Topstep $50k Trading Combine Day 3 (Goal $3000/Current Margin Bal. @ $0)

Patience! Patience! Patience! So here we are as of 1931 CT and my strategy has still not taken a trade as the proper conditions have not been met. Just for those of you reading this, I am using automated NinjaScript script "LWTGMACrossoverV31". Just for reference, I have back tested this 6 ways to Sunday. Currently it is profitable with NQ(Mini Nasdaq), MNQ(Micro Nasdaq) and CL(Gold). I am not sure why is does not seem to work on some of the other commodities, but I am only focused on NQ and MNQ. I have to learn to walk before I run.

I'll not bore you with "SIM Dollars" and I encourage you to back test and form your own conclusions. I am, however, that I can pass multiple combines and within all Topstep parameters.

Lets take a step back and explain my plan. This is for me as much as for you all reading along.

Phase 1

1. Develop automated strategy to be used within NinjaTrader to trade my combine(s) as my work schedule does not currently allow me to trade during normal hours. Completed 2/15/25.
2. Run automated strategy (LWTGMACrossoverVxx) against MNQ for 2 weeks. Tweak as needed. Completed 3/1/25
3. Purchase Topstep $50k Trading Combine #1($49). Completed 3/9/25
4. Run automated strategy (LWTGMACrossoverV3) against Topstep Combine #1. Started 3/9/25 
5. Pass Topstep $50k Trading Combine #1. Estimated Completion 4/1/25
6. Pay for Topstep XFA #1 activation ($149). Estimated Completion 4/7/25

Phase 2 

1. Use profits from Topstep XFA #1 to fund Topstep $50k Trading Combine #2 (cost $49)
2. Use profits to purchase Ultimate A.I. Original Indicator ($297 for 3 months).
3. Run automated strategy (LWTGMACrossoverV3) against Combine #2.
4. "Scalp" trade against Topstep $50k Trading Combine #2 and XFA #1. The goal of adding scalping to the mix is to pass Combine #2 faster.
5. Pay for XFA #2 activation ($149). Estimated Completion 5/15/25
6. Purchase Copy Trader software (Replikanto? Affordable Indicators? Rithmic?) approx. cost $250
7. "Copy Trade" with LWTGMACrossoverV3 during the day and "Scalp" trade after hours (London open??)

Phase 3 

1. Purchase Topstep Combine #3($49). 
2. "Scalp" trade against Topstep $50k Trading Combine #3 and Topstep XFA #1 & #2 

                Gotta hit the hay and will return tomorrow!

Peace!~

                 

Topstep $50k Trading Combine Day 2 (Goal $3000/Currently @ $0)

 

Topstep Support got back to me promptly this morning. Once I got home from work, I made the minor change that was suggested and voila, not I can see my Topstep $50k Combine account in NinjaTrader. I guess I'm armed and dangerous so to speak.

As of 1923 CT, the script has not taken a trade. Remember, I am looking for an 18 period FASTMA (Fast Moving Average) to cross over a 146 SLOWMA (Slow Moving Average). If the FASTMA crosses over the SLOWMA from the top, then we go short. If the FASTMA crosses over the SLOWMA from the bottom, then we go long. 

I have done some more back testing and made some more changes. I am loading V3 of the strategy and this will run against my Combine Acct.

That's all for tonight. I will publish my full plan tomorrow.

Peace!~

Topstep $50k Trading Combine Day 1 (Goal $3000/Currently @ $0) -...switching gears!

 

Just to catch everyone up. I did not post on 3/7 and the system took no trades. The previously discussed mods to the strategy were implemented and back tested ad nauseum. My plan to test "live" in SIM account for 2 weeks before purchasing the Topstep $50k Account Combine. 

I recognized that I was again caught in a familiar trap of "Analysis Paralysis" and more testing and optimization was just wasting time. The strategy implemented as a NinjaScript trading systems works. Testing while trading 3 MNQ contracts makes enough to pass the combine in 1 to 3 weeks. If I run it trading NQ contracts it makes even more. I am confident in what I have created. I will also be using the Ultimate Scalper tools when I pass the combine I created the automated strategy to address the issue of my work hours and market availability. 

As of 1100 on Sunday, March 7th my NinjaTrader platform cannot see my Topstep Combine account. This might prevent me from trading tonight when the Futures market opens at 1700. I have sent a note to Topstep Tech Support but they are not available until tomorrow.

