What is the obsession with scalping?

I don’t get it. Why would you want to be staring at a screen all day i do that with my normal job!

I’ve been trading properly on live since June and am up about 25% but I much prefer slow and steady.

It seems that the majority of people losing are in a mentality where everything’s a rush. Unless I’m way off the mark id rather earn slightly less but check my trades rarely than earn more but constantly be glued to the charts.

Opinions ?

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I think it’s a desire to get rich quick, do something out of nothing and believe in advertising where you see how “simple and fast” it is

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We all trade differently. Those in the scalping camp may not see the allure in not being in front of the screen. They might think it to be too boring. I know that I can make significantly more money at a much faster clip than I can swing trading. But, I prefer the relaxed swing trading method. Scalping is just too hectic for me. Besides, I don’t have the time to watch the screen for long periods of time. In short, to each their own.

De gustibus non est disputandum , or de gustibus non disputandum est , is a Latin maxim meaning “In matters of taste, there can be no disputes” (literally “about tastes, it should not be disputed/discussed”).[1][2] The phrase is commonly rendered in English as “There is no accounting for taste(s).”[3] The implication is that everyone’s personal preferences are merely subjective opinions that cannot be right or wrong, so they should never be argued about as if they were.

Source: De gustibus non est disputandum - Wikipedia

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I think because trading can literally turn everything you have been taught growing up on it’s head and it takes a while, and often the hard way to learn that…
No one is taught that the less you ‘work’ the more you can make, normally the opposite…
So I think people have a hard time grasping that concept and hence scalp!
Thats my opinion, mainly because I was one of them… thinking the more time I spent on the charts the harder I was working and the more money I could make. Turned out to be the opposite but I think most will go through that journey…

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“Unless I’m way off the mark id rather earn more and check my trades rarely than earn less and constantly be glued to the charts.”
I fixed that for you, your welcome. :+1:

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You’ve already given your opinion. I don’t really want to give an opinion on your opinion. I’ll just leave it at just pick what fits your lifestyle/personality.

Its no use re-discussing topics which just go round and round and in the end everyone does what they want anyway.

You’ve said you’ve made 25% since june. I think people would be much more interested in how you did that.

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It’s the restlessness that keeps most traders glued to the screen. But there are also traders who follow set and forget policy. My suggestion would be do whatever you understand the most. Don’t bother what other traders are doing. It’s all about what works for you.

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@RinTakano

I keep hearing this whole ‘do whatever works for you’ thing, and I agree to a point.

The probably is that by the time you have found out whatever works for you it’s often too late.

Starting out scalping, because of unconscious needs to pull out money every day like a 9-5 isn’t right for most beginners.

They find out the hard way, lose a wad of money or give up.

Trading on a daily timeframe is hard enough on the emotions, let alone the 5 minute charts.

Point I’m trying to make (and have many times on this forum) is if you start out trading the hardest possible style of trading your likely to fail.

Only then do you realise that scalping is not right for you.

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People have this notion that scalping involves sitting in front of a computer taking trade after trade after trade. But seriously nothing could be further from the truth.

In reality as a scalper and understanding market behaviour it is possible to only take 3 or 4 really good scalp setups a day to make money. That doesn’t necessarily say that you need to stay in front of the computer to find those trades as there is always going to be a another setup if you miss one. Scalping doesn’t mean you take every trade you see.

There will be many who will disagree with what I say as their definition of scalping will be different to mine. However there is always trades during the day that start as scalp trades but then develop into a swing trade.

Besides some people enjoy looking at charts, all day.

Cheers

Blackduck

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Scalpers get the best results if their trades are profitable and can be repeated many times over the course of the day. Remember, with one standard lot, the average value of a pip is about $10. So, for every five pips of profit made, the trader can make $50 at a time. Ten times a day, this would equal $500.

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Much appreciated :rofl:

I’m not trying the change the way people trade, why would I even bother doing that? I just simply wanted to understand peoples reasoning for scalping as it’s not been something that appeals to me. However, that could change as I think adaptability is important.

In terms of the 25% it came through trading S&R with sensible position sizes not being greedy etc, I’ve taken 2 losses since 1st June with over 35 winning trades. I also use realistic capital, nothing crazy but better than it sitting in a nominal rate paying savings account.

