absolute chump. Your thought process betrays you. It is surely just a matter of time before I dance over your carcass. Never sit with size when money is on the screen. Buy ones and sell nines in 10 hours? Not for me sir...... Buy ones and sell fives 10 times in 1 hour. Go home, paint the fence. Shopping. Cinema. Meals out. Easy women. Crack. Yours 200 lot Bund Trader -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- he may be a chump, but at least he has some chump change jingling in his pockets .. nice trade imo.. you have to start somewhere.. be careful that using inconsistent size doesnt kill your R:R ratio though.. congrats.. -qwik __________________ - "As a man believeth in his heart, so is he" - "Trying to understand the market is like a blind man, blindfolded in a dark room, chasing a black cat that isnt there.." He may be a chump but at least with some change jingling in his pockets? ???!!!!! I take it back - it is qwik who is the chump. What this guy did is professional suicide, and its worth adding, no way to run any kind of trading business. Anyone who thinks so is better of writing and reading the bullshit posts on this site than actually trading. Sirs, I bid you good day. Yours Lots of change in pockets Trader
sjp, maybe when you breakout of your teenage mentallity you will have something worth offering this board. has any "new" memeber of this board ever spouted so much bile in such a short amount of time? sheesh, Q1
Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps I have a point? I doubt it. Now gimme all your money. Sheesh(?) Yours Trader with many salient points
For what it is worth: I traded a simulator until I saw that my method produces. Meaning: from where I entered a trade, the trades went into my favor with enough winning % and enough risk to reward that over time, $ is being made. Knowing that this method produces $, I started trading 2 contracts. Absolutely nothing has changed except I started making real $. Knowing that this method works with 2 contracts I have moved to 6 contracts. Nothing has changed except that I make more $ now. As my capital allows, I will continue to increase size. Nothing will change except making more $ and fills may get a little trickier. If you have a method that makes $, size should not matter except if there are fill issues. I could only see emotions getting involved if you are using scared $ putting on size not relative to your total capital, or if you're putting on this size without confidence in your method. BTW, I have been profitable using real $ for only 2 months. If I hit a losing streak out of the norm, I will be emotional about the trade and will reduce size.