Made quick scalp on risk event with 2R, but again got a bug with motivewave trade records, it show it in past time.
@MES - Context - Sep-05 1433 PM (Tick(1.8K))

MCl look like usually or rotate in previous days range or trend grinding. To trade MCL, need some news.

VillainAntagonist 

I need to consider not managing trades against double distribution profiles. After analyzing several months of MGC and MES profiles, I noticed that when a double distribution forms and price leaves the current value area in the direction of the previous one, it usually reaches that destination. To test this idea, I should use smaller size, place the stop loss above/below the current value zone, and enter when price leaves the zone in the direction of the previous distribution.

@VillainAntagonist,

Your observation about double distributions is spot-on. When price creates that vacuum between value areas, it often acts like a magnet pulling price through. The key insight here is recognizing these aren't random movements - they represent institutional positioning at different levels.

For your ES and MGC trades, consider watching delta divergence at the value area edges. When price approaches the edge of the current distribution heading toward the previous one, look for delta confirming the move - buyers stepping in on the break up, or sellers pressing on the break down. Your footprint should show this clearly.

The timing factor you haven't mentioned: these moves often accelerate during specific sessions. ES double distributions breaking during European open or bond pit open tend to complete faster. MGC moves during Asian hours show similar characteristics.

Your position sizing approach is smart. These setups have high probability but when they fail, they fail hard. Starting with smaller size lets you validate the pattern without taking unnecessary heat. Once you've logged 20-30 trades, you'll have solid stats on win rate and average move distance.

Have you noticed any correlation between the height of the low-volume zone and completion probability? In my analysis, wider gaps (>10 ticks on ES) show higher follow-through rates.

What specific market conditions trigger your entries?

Have a good weekend!

-- Fi
"I'm not interested in the future, I'm interested in the present."

Instrument Playbooks

Gold (MGC / GC)
• When: Trending sessions (esp. EU/US overlap).
• How:
• Context via TPO (Market Profile) → confirm trend shift (opening above/below value, single prints, value migration).
• Entry with footprint confirmation (initiative order flow, imbalance, absorption at break).
• Style: Context-driven, hold toward destination (not scalping).
• Why: When GC trends, it often sustains — better reward/risk by targeting profile destinations.

⸻

Crude Oil (MCL / CL)
• When: News events (EIA, OPEC, macro headlines).
• Still valid even hours after release — oil grinds slowly, gives multiple entries.
• How:
• Watch for direction established post-news.
• Join trend on pullbacks or during continued grind.
• Style: Trend-grind trades, wide stop, patient hold.
• Why: Oil reacts in waves to news, rarely reverses instantly — edges come from joining momentum, not fading.

⸻

S&P Micro (MES)
• When:
• EU session → often range-bound → scalping practice.
• Risk events (FOMC, CPI, surprise data) → breakout volatility.
• How:
• Scalps: aim ≤5 ticks profit, tight stops, focus on covering commission.
• Risk events: trade surprise-driven trend moves, short duration.
• Style:
• Scalping mode: learn to fade/clip rotations inside balance.
• Event mode: join trend, but shorter holding time than GC/CL.
• Why: MES is liquid, rotates in EU hours → perfect to practice scalps without big risk.

⸻

General Rules
• Don’t mix scalp logic with profile/trend logic.
• Define style per product before the session (scalp vs profile).
• Use order flow only as trigger/confirmation, never as sole reason for exit.
• Stops = at invalidation of context, not “tight just because”.

Educational Scalping Drill

Instrument
• MES (Micro S&P)

Setup
• Tool: DOM (focus on tape, liquidity, and order flow shifts).
• Contracts: 1
• Target: +4 ticks (barely covers commission).
• Disaster SL: –10 ticks.
• Duration: In and out quickly, no management.

Purpose (Not Profit)
• Build patience: wait for clear signal, not just “click”.
• Train loss acceptance: small losses, many reps → normalize taking them.
• Practice aggression: pulling the trigger when signal aligns, no hesitation.
• Improve flow reading: DOM + footprint → feel how liquidity behaves around rotations.

Rules
• No “stretching” target — always exit at 4 ticks if hit.
• No averaging down.
• If signal unclear → skip, don’t force.

Mindset
• The edge is in building execution habits, not in P&L.
• Each trade = 1 rep. Goal = accumulate hundreds of clean reps.

