Stock Scalping Community

Paper trading lies if you let it. Constrain it until it hurts a little.

I papered calm middays for a month once and called myself ready. First live open disagreed. Protocol below exists so that doesn't happen twice.

### Protocol

1. **Same hours** as live — including the open.
2. **Same hotkeys / platform** path.
3. **Realistic size** you actually intend to start with.
4. **Forced slip** — add X cents adverse on every fill in the journal even if sim fills perfect.
5. **20 sessions** minimum across mixed regimes (trend, chop, event).
6. **Pass criteria written in advance** (process adherence ≥ 90%, not "felt good").

### Fail criteria (examples)
### Promotion

Paper pass → live **micro** → normal size only after live micro matches paper **process** stats (not PnL fantasy).

If you cannot obey rules on paper, automation will not redeem you. Neither will hope.

What forced slip (¢) do you add to paper fills?
How many mixed-regime sessions before you promote — 20, or do you cheat early?
Anyone failed their own paper pass criteria and still went live? How'd that go?
Process adherence % — do you track it, or only PnL?

Paper lies if you let it. Constrain it until it hurts a little.

Protocol I respect before live size on stocks/ETFs: same hours as live including the open; same hotkeys and platform path; realistic starting size you actually intend to use; forced adverse slip in the journal even when the sim fills perfect; at least 20 sessions across mixed regimes (trend, chop, event); pass criteria written in advance — process adherence ≥ 90%, not "felt good."

Fail criteria: skipped journal more than twice; broke daily DD even on paper; changed rules mid-week without a version bump; only tested calm middays.

I papered calm middays for a month once and called myself ready. First live open disagreed. The open is a different animal — spread, speed, and nerves. If your paper protocol never touched 09:30–09:45 ET, you papered a different job.

Diagram: MUST vs FAIL columns.