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Michal Biesek sits down for a candid interview about how he went from early missteps in binary options to passing the FTMO challenge and trading full-time from Aberdeen, Scotland. In plain English, he explains why the prop-firm route clicked for him, how accountability with a trading partner kept his discipline tight, and why he structures his day around the European open instead of grinding all session. If you’re curious how a young trader distilled the chaos into a simple, repeatable routine, this conversation is worth your attention.
In this piece, you’ll learn Michal’s core playbook: trade just one forex pair plus the DAX at the London open, map prior day’s highs/lows and gaps, and aim for clean, high-quality moves in a focused one-to-two-hour window. You’ll also pick up his practical lessons on structured learning, risk rules that fit prop-firm constraints, and the mindset that helped him pass both challenge and verification without overtrading. By the end, you’ll know exactly how he keeps things simple, why that simplicity works, and how to adapt his approach to your own strategy without getting lost in complexity.
Michal Biesek Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
What he trades and why it’s simple
Michal keeps his universe tiny so decisions stay clean and repeatable. Fewer markets mean more reps on the same patterns and faster feedback on what works.
- Focus on one FX pair (e.g., GBP/USD) plus DAX index futures/CFD.
- Avoid adding new markets until the current two show stable weekly profitability.
- Use a single primary timeframe for execution (M5) and one higher timeframe (H1) for context—nothing else.
Session, schedule, and prep
He doesn’t grind all day. Michal concentrates risk when liquidity and range expand, then shuts it down to protect mental capital.
- Trade the London open only: first 90–120 minutes after session start.
- Pre-market checklist done 20–30 minutes before the bell; no charts outside that window.
- If you miss the prep, skip the day—never “wing it” mid-session.
Levels that matter
The goal is to show up with a map. Michal’s map is built from yesterday’s extremes and obvious imbalance, so he knows where participants are likely trapped.
- Mark the prior day’s high/low, the previous session’s open, and the session midpoint.
- Plot any visible gap/imbalance from the prior day and pre-market.
- Draw the Asia range (overnight box) and note its high/low for the London break behavior.
The A-setup (opening drive)
His bread-and-butter is a clean drive out of a well-defined structure. It’s simple, fast, and easy to manage.
- Wait for price to break the Asia range or prior day high/low with a strong impulse.
- Enter on the first controlled pullback to M5 structure (small inside bar or shallow 38–50% retrace).
- If the first pullback is sloppy or extends >61.8%, cancel the setup—momentum likely fading.
Alternative setup (reversal at extremes)
When the open immediately fakes out, he pivots fast. The idea is to catch trapped traders at extremes.
- Look for a stop-run through prior day high/low, followed by an immediate M5 close back inside.
- Enter on the first lower-high (short) or higher-low (long) after the reclaim.
- Place a stop beyond the sweep wick; target the opposite side of the Asian box or session VWAP.
Risk and sizing rules
Everything is sized for prop-firm constraints and longevity. Survival comes before performance.
- Fixed fractional risk per trade: 0.25–0.5% of account; never exceed 0.75% on an A+ setup.
- Hard daily loss cap at 1–1.5%: hit it and stop trading immediately.
- Maximum two trades per session; third trade allowed only if first two were both winners.
Stops, targets, and time stops.
Michal treats time like a risk input. If a trade doesn’t work fast during the open, it usually won’t.
- Initial stop goes beyond structure: last swing high/low (FX) or opening range extreme (DAX).
- First target at 1R to pay risk; scale another third at a nearby HTF level; trail remainder behind M5 structure.
- If price hasn’t reached 1R within 20–25 minutes, cut the trade to half-risk or scratch at break-even.
Trade management playbook
Keep decisions mechanical so emotions don’t hijack the session. Define the “if-then” before entry.
- Move stop to break-even only after partial at 1R or a clean M5 market structure shift in your favor.
- If a news candle spikes through levels, do not widen the stop—exit and re-assess post-volatility.