# 08.09.2025 - MGC

## 📊 Context

- **Opening Type**: Open Auction In Range
- **Opening Location**: Above VAH
- **Day Type (Projection)**:Trend
- **Shape Type (TPO)**: D
- **Overnight Range**: Narrow
- **Bias**: 🟢 Bullish
- **Narrative**:Form a pullback from Friday rally and reach again Friday high

@MGC - Context - Sep-08 0805 AM (Tick(1.2K))


Asset Day template:
# 08.09.2025 - MCL

## 📊 Context

- **Opening Type**: Open Drive
- **Opening Location**: Inside Value
- **Day Type (Projection)**: Trend
- **Shape Type (TPO)**: Trend
- **Balance Zone (if any)**:
- **Bias**: 🟢 Bullish
- **Narrative**: Reach Friday POC. Bullish news present,

@MCL - Context - Sep-08 0806 AM (Tick(400))


Asset Day template:
# 08.09.2025 - MES

## 📊 Context

- **IB Range**:
- **IB vs Average**: ⬆️ Above / ⬇️ Below / 🔄 Equal
- **Opening Type**:Open Auction In Range
- **Opening Location**: Inside Value
- **Day Type (Projection)**: Normal
- **Shape Type (TPO)**: P
- **Overnight Range**: Wide
- **Balance Zone (if any)**:
- **Bias**: ⚪ Neutral
- **Narrative**: Chop due to lack of decision.

@MES - Context - Sep-08 0806 AM (Tick(1.8K))

# 08.09.2025 - MGC Trade 1

## 📌 Setup & Context

- **Location in Profile**: HVN
- **Screenshot at 30m**: @MGC - Context - Sep-08 1151 AM (Tick(1.2K))

- **Screenshot at 3m**: Footprint wasn't use


## ⚙️ Execution

- **Entry Reason**: Entry on pullback for trend day
- **Exit Reason**: Half on 1R, second half 1.5R due to need to close of PC

## 📈 Outcome
- **Win**
- **Would I take this trade again?** Yes
- **Emotion check**: Calm

## 🔁 Review Flags
- [ ] Hesitation
- [ ] Poor read
- [x] Good execution
- [ ] Misjudged context
- [ ] Impulse

# {{date}} - {{asset}} Trade {{number}}

## 📌 Setup & Context

- **Location in Profile**: HVN

- **Screenshot at 30m**:
@MCL - Context - Sep-08 1504 PM (Tick(400))


- **Screenshot at 3m**:
@MCL - Footprint - Sep-08 1504 PM (P&F(7,3))


## ⚙️ Execution

- **Trigger Type**: Tape, volume
- **Entry Reason**: Uptrend news, enter on pullback.
- **Exit Reason**: Half exit on 1R, next exit on 2R, but second exit not displayed on Motivewave again due to trade recorded in past time.

## 📈 Outcome
- **Loss**
- **Would I take this trade again?** Yes
- **Emotion check**: Calm, Confident

## 🔁 Review Flags
- [ ] Hesitation
- [ ] Poor read
- [x] Good execution
- [ ] Misjudged context
- [ ] Impulse

I was making my scalp drills on MES today, made dozen of trades on demo account (to check execution).

So on non US session, have good success on drills, because velocity was slow. But when US open it was disaster for several reasons:

1. Velocity is too high, eye couldn't catch information, numbers traded, pulled and added change too quick.

2. Big slippage on market orders, you could enter several ticks in not favor, which completely invalidate scalp.

3. Limit orders simply could be not filled.

4. Motivewave bugs, which I'll describe in next post.

I'll continue my drills all this week to have sample size of better trade hours.

I started to be not satisfied with Motivewave due to several bugs.

1. Trades sometimes recorded in past time, so they not visible on chart, so it's hard to record them in journal.

2. If you open bracket orders within initial market orders, there is strange sequence of order fills. For example I open bracket with 4 ticks TP and 10 ticks SL with initiate market orders, but there was slippage, but it first added TP orders and after execute my market orders, so first TP was filled, after market filled, and SL was added, but when SL added there is no position, so when SL hit - it open new traded, I lose big amount of demo deposit due to this. Also when it happens - plenty java errors are displayed.

Due to this I start to consider to buy window laptop (currently I have several MACs only) and learn to use NT with Jigsaw.