Your right that algo props search for whatever the latest idea is or is selling and front run it scalp. This is wildly worse with computers today. That is why I think you need your own ideas and plan. They always sweep the book of people before the move, that is a signal itself. Set target an get out no matter what. The chart you sent says to me you were way late on that purchase, from an Elliot wave view it was a fifth wave topping setup. Also keep in mind it will often let you out with small lose, as it did on the chart with pullback that failed. You are correct that "they know when small traders are going to tap out" You are trading against Watson the IBM monster. Look to not play the game but grab a small piece. You cannot win agianst the the fed printers or algos. Try and see and feel the game. You are playing the hardest game you will ever play, take it from someone who knows and has lost hundreds of thousands. It was better when you phoned in orders.

josh 

Piling on my boy @lamass like:

Lam(b)assting him, you might say. But yo, if we're represented by the guy doing the open-handed smack, then the market is the one with the gun... and it's not too far behind us.

The smartest people learn from other people's mistakes; the dumbest ones get killed by things they've been told to avoid over and over again. The trick is to figure out where you are along that spectrum and (hopefully) improve your position. A bunch of smart and experienced folks like yourself have been doing everything from providing gentle hints to applying a clue-by-four, and the guy still keeps going back to his "they're after me" story. I've given it what I think of as a good shot, but... past a certain point, there's no reason to try anymore.

(A friend who had spent a number of years living at an ashram related that they had a very strong injunction against helping others advance - because that implied that they were helpless. All of their energy was aimed at assisting - as long as someone put in the effort to do it on their own, no matter how feeble, they'd be right there with whatever was needed and asked for. I see that distinction as important.)

If you have a Netflix subscription, there's a great series called "Chef's Table".

What's great about it from a trader's perspective is to hear the stories of how these people struggled for years, with all kinds of unbelievable bad luck and adversity, some hitting rock-bottom, most failing over and over and over. They persevered to become great at their craft, many of them among the best in the world, and it took years of never giving up, adaptation and re-inventing themselves. I believe the stories are very inspirational to me as a trader (as well as I'm a foodie/wine guy). Maybe they'll be inspiring to others as well.

bdlibra 

Yeah. I have the same impression. Stops get taken out just to the point where I've placed stops, even if they are located outside when my stops are placed in unusual places. It seems as if someone sees my stops then deliberately takes them out before continuing in the direction I expected the price to go. The boogie man seems to be watching in the gloom.

Indeed! Better we Believe the Boogie-bot is Watching - and stay Safe then be Free-of-Worry and loose. Some traders reassured: the Market is not interested in your little account. But drop by drop- lake. I Know and Trust they are interested in my small account!
So many times I get cleaned and the M continues my way. Don’t trust people who tell you your little orders are not being watched. It’s all about optimization: the Bots know how to measure risk within certain boundaries and they’ll move the M even 10 pts to swipe you. Meanwhile, the game will continue not just with your little and my little account - but dozens and hundreds of little ones. And of course, when they swipe you up , that’s where they put their Order now- in a very nice position. The only Success for small Traders is to know where are those Places where people get cleaned and join the bigger Wave. We really must be Damn Right Convinced of the General Direction, and be able to Sustain the onslaught of Attacks. No mercy! This is not an investment: it’s a demolition derby! Cheers!

oceansailor 

Lam(b)assting him, you might say. But yo, if we're represented by the guy doing the open-handed smack, then the market is the one with the gun... and it's not too far behind us. The smartest people learn from other people's mistakes; the dumbest ones get killed by things they've been told to avoid over and over again. The trick is to figure out where you are along that spectrum and (hopefully) improve your position. A bunch of smart and experienced folks like yourself have been doing everything from providing gentle hints to applying a clue-by-four, and the guy still keeps going back to his "they're after me" story. I've given it what I think of as a good shot, but... past a certain point, there's no reason to try anymore. (A friend who had spent a number of years living at an ashram related that they had a very strong injunction against helping others advance - because that implied that they were helpless. All of their energy was aimed at assisting - as long as someone put in the effort to do it on their own, no matter how feeble, they'd be right there with whatever was needed and asked for. I see that distinction as important.)

You think what you want- I’ll think they are after me. I enjoy being paranoid. I enjoy knowing that you are after my money- that way let’s see if you can take it. FI, These days I’m taking “yours”. You are after my money!!! Cheers!

Are you placing your stops at very obvious prices? Idk about all markets, but I know ES has a habit of stopping out all the obvious stops 1 or 2 times, before rocketing into original direction you were hoping for.

Might be better to wait for the traps to play out before entering, but sometimes there are no traps and you miss the move completely. In this case you could also put out "feelers", quickly closing out if the market doesn't immediately move in your direction.

For example, today's ES open at 9:30am est is a good example of stops being hit by a tick two times in row, before the market rockets back into the direction. Take a look at this screenshot from my trading today for how I dealt with it. I'm also playing with the idea of using this to "scale in" into the position, instead of all-in, and scale out.

bdlibra 

Yeah. I have the same impression. Stops get taken out just to the point where I've placed stops, even if they are located outside when my stops are placed in unusual places. It seems as if someone sees my stops then deliberately takes them out before continuing in the direction I expected the price to go. The boogie man seems to be watching in the gloom.

Here's another example from yesterday of annoying stop traps before moving back into the right direction. Unlike today, I didn't close out immediately after the breakout failed, and instead held my stop, prayed, and as we all know once you start praying, your stop will be hit!

fivewhy 

..nuff said.

That’s for Sure!

planetkill 

Here's another example from yesterday of annoying stop traps before moving back into the right direction. Unlike today, I didn't close out immediately after the breakout failed, and instead held my stop, prayed, and as we all know once you start praying, your stop will be hit!

I also believe I the Divine ... and had prayed... sometimes even was “heard” and “helped”. Of course, somebody said: “God will work with you - but not for you!” So we need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND MATURE AND TRADE COMPETENTLY. That’s the Will of the Divine. And, Evolution as the Direction of the Creative Game, assumes us to be Progressing, becoming more alert, smarter, subtler, nimbler, freer, stronger...

josh 

Piling on my boy @lamass like:

Hi