I just want you all to know that I am putting further development of this Forex training site on hold for at least a few weeks. I am working on a project to help my local community financially so the Town vision can actually be attained.

Since Forex trading system management is very definitely not for everyone, I am taking responsibility for some of the economic development of my little town: Meredith, NY. Apparently, I am the only person in the town who can do so! It’s quite amazing, but my help is needed.

So, while you have this little break, please take the time to learn the basics of chart reading that I have put up here for Forex Traders to become more consistently profitable. You might even have time to create your trading system from the little bit that is here!

That would really be great. So, until I have a better idea of how long this town project will take me, I’ll just leave this trading material online for you to study and use how you want.

Have a truly phenomenal trading month! I believe that the 4th quarter of 2008 will be unbelievable in the potential (so I will be moving as quickly as I can while also doing as well as I can to help)! Trade well.

Here’s a video on the ADX principles and ideas, part 1:

There will be another ADX video covering some of what was not in this video. The next one will also cover weak trends, and the killer XOW and how to use it in your forex trading.

Don’t worry, there will also be a video or two (or more depending on your questions) of applying the ADX on real currency charts. You know the kind, the screen capture.

Quick review of the ADX video above: Covered strong moves (ADX increasing), weak moves (ADX decreasing) - there’s more to them, so watch the video above to get more. Trend basics were covered briefly, and I alluded to the “double-high” ADX, a special kind of strength that is AWESOME to trade with when you see it in the right place!

If you have any questions, or if I was unclear on anything, please let me know - and feel free to leave any comments you have, questions or whatever. I’ll definitely get to it as soon as I can.

And in August, I’ll be creating a special “members only” section of this site that will only be available to you if you enter your name and email in the form above and to the right. It’ll be free, with other options to be added later. So enter your name and email above so you can learn even more about how to trade your favorite forex currency pairs.

Take care and have a truly phenomenal trading day!

A Wave is a move up and down in an undulating motion. Wave is derived from the Middle English word waven, which means, to fluctuate.

The MACD, like other oscillating indicators travels in waves, like the market. In order to have another part of a wave pattern, the MACD must actually change direction from up to down, or from down to up on the close of a bar. Even if the change in direction is minute, the change in direction counts.

There are 4 ways to determine the end of a motion in a direction to end the last leg and to begin the Leg 1 on a MACD wave on a chart:

1. MACD weakness divergence
2. Last actual curve on the next larger chart, use that market peak and the immediate curve on the current chart as a beginning of the Leg 1 on “this” chart.
3. Leg 3 (or 5) automatically becomes the start of a Leg 1 until the market proves it otherwise.
4. If a Leg 2 moves beyond a start of a Leg 1, it is automatically now a new start of a new Leg 1.

If Leg 1 start on the MACD is on the top side, then Leg 2 start must be lower than the Leg 1 start. The Leg 3 start must be higher than the start of Leg 2 and lower than the start of Leg 1. The end of Leg 3 on the MACD wave must be lower than the end of Leg 2.

If the start of Leg 1 is on the bottom side, then the start of Leg 2 must be higher than Leg 1’s start on the MACD. The start of Leg 3 must be lower than the start of Leg 2 and higher than the start of Leg 1. The end of Leg 3 must be higher than the end of Leg 1.

1. Leg 1 is a move in a direction. (Thrust) (Strength in that direction)
2. Leg 2 is a re-alignment period (retracement of the move from Leg 1). (Weakness in that direction.)
3. Leg 3 is another move in the direction of Leg 1. More certain Thrust. (Strength in that direction)

Market Mapping is ONLY applying the above over and over on different time frames.

The MACD will either move straight to a signal, or give three more legs. When there is a new leg on a chart, one or two charts smaller will give you three legs. The one exception to this is with large, quick, vicious thrusts that produce a series of what are called “slide charts”, which you will learn more about in line-ups and “time synchs”.

See the coming video on the MACD wave, which covers everything in this section.

And as always, feel free to ask questions, leave comments or add value to a discussion here.

Have a truly phenomenal weekend!

