Mastering the Trade: Proven Techniques for Profiting from Intraday and Swing Trading Setups by John F. Carter contains a wealth of general trading information as well as specific trading setups. I rate this book number one in the intermediate-level general trading category because it discusses futures, forex, stock, and stock options trading from a successful trader’s standpoint with many examples of specific trading techniques that have worked for him and may possibly work for you.
The book is divided into the following three parts: “Trader’s Boot Camp” (Part 1); “Specific Intraday and Swing Trading Setups for Futures, Stocks, and Options, and Forex” (Part 2); and “Heading into the Real World of Trading” (Part 3). Salient chapters for part one are “Psychology 101,” “Markets 101,” and “Hardware and Software—Top Tools for Traders.” Relevant chapters for part two are “The Opening Gap,” “Pivot Points,” “Scalper Buys and Scalper Sells,” and “Tick Fades.” Some of the chapters from part three are “The Premarket Checklist,” “The Trader’s Business Plan,” and “Mastering the Trade.”
In this book, Carter touches on a variety of topics which he separates into subchapters for a clearer understanding and to pinpoint for future reference. I especially like his chapter titled “The Squeeze: Getting Positioned for the Big Market Moves.” In a subchapter titled ”Strategies for Those Who Can’t Trade Full Time,” Carter states:
“The squeeze on a daily chart is one of the best ways I know to trade part time.”
Also, you can use the squeeze on various time frames and with other markets such as futures, forex, and stock.
The squeeze is basically a volatility play. Carter generously gives you the numbers to set up the necessary three indicators and describes the trade signal specifically. The indicators with the proper numbers should be able to be used with most trading platforms, not just TradeStation.
If Mastering the Trade: Proven Techniques for Profiting from Intraday and Swing Trading Setups is the only practical trading book you ever read, it would be an excellent choice. It possesses the tools you need to trade a variety of markets. So buy it. Study it. Apply it and eventually–with luck, skill, and perseverance—you may find yourself, “mastering the trade.”
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