Lesson 08 · 8 min read
Strategy frameworks that survive evaluation rules
You do not need a secret strategy; you need a structure that survives the rules. Evaluations reward strategies with moderate win rates, decent reward-to-risk and few trades per day. This lesson maps the three frameworks that fit those constraints.
Framework 1 — the London/NY open breakout
Mark the high and low of the first hour of the London or New York session. Enter on a clean break with a stop on the other side of the range and a target of 1.5–2R. One trade per session, maximum two. The edge is the session opening volatility; the discipline is skipping days when the range is too wide.
Why it survives evaluations: few trades (psychology friendly), fixed stop (sizing is trivial), and 1.5–2R targets reach the 8–10% goal in 12–20 sessions without ever risking the drawdown.
| Attribute | Value | Fit for evaluations |
|---|---|---|
| Trades/day | 1–2 | Low — psychology friendly |
| Win rate | 40–50% | Sufficient with 1.5–2R |
| Stop type | Beyond range edge | Fixed — sizing is exact |
| Weakness | Wide-range days | Skip rule fixes it |
Framework 2 — pullback continuation with EMAs
Trade only in the direction of the 50 and 200 EMA on the 15-minute chart. Enter on the first pullback to the 20 EMA with confirmation candle, stop below the pullback swing, target the prior high/low (typically 1.5–2R). Two trades per day maximum.
Why it survives: it trades with the dominant flow rather than against it, and the entry is mechanical enough to checklist. Its weakness is choppy days — the filter of 'only after a clear trend leg' is what saves the account.
- Direction: 50/200 EMA alignment on 15m
- Entry: first pullback to 20 EMA + confirmation
- Stop: beyond pullback swing (fixed before entry)
- Filter: skip if the last 3 candles overlap heavily (chop)
Framework 3 — range reversal at extremes (futures)
Futures sessions open with extremes that mean-revert. When price pushes beyond the prior day's value area high/low and RSI shows divergence, fade the move back toward the value area with a stop beyond the extreme and a 1R–1.5R target. This is the Topstep/Apex bread-and-butter framework for two-sided sessions.
Why it survives: high win rate (60–70%) with small targets protects the trailing drawdown — you bank small wins that keep the floor far from your equity. The weakness is trend days: the rule is one attempt only, then flat for the session.
- Context: price beyond prior-day value area + RSI divergence
- Target: 1–1.5R back into the value area
- One attempt maximum — trend days kill this framework
- Pairs well with end-of-day trailing: bank small, stay safe
Key takeaways
- Choose structure over prediction: few trades, fixed stops, 1.5–2R targets
- Breakout of session open — low frequency, evaluation-friendly
- EMA pullback — trades with flow, needs a chop filter
- Futures range fade — high win rate protects trailing drawdowns
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my own strategy instead?
Yes — test it against three filters: ≤3 trades/day, fixed stop distance, and 30-day demo track record with the same sizing you will use in the evaluation. If it passes all three, it is evaluation-safe.
Which timeframe works best?
15-minute to 1-hour for these frameworks. Lower timeframes multiply trade frequency (psychology risk) and higher ones slow the pace below the target deadline.
Should I add indicators?
Every indicator must justify itself in the 30-day demo record. Most evaluation accounts die from strategy-hopping, not from missing an indicator — add nothing mid-evaluation.