I’m going to say the same things in the four basic rules of trading in different ways. Repetition is the mother of skill. Action, doing, is the father of skill. Every successful trader who has been around more than a decade follows these rules of trading. Many Forex courses seem to like to ignore at least two of the rules; some only one. But all the forex trading rules here, faithfully followed, will increase your probabilities of success.

Caveat: The trading rules are much easier said and explained than done.

Part of The Almighty “They” says that trading is risky/dangerous. It’s even required by law to tell everyone that in any advertising or material related to trading markets. Trading is risky and dangerous and before you ever trade with real funds, funds that you can afford to lose, you should consider and understand all the risks involved. That said…

1. Trade with future strength / Trade in the direction of future creation / Trade with the trend.
2. Cut your losses short and quick.
3. Let your profits run and multiply as safely as possible.
4. Manage risk, money and profits by managing your trading system.

The four rules of trading are really three rules, and a fourth rule that says to follow the first three rules with control. Pretty interesting, huh?

The Four Basic Rules of Trading Forex Successfully (In their order of execution)

1. Trade with FUTURE STRENGTH, the direction of future creation - also known a “trade with the trend”.

If you have ever realized that “everyone” is “always” wrong, and then looked at the way the classic statement of this rule reads, you’ll realize that everyone is, indeed, too frequently wrong. The classic statement of this rule is “Trade with the trend.” You’ve heard that “the trend is your friend”, but have you ever had a ‘friend’ turn on you? It’s not a good feeling.

Trends end, and by the time everyone realizes that a trend is a trend, it reverses. Friends can be tricky, trends can be tricky. It’s one of those things that “everyone knows”. So don’t do it unless it is the direction of future strength.

When you get to more of the chart reading portions of this system, the statement of trading with future strength, which is the direction of future creation, will make a lot more sense to you. You’ve already seen some of it with the divergences, but there are interesting sequences that will be given in the coming memebers area.

Be sure you study this whole site several times through. New things will be continually added - practically every day for quite a while.

You’ve got to figure that’s what the folks with the most money do, so you should, too.
We further elaborate on this rule by only trading strengthening legs of moves or trends. We almost only trade such future strength trades, with the rare multi-chart weakenss trade exactly according to the line-ups sections (in the coming members area).

We only add positions, if we do, on strengthening ends of legs or trends, never on the weakening end. In trading strengthening moves or trends, we must have future strength in the direction of the move or trend, combined with past weakness.

Smaller chart weakness without larger chart strength above are not trades until the market has proven with smaller chart “line-ups”, or “time synchs”, that the move or new trend has started strengthening. Trading weakness without strength above them is a direct violation of trade with future strength. There is only one exception to that, and you will learn of that exception in the line-ups, time synchs, section of the training.

It is best to enter the market by placing market orders, or by making the market prove it really does want to go that way by placing a stop order beyond the previous market peak in the direction you want to trade. (We will cover strategies for when to do all of the above.)

Limit orders are only used to ensure that you are out of a winning position at a certain price point.

2.Cut your losses short and quick.

Look, if you’re wrong, you’re wrong, admit it fast and look for another trade or another market to trade. To preserve and protect your capital with the least risk, you have to be willing to lose because you will not be perfect in trading the markets. Perfection is an absolute and in this universe, absolutes are not attainable.

So if you’re going to lose, lose just a little bit. If you’re following the chart reading system given herein, then you’ve got more to learn about time. That’s all it means. I don’t have it down perfect in real time, and I continue to get better as I go. The principles just don’t fail. But we all can make mistakes in our reading. We can all make good trades, too. Even with the flip of a coin.

Don’t get too attached to any given trade. Some setups are prettier than others, some moves are better than others. It’s just a fact, like the fact that prices fluctuate. Just a fact.

One observation that I have made in all unsuccessful traders, including myself just a few years ago, is the unwillingness to accept a small loss, combined with the unwillingness to accept a large gain.

The two seem to go hand in hand. If you have to lose big to accept the loss and finally bail on your position, then the odds are very good that you will only be able to accept a win if it is small. I’ve seen it too many times. The corollary also seems to hold: If one is willing to accept a small loss, then one tends to be able to accept larger gains.