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@Johnscott31 I think you’ve said pretty much what I was thinking, people often start with the harder more complicated route. I’m relatively new to trading but I work hard enough in my full time job so I wanted to experiment with other sources of income that don’t involve a great deal of time

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OH MY GOD I sooooo much love scalping . I have so much Fun at. I Wish I was kidding when I write this but I loose my Mind when i scalp. All my self control
goes out the window . I went from $1000 to almost $11,000 earlier this year. Down to $600.

I found Scalping was not right for me. I had looked at my past demo’s and trading the Weekly/Daily Charts all the Demo’s were still in profit after 2 months. That’s still SLOW for me . Someone ask you how could you make 25%.

That’s a No brainer. Tell them nay-Sayers to draw a Trend line at the Weekly/ Daily Chart. Find the Trend go back to smaller time frames and put in their Entry S/L and T/P and Bazinga !!!

TabiusLee
My Proof Profit Strategy
(a recovering scalping addict)

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I love scalping the market. First of all, I don’t play video games but I sometimes sense that it is similar…exciting, quick gratification, etc. For me, a combination of both is great. I like to build my account slowly scalping and then at one point, put in longer trades at lower lot sizes.

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@Blackduck

For me it’s not even about being tied to the screen it’s more about is it just worth it?

If I could get knock the ball out the park results scalping I’d be doing it.

Id love to know just how much average r multiples are among profitable scalpers.

I’ve just had another great month on gold, of course gold has been moving strongly but I managed to pyramid a few times my original position and trailed my stop for maximum profit.

As a scalper i would have been in and out that market daily, would have missed large portions of the move not been able to pyramid (I think) and all this for much more effort.

While us traders love to talk risk reward I just can’t see the benefit of wasting so much time and effort on something not overly rewarding.

Correct me if I’m wrong.

You are not the only one who ia having a good run on gold as you can see from the chart below.

I’m curious I have never seen you post a trade.

Nevertheless just because some of us scalp doesn’t mean that we don’t also position trade. There are many ways to trade and I can assure you I am not just a one trick pony. Although there appears to be an attitude amongst traders, especially inexperienced traders, that you develop one style and that is your lot in life. If a trader has that attitude then their life as a trader will be short. If a trader does not have the ability to be flexible and have a variety of trading styles and then to see and trade opportunities in the market then they will either have a lot of losses chasing the market or they have long periods without trading as they wait for the market conditions to return to where their style allows for profitable trading.

As far as scalping there are many different views on what constitutes scalping. Take Al Brooks for example, one of the best scalpers and swing trade mentors, he believes that a scalp on the Emini is 1 point or 4 ticks. Yet he believes a scalp on the FX market is 40 pips.

My attitude is that if I want to spend some time in front of the computer looking at charts, I will. That’s my prerogative. Who cares. It’s my life. If I can make a few bucks whilst I am there well good luck to me.

We are all different.

Cheers

Balckduck

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I agree that we are all different and I have the respect for anyone who can scalp - as I’ve said many times before.

And yes I am one of those one trick ponies - it doesn’t bother me so much - there are whole parts of the markets and methodologies that I cannot get my head round.

I recognise my weaknesses and try to avoid them if I can.

As for not posting trades - are you insinuating something? Lol

I have documented most of my mechanical trading style on my blog and anyone should feel free to follow them or apply them directly.

It’s not as if im charging anything for them.

Im considering getting something going on tradingview so you might see some on there in the not too distant future

Yes I forgot you trading blog and no I was insinuating nothing.

Look forward to it.

Cheers

Balckduck

@Blackduck

One thing I feel really strongly about is that you have to have 100% conviction in the method used.

To be honest I don’t have that in most styles of trading, not because I think they are wrong but they really don’t fit my personality.

I have tried scalping numerous times - I desperarately wanted it to work - but the moment a quick reaction would come I’d be shaken out of my position

That’s a lack of conviction of the trade at that timeframe.

Step up to the 8 hours and daily and that fear is removed to a large extent.

Another interesting thing is I rarely make money shorting - it’s become such a hoodoo for me that I swear I can reverse a whole bear market the minute I go short.

Forget using the plunge protection team just employ me instead!!

The weird thing is there are many great short trades out there - the systems I use work well - but no matter what I always seem to miss them.

So - i am a one trick pony - but with complete conviction in my tools.

One of my favourite writers Brett Steenbarger advocates diversifying strategies - while I agree with him on 95% of what he writes I just can’t master the diversification thing.