I had an hour or so to watch the markets after the day-job finished. Earlier, I heard on the radio while working that the markets were getting hit so I went immediately to TNA because it is a great 3x mover. I was watching for a reversal of the 2:50 - 3:05 pm upturn once all the shorts collected their pirate booty. I was looking for the stock to resume its overall down trend for the day.
I took the paper-trade short right at the candle change over... and it gave a little last gasp upward, then proceed to drop for me. I doubled up short right beside my original entry and waited. Not long before it started down. I took a quick gain then covered. Once again: far too quickly. The down trend continued for three additional candles before another green candle appeared. I took $261 paper bucks out of a potential $2,680; less than 10% of the trend I was playing.
The overall downtrend continued into the close after the 3-candle profit-taking at 3:30/3:35 and a brief consolidation. I am happy with my read of the reversal, and of adding to the trade... something I rarely do. Less satisfied with my hasty exit, though.
There's no doubt that I am still uncertain about my skill level and therefore don't trust that I have made the right choice on my practice trades. When I get a gain, my initial reaction is to snatch it and run before it goes awry. Only experience will cure this, imo. Thousands and thousands of charts, and the same number of sim-trades will be what saves me from uncertainty. Right now, I cannot devote that amount of time to learning.