I do know of one successful trader who can accept large losses and large gains. He happens to hold the official world record in trading, too. Larry Williams is the man. So he’s the one exception that I am aware of to that. I don’t know exactly why it seems to hold so well in nearly everyone else, but it just seems to work out that way.

Everyone I know who has lost in the markets has lost because of a few very large losses. Everyone I know who is doing well in trading is willing to accept small losses, and does make small gains, but also has the occasional very profitable winning trade. This rule of cutting your losses “short and quick” is huge. You must always know where your bail point (stop loss) is before you place your trade, and you must always stick to it, no matter what.

Money is an idea backed with confidence. Money is not an idea backed with hope. Money is not an idea backed with fear, greed, prayer, grief, terror, paralysis, pain, yelling at the computer monitors or anything else but confidence in its various forms. Money is an idea backed with confidence.

Confidence is knowing direction, taking responsibility, controlling the trade – including taking a relatively small loss if you “knew wrong,” and confidence is being a successful trading system manager before you ever place real funds on the line, then continuing to exactly follow your system and the rules.

As soon as your order to enter the market gets filled, you place a stop loss order. That is how you fill this rule. Where you place your stop is up to you, but a good guideline is either at a fixed amount that is less than 5% of your capital, or just beyond the previous market peak against your position, whatever the situation demands.

3. Let your profits run and multiply as safely as possible.

The old statement of this rule is to let your profits run. Well, with good money and profit management, your profits should also multiply, and do so as safely as possible. I’ve seen too many traders who are over 80% accurate in their predictions lose money, over and over and over. Even if they do what they can to cut their losses short, and even let their profits run, they don’t ever do very well over time.

What’s different in real and effective money management is the multiplication aspect, combined with safety. We will cover that in more detail soon enough (in the coming membership area - you’ll have free access to part of it simply by giving me your name and email address above and to the right), but your risk and money management system must have the benefits of systematic multiplication of profits while maintaining the relative safety aspects.

Too many traders will have a good trade, then lose the profits from that trade when the market channels, then lose more when it breaks out of the channel on the wrong side. There’s more to risk and money management than just the letting your profits run and multiply – you also have to do so in a manner calculated also reduce risk in case you are wrong, and produce superfluous abundance of profits when your are right. And do so in a manner calculated to be as safe as possible in markets.

No matter how good the chart reading system, there are different levels of application based on each individual trader of that chart reading system. What if you’re wrong? What if you read the charts right except for one thing, and that one thing is what matters the most for that particular trade’s timing? That one more move because, for example, you overlooked the weakening end of a trend (as given later in the membership area) can be the difference between profit for the week or month, and loss.

So you want to let your profits run, you want to let your profits multiply, and you want to do so in as safe a manner as you possibly can to accomplish the goals of trading.

As you become profitable in a position, move your stop just beyond the opposing peak of the market realignment periods (corrections, retracements…) Make sure that as you raise your stops, you also cancel your previous stop orders.

The major component in this is the definition of money, “an idea backed with confidence.” When you lose confidence in a trade, immediately bail on the trade, or at the very least move your stop tighter. When you see a move is about to end, bail then or move your stop tighter. When you have certainty that the move is done, then you close your position.

Always keep in mind that once you are profitable, especially when you can’t lose money on a trade, if you close out on your position you have made money in the market.

4. Manage risk, money and profits by managing your trading system

The funny thing about managing risk is that it is basically saying follow the three rules, in sequence, for any trade, for any add-on to your position. In other words, follow the first three rules of trading!

So we have Rule 4 saying to follow the first three rules: Trade in the direction of future strength, or trade in the direction of future creation; cut your losses short and quick; and let your profits run and multiply as safely as possible.

It’s a sequence. FIRST you enter your trade in the direction you know that the market is going to move or trend. THEN you place your predetermined stop-loss, or you do so in the entry order if your trading platform will allow it. THEN, when you can’t lose money (except in the case of a disaster), you let those profits run. You repeat that cycle with add-ons to your position, too.

So you enter, place your stop, let it run.

Enter with an add-on, place your stop on that part of the position, let it run.

Enter with another add-on, place your stop on that part of the position, let it run.

Move all your stops when your system says to do so.

