Monday 15 March 2010

The Wizard In OZ, Nick and the FloBot

A more serious note. The real reason I am here in Oz is because my son, Nick, was diagnosed with Hogkins Lymphoma about a week ago.  We are now at the staging phase of his treatment where they decide how progressed the disease has become and what type of treatment will work the best.  Here in Oz the life is slower and quieter, giving me a lot of time to think about the many things you do when something like this happens.

Having said that, the blog will be taking on a different flavour.  I have said before I don't trade when I am emotionally not 100% but I have to keep working as I will not be able to cope just sitting here....

So..........this leads me to the FloBot

I have been very quiet about the FloBot lately. as you may have noticed. The initial work that Kiki put into the project showed high win rates and profitability, I was amazed.  She tested it on so many markets using identical logic, and the EL orderflow method worked on them all, by only making one basic choice: the range bars that fit the rhythm of that market, and the stops. Because of these results on testing, I've decided to throw some real extra programming resources at it to bring out its full potential.

As I said early in the blog, I have about 18 setups I use. You have seen about 20% of these as Kiki progressed to CP.  Kiki's work convinced me that we should go the way of technology. The power of volume delta added to the setups and context I have developed means that a trader can now trade a large number of markets at a time, taking only the best trades.

I have seen a huge change in the role that traders have had in the markets over the last 30 years.  It seems that the trader's role now is to develop a robust methodology and let the technology do the manual labour, leaving the trader to concentrate on the brainwork. (Kind of like a prop room with computers doing the trading). I turned 64 recently and have realised I cannot keep my focus at 100% one hundred percent of the time, especially now with Nick being ill. On the other hand, I did develop an expert system where I worked at 100% capacity for a couple of months to create it and then can work at a much lower level of concentration while I let the technology execute my EL methodology. BTW, this isn't counting the 30 years of experience and several hundred thousand dollars of losses it took me to get where I now am.

We are in the final testing mode of the EL FloBot logic and I will be showing its trades in this blog. I have included a significant number of the 18 setups and will gradually add more, probably on a continuous basis over several months. There is both entry and exit logic as well as looking at context. The context logic is the most challenging as you will see in the entries taken.

For the next couple of months, while Nick is going through chemo, the blog will show the FloBot logic entries and exits plus some additional manual exits where me, as the trader, exited the trade manually for reasons I will set out. This will be the logic tweaking part of the project with the view to use these manual exits to further enhance the FloBot rules.

I'll also be adding my own comments and thoughts as posts and I will still give explainations on the trades as before. It's my same methodology you have been seeing everyday, only automated. I'll still be answering your questions, maybe not as quickly as before but I'll do my best.

The trades will cover a number of markets that we follow. I will try and pick the most interesting market every day and it will cover the whole 23 hour trading day if that market trades that long. FloBot never sleeps.

I will do my posts after the RTH close every day after 4.15 pm New York time which is now 9.15 pm London time and 8.15 am Sydney time (at this time of the year). I will also show the P and L of the day.
Tom

Here are the trades for the Ides of March. FloBot logic looks robust for the ES. I'll show other markets as the days go on. The last trade was the usual ES opposite trade which is the timeframe traders getting out before the close


Click to enlarge

33 comments:

  1. Tom,

    So sorry to hear about the news regarding your son. It is sobering news that reminds us just how fragile our time can be here on this planet. As you said, something like that can certainly change the perspective of what's important in one's life. Here's to an optimistic staging process and healthy recovery for your family!

    Additionally, the rest of us will also be awaiting any progress you will be willing to share regarding the flow-bot. Be well and take care.

    ~ M. Sherman

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  2. EL - Our prayers are with your family as you walk the road to recovery. I wish your family the best. I appreciate all that you contribute.

    Best Wishes

    PJ

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  3. Chris (Watford)15 March 2010 at 21:01

    Tom,

    Really sorry to hear about Nick and very best wishes to him, your family and to Nick's speedy recovery.

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  4. Tom: best wishes for Nick's return to good health. I understand this is a cancer with a very high recovery rate.

    Rick

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  5. Tom, I wish you and your family the very best and the quickest recovery. Thanks for all!

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  6. Tom,

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family, as your son Nick, works through the treatment and recovery process. Having you and the family there, is I am sure helpful to him in so many ways.

    This strikes home with me on so many levels, and I will send you a private e-mail to explain this further, in the hope that you can garnish something from my story as well.