Read my initial updates to catch up. Comment or holler if you have question or if I can help you. Tell a friend about the blog if you think they'd like it or want to be a full time trader.

Let the games begin!!

Peace!~

EDIT @ 2056 - No news from Support, but I expected that. I have the script running against the Topstep SIM account. We will see what pops. Hopefully, tomorrow I will be live.

DAY 4 Update - Combine Goal $3000/Acct. Bal. $885.12

 

Took one small short trade early this morning. I am tweaking the code to make the trailing stop more flexible. It appears that the trailing stop as a little too tight and I missed some profit. I will make those changes tomorrow, For tonight, I've used all my free ChatGPT resources. I really think I will get a subscription model. What I can do with it really is amazing.

But the important thing is that the strategy performed again. Another $126.78 added to our total, "HANDS FREE" so to speak. Onward and upward and hoping for some more volatility and bigger swings!

Peace!~

DAY 3 Update - Combine Goal $3000/Acct. Bal. $758.34

 

So today we took two trades and lost a little money. As you can see below the price action was relatively sideways and choppy at best. 

I might mess with the ADX settings and back test some more. Then again, I might not. I just ran back test on MNQ (trading 3 contracts) from the first of the year and the strategy made more than $11k. I also ran it against NQ and the profit was over $100k. 

Hard to imagine that kind of money!! Food for thought eh?

Peace!~

DAY 2 Update - Combine Goal $3000/Acct. Bal. $954.78

 

As you may recall, I leave this strategy running while I am at work. Today, while at work, I changed my password on the NinjaTrader account and I guess it stopped my running strategy. Soooo...we didn't take any trades today. I have it running now, and it will trade 3 MNQ contracts if the proper criteria is met.

We should get some action tomorrow. That is all!

Peace!~

DAY 1 Update - Combine Goal $3000/Acct. Bal. $954.78

$10k profitable trade in one day...but

So the good news is that I (my strategy/script) picked up one trade for $10k in profit. While that may seem like great news, there are several negative points that have come to light. To refresh your memory, I work a day job and wanted a script I could run to pass a TOPSTEP combine. $10k in one day would be GREAT if trading in a personal account. However, this is no good when trying to pass a TOPSTEP combine (you can read the TOPSTEP Trading Combine Rules here).

Here are the issues I have run into on day one:

• The profit goal to pass the combine is $3k and your best day can be no more than 50% of total profits made. Suffice to say that $10k on day one blows the TOPSTEP Consistency Target out of the water. To see the actual rule you can read What is the consistency target. I was trading 3 Mini Nasdaq Futures contracts (symbol-NQ) with my strategy, thus the large profit. The strategy is very good about entering at an optimum time and exiting for maximum profit. However, to pass a combine I should probably only trade Micro Nasdaq Futures (symbol-MNQ) and maybe only 1 or 2 at a time.
  
  
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• TOPSTEP has specified trading hours for opening and closing trades. My $10k winner was opened during the proper window but held after "allowed hours". Had I been in a combine TOPSTEP would have flattened my position at approximately 1510 CST. My profit would have been even more then, but I am unsure of how a trade is actually handled if the TOPSTEP team has to close the position. I am not sure if I violate a rule of some sort or what repercussions there may be.
  
  
• I was running my strategy in 2 charts on 2 different assets (MNQ and NQ). A little quick scan of the NinjaTrader site says that could be a bad thing.

I will fix these issues and commence testing again. Barring further issues this weeks data will provide a solid snapshot of performance before I enter the REAL combine next week. Here are the changes I am making:

• Change the logic to only open a trade from Sunday at 5:00 PM CT to Friday at 3:00 PM CT. Also all trades will be exited/flattened daily at 3:00 PM CT.
• Trade 1-3 (needs some quick testing) MNQ contracts for the purposes of passing the combine.

Okay...I'm back. I have added the logic to only open trades between Sunday @ 5pm CT  and Friday @ 3pm CT and to also close trades daily @ 3pm CT.

Also, I reloaded the chart data and re-ran the strategy with the changes detailed above.

The strategy took 1 trade for a $954.78 in profit. If we were in a combine, we'd almost be 1/3rd of the way to passing after Day 1.

I'll provide another update tomorrow.

Peace!~