Exit portions of your position at predetermined points if/when your system says to do so.

Tighten your stops on all open portions of your position if/when your system says to do so.

Yes, there may be more considerations in real time, and we will cover some of that later, but for now, REALLY understand that managing your risk and money and trading system is following the first three rules, in sequence, over and over, combined with your ability to manage, to control your own actions.

By following the above rules, you are managing risk as much as possible in this “risky” tool of trading. (This rule also includes Money Management, which is another section with another handout.) So, basically, Manage risk is saying to follow the previous three rules. So it boils down to the first three rules, and is reinforced by another rule saying to follow the first three rules.

Summary of the 4 Basic Rules of Forex Trading

The goal of playing any game is to accomplish what you want to accomplish, to do what you really want to do, to have what you really want to have. If you are really playing the game of trading to win, to profit in a big way, to live the life you really want, then you absolutely must follow the four rules of trading.

When your chart reading system tells you the direction of future creation, future strength, then you only enter in that direction. You place your predetermined stop-loss so you definitely know when you are wrong and cut those losses short and quick. Then, when you are right, you add more safety to the overall trade as the market moves in your direction, and add trades to your overall position. Each add-on to your position is in the same direction as your initial entry, and contributes to the further creation of the trend or move that you saw coming.

So your risk and money management system must follow the four rules of trading.

Above all, it is the disciplined application of a complete system that makes traders successful. Discipline encompasses patience. Discipline encompasses every other so-called trait of successful traders, like total responsibility for your own actions and mistakes, like sticking to the system despite your own opinions, like not listening to what the almighty “they” has to say.

Part of the almighty “they” includes experts and gurus. Be your own guru. Be your own expert. Don’t ever blame the almighty “they” who “control the markets” because “they” really don’t. The Almighty “They” is the complete group of traders who are actively trading and creating market direction. A few of the bigger traders are assigned as “they” by the other group called “we”. Further distinction is made later on.

Disciplined application of a proven profitable system is the hard part. What you will have access to here is a proven profitable complete system. The “disciplined application” part, well, that’s on your shoulders.

The principles are timeless. Only the market dynamics change, and the market dynamics consist only of the various characteristics of any given trend or move. And yet the principles can be seen to work over and over despite the dynamic changes in markets.

It then becomes a question of knowing how to think with the principles. That is where the work comes in, where doing what nobody else will do comes in. That is where you handwrite your “book” every day on the charts with that day’s action for ONE market. Front and back you should write, and do so every trading day for at least 6 months. Every chart you use in your trading system. The system can’t be outsmarted. The system can only be standardly applied or not applied.

Note: There will be no forex training videos this weekend. We’ve got our quarterly “fun weekend near home” planned.

If you have any questions, please ask your trading questions. I love answering questions about trading currency. Have a great weekend!

Risk and money management in trading is essential to long-term success in trading. I don’t just say that: It’s the very foundation of the very successful traders in every market.

Risk is basically exposure to the threat of loss. When ever you begin a position, you are exposed to the possibility of loss. There’s no way around it. The threat exists. That’s why we use mental or actual stops. (A stop is an order type, which we’ll cover another time, but in this context, it means stop loss. A stop loss is the price point at which you want to stop taking losses on a position or trade.)

Money is an idea backed with confidence. At least that what the central banks write, and every great thinker on the subject has written, so to me it’s a certainty - it’s definitely true. Confidence manifests itself in several ways, and those ways will eventually be covered by themselves here.

Management is essentially control. There are many things that you as a trader can and do control in your trading. There are some things which are out of your direct control, but that you can work around. You can control when and where you place your orders, which type of order, which indicators you use, which fundamental info you use, how you analyze it, how good you are at the various parts of your trading system, etc.

So Risk Management is controlling your exposure to the threat of loss.

Money Management is controlling your money - sitting in your account unused, being used, and additional that will be added when you close all or part of your position.

The 2 Primary Goals of Trading

There are only two goals in trading:

There are no other actual goals in trading. Every other conceived goal is one of the two above.

The two goals are in their order of importance.