    As you have appropriately reminded us time and time again, if we cannot focus, it's not a great time to be trading. Take your own advice, and spend some quality time with your family. As you indicated, it's times like this that help one to put things more clearly into perspective. If there is anything that can be done, or you need, please do not hesitate to ask Tom.

    May God Bless Nick, and the entire Barton family as you all work through this together.

    Richard

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  7. I am feeling with you and Nick and your family. Hopefully the disease is in its early stage. Nick is going to conquer it. And I know what chemo means...

    Markus

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  8. I hope for a full and speedy recovery for you son
    David

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  9. Tom, very sorry to hear the news of your son. I will be looking forward to knowing of progress toward healing. -Shepton

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  10. I am not an emotional person when it comes to others, who are unrelated. I have a two year old daughter who means alot to me so I understand. I can only wish you and your son the best. It is a tough long road, with an unclear outcome. It is inspiring that you are still there for him, even though circumstances have changed. You stand tall amongst us. All the best

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  11. Tom, very sorry to hear.
    God Bless You and Family

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  12. Best wishes for Nick's speedy recovery and for ample strength for you and your family to get through this phase.

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  13. Tom, prayers to you and your family. I wish your son a speedy recovery.

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  14. yes, as stated so eloquently above.

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  15. My family and I will be praying for Nick. Stay strong and have faith. Let us know if their is anything us blog readers can do.

    Mike L

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  16. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. God's speed in complete recovery for Nick, and peace of mind to all the family.

    H

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  17. Tom I'm sorry to hear about Nick. I wish him a speedy recovery and help him keep a positive mental attitude as this can do wonders as well. Stay positive and never lose faith and Nick will soon be back to full health.

    Regards,

    NickF

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  18. Tom,

    My prayers are with Nick, you and your family.

    Rino

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  19. Tom,

    I am very very sorry to hear about Nick. I have no other words, but I pray for his speedy recovery.

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  20. Get well, Nick. Best wishes. ~ Radek

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  21. We wish Nick a speedy recovery and thankyou for this valuable blog.Good to see a father making his family first. You in our prayers...Chris

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  22. Which software is the Flobot running on? Tradestaion, Easylanguage? I have been trying to program using range bars and haven't had much luck. Maybe you can help. God bless!

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  23. Tom -
    Thanks for sharing your life and expertise with us, especially now. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm sure I speak for many of us who read your daily posts, who have faced similar life challenges - we appreciate the work you are doing - and appreciate to the utmost you continuing to share it with us. Your passion for the business shows - as well as your love for your family. Thanks again for allowing us to journey with you.

    Steve

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  24. Tom... I sincerely pray and hope that Nick recovers soon. You and family being there will definitely help him to be emotionally strong. Ken

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  25. Dear Tom

    many thanks for sharing your market expertise and your life with us. As father of two children I can imagine what you are going through. Our thoughts and prayers are with Nick and your family and we pray for a speedy recovery.
    Thanks for this excellent and very helpful blog. Your 'method' has changed the way I see and trade the markets! Thanks again Tom!

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  26. Tom,
    As a father of four I know all our thoughts and prayers will be with you and Nick while he is on his road to recovery.


    Viny

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  27. I pray for healthy recovery of Nick.

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  28. Tom,

    I'm very sorry to hear about your son. My thoughts are with you and your family.

    Aaron

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  29. Tom: to echo the many others here who discovered EL and have benefited from your skill (and marveled at your generosity), my prayers are with Nick and you and all of your family. Your priority is family, that was clear from the founding of this blog, and it is a good reminder to me of what is really important in life. My best wishes for you and all yours during this time,

    Brian

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  30. Tom (and Kiki) -

    So sorry to hear that your son (and brother) is ill with lymphoma. I feel that good works can come around again, and as generous as you have been, Tom, with this blog, you have a lot of good works due to come back to you! I send best wishes for your son's recovery.

    And I am glad you have a 'diversion' available in the EL FloBot - it sounds very interesting. But a catchier name, perhaps? Maybe the: awTomatic NicKikibot?

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  31. Tom,

    My heart is with you and your family in this difficult moments.I am sure your kindness and generosity would be rewarded. I am praying to God to bring health to your son, and peace to your heart.

    Philip

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  32. My brother was treated for this same cancer last year. He made a full recovery and is doing great. Stick together and you will make it through. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  33. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I have a couple friends that had this cancer and both made it through. They said they are better people today from going through that tough period. You are a generous man and I will send 'white light' your way.

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