My Trading Rules & Approach

S&P 500 ES futures, 5-minute chart, pure price action. Started with Mack's PATS as a foundation, evolved into an Al Brooks–style approach — focused on context, structure, and market behavior over rigid signals.

Two indicators only: the 20 EMA and 1-hour 20 EMA, plus key levels (prior day high/low, open, prior week high/low).

Trade Selection

I only trade when context, structure, and risk/reward align.

Core setups include:

Major Trend Reversals (MTR)
High 2 / Low 2
High 1 Buy / Low 1 Sell
Second Entry Buy / Second Entry Sell
Bull & Bear Flags
Breakouts and Breakout Pullbacks
Failed Breakouts
Higher Low (HL) / Lower High (LH)

Signal bars alone are never enough — context leads every decision.

Daily Objective

1–4 high-quality swing trades per day
Quality over quantity
Discipline over activity

Risk & Reward Framework

Trader's Equation

(Probability × Reward) – ((1 – Probability) × Risk) > 0

Minimum R:R = 1:1
Lower probability → aim for 1:2 or better
Edge comes from consistency across many trades, not single outcomes

Position & Target Structure

I trade PA accounts in groups using 1–3 MES contracts per account to control exposure.

1st contract~5 points or ~0.5R

2nd contract~10 points or ~1R

Runner:Structural levels — HOD/LOD, measured moves, major S/R

Targets are based on R:R first, then aligned with market structure.

Stop-Loss Philosophy

I use structural stops, not comfort stops. Stops may be placed beyond major swings or key levels. They can appear wide, but:

The full stop is not the intended loss — it is a structural fail-safe.

Real risk control comes from:

Monitoring price action
Exiting early if the trade premise weakens
Scratching trades without follow-through

Trade Management

Management decisions come from new price action information, not emotion.

Tighten stops as structure develops
Exit early if momentum fades
Reduce exposure when context changes

Market Condition Filter

Trade more when

✔ Structure is clean
✔ Follow-through is strong

Reduce / skip when

✖ Structure is messy
✖ Context is unclear

Clarity creates edge. Forcing trades destroys it.

Most Important Rule

DON'T GET GREEDY.

I stick to the plan. I follow the rules. Discipline > Everything.

Trading Resources

TradeSyncer – Trade Copier

Multi-prop-firm copying with risk controls

TradeSyncer combines cloud-based trade copying with risk tools, account tracking, journaling, and analytics for traders managing several prop firm accounts.

Risk management tools
Built-in journal
Performance analytics

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