When your goals are out of alignment with the two goals above, if your primary goal as a trader is to make money rather than protect your capital, THEN and only then will you be struck with greed, fear, “gotta make this work” (meaning you won’t), trigger shyness, and all the other bad emotion that ruins trader after trader.

That last paragraph is VERY important. When you are feeling greedy, your goals are out of sequence. When you’re fearful, your goals are out of sequence to what is required. That is the source of the bane of trading emotions: Your own goals are out of sequence of the rules of the game, or one goal is missing completely. Period. There is no other source of greed, fear, etc. than that.

Review: Two goals of trading are to protect your funds, and then to profit. You can control your risk to the degree you know how. You can control your money to the degree you know how.

Risk and Money Management tied to the Two Primary Goals of Trading

Risk management is the first goal: to preserve your capital, protect your funds.

Money management is the second goal: to profit from trading.

There will be no video for this post. It is very concise. Read it again and again, I suggest.

Have a truly phenomenal week!
Russell

Divergences are the “secret fractal” that fractal searchers have been looking for. I’ll explain more about their use in Forex trading in a few moments. A fractal is repeating pattern. That’s the essence. The use of finding a fractal is that fractals allow prediction. Much like calculus allows the prediction of rates of change, and differential equations allow predictions in effects of the differences of rates of change. You don’t have to know calculus or diff-eq to use anything I’ll be writing about - they’re examples.

In case you don’t know what a divergence is in reading charts, I’ll explain that for you. Basically a divergence is a comparison between what the market does and what an oscillating indicator does, and when there is a difference between “point to point” comparative motions. Here’s a sample chart:

Please not that this is for illustration purposes only to show what a divergence is. Notice that we are starting here from a valley on the MACD, and starting on the price bar that is at that valley. (There are definite rules to drawing divergences and they’ll be covered in another post.)

The starting point is always in the past, and we always start in the past and draw our lines toward the present.

Notice that as soon as the market’s price moves below the low of the starting bar, we have a divergence. The entire yellow zone, A, is a divergence zone. In other words, as the market keeps moving lower, the divergence between the market’s price action and the MACD action are not the same. The market moves lower while the MACD does not. That is a “divergence”.

That particular type of divergence, where the market moves farther in a direction while the indicator does not, is often called a “reversal” or “weakness”. I call it “past weakness” when it is accompanied by other price/indicator “divergences” (convergences are also included in the term).

You know what? I’m just going to make a video of the basics of all this for you. I’ll be up just below once I get it made and up (figure about 8 hours, or about 2:00am NYC time - 7:00am London time)

Keep in mind that the info above and in the video are very far from complete. I’ll tell you about the rules for having divergences tomorrow, though it might be late.

By the end of this series of blog posts and lessons in forex trading, you will understand that these divergences are, indeed, the secret fractal - and you might even feel good enough to trade with the info. But that’s up to you.

If you have any questions or comments or additions - PLEASE ask or leave them. Good, bad, doesn’t matter. I want to provide you with what you want to know. I’m not very good at guessing.

Have a truly pheonomenal trading day!
Russell

Welcome to Domination Trading! This site will not only teach you about being a great currency trader, but if you’re bright enough, pretty much how to dominate the Forex market of your choice.

What is planned for this site is nothing short of ground-breaking, and could change the face of Forex trading for a long time to come. The principles that will be taught by me (and hopefully others will contribute, too) are the foundation of all successful trading, and will be built upon into anything you want for yourself.

With all of the so-called “trading systems” out there, and I’ve personally bought, studied and tested over 250 of them in the past 14 years, only two were actually complete trading systems. Two out of over 250 - which is less than 1%. Well, that isn’t right.

The basic philosophy, the foundational philosophy, to the forex trading systems coming, all start with basic risk, money and profit management. That IS the foundation of all great trading. And the discipline to take the required actions when told to by the system that you’re using.

That boils down to trading system management. A lot more of that is forthcoming. I beg you to ask me questions so I can make you videos, write more content that you want to read, and direct you to becoming the best trader you can possibly become. There’s a lot involved. There’s a lot to learn. There’s a lot to know about currency trading in the Forex markets.

Let’s get a good start tomorrow. So register, comment, and tell people about this site… More is on the way.