- For DAX, prefer partials at fixed ranges (e.g., +20, +35, +60 pts) rather than only R-multiples.
News and volatility filters
He wants movement, not randomness. Volatility is great when it’s scheduled and mapped.
- No new trades 5 minutes before or after high-impact releases affecting GBP/EUR/USD or German data.
- If VIX (or local vol proxy) is exceptionally low, cut position size by 50%—expect fake breaks.
- Skip the session entirely if the overnight range is <40% of its 20-day average.
Playbook for entries (mechanics)
Execution is standardized to kill hesitation. Same buttons, same triggers, every day.
- Use stop orders for momentum breaks; use limit orders only on pullbacks into pre-marked levels.
- Slippage guard: if fill is worse than 0.15R from intended, cancel and wait for the next signal.
- Never chase a candle; if the candle that gave the signal closes without you, the setup is gone.
Journaling and metrics
Michal’s edge compounds because he measures it. You can’t refine what you don’t track.
- Log per-setup stats: win rate, average R, time-to-1R, max adverse excursion.
- Tag days by regime (trend, range, news-driven) to see where your edge lives.
- Review every Friday: drop the worst-performing variation; double down on the best.
Psychology and session discipline
Accountability keeps him honest. Tiny rules prevent big mistakes.
- Write a one-line pre-commit: “Two trades max, stop at 1% daily loss, done by 10:30.”
- Use a visible timer per trade to enforce the time stop.
- After a loss, mandatory 5-minute reset: stand up, breathe, re-read the checklist before any next action.
Prop-firm specifics
Challenge rules can be a trap if you let targets dictate behavior. Michal flips it to rule-first.
- Treat trailing/daily drawdown as the true account size; base % risk on that, not the nominal balance.
- Avoid end-of-challenge hero trades: keep risk constant; let consistency hit the target.
- No weekend holds and no news-fade gambles—prop rules and spreads punish both.
Adapting this to your own book
You don’t need Michal’s exact markets to use his structure. Copy the scaffolding, then tune the dials.
- Pick one index + one liquid FX pair; trade only your region’s open for 4 weeks.
- Use the same levels map daily (prior H/L, Asia range, gap) and hunt only the two setups above.
- Keep the rule of two: two trades max, two timeframes, two-hour window—then close the platform.
Trade the London Open: Two-Hour Window, One Clean Setup
Michal Biesek builds his day around the first burst of London liquidity and stops when the edge thins. He shows up 20–30 minutes early, marks the Asia range and yesterday’s extremes, and decides in advance whether he wants the breakout drive or the first pullback. By compressing opportunity into a two-hour window, he avoids the slow bleed of midday trades and the temptation to “make something happen.” The aim is a clean, high-probability move, not constant action.
During the open, Michal Biesek waits for the market to tip its hand, then executes once—maybe twice if the first trade is textbook. If momentum is crisp, he’ll take the first controlled pullback into structure; if the open fakes out, he looks for a quick reclaim and switches sides. Time is a risk input for him: if price hasn’t reached 1R quickly, he cuts or scratches rather than babysit. Finish early, journal, and step away—protecting mental capital so tomorrow’s open gets the same sharp version of you.
Risk First: Fixed Fraction Sizing with Hard Daily Loss Cap
For Michal Biesek, position size is never a vibe—it’s a number decided before the bell. He risks a small, fixed slice of equity per trade so a single loser can’t derail the week. The daily loss cap is non-negotiable; hit it and he’s done, even if the next setup looks perfect. That circuit breaker protects the account and, just as important, protects his decision-making for tomorrow.
Michal Biesek also caps attempts, because more clicks rarely fix a bad day. If the first trade is clean but fails, he’ll take one more qualified shot; after two losers, the platform closes. Winners are allowed to work, but he still pays himself early, locking some profit at 1R so the session can’t flip red. The rule set is simple: size small, stop early, and live to trade the next open.
Map Yesterday’s Extremes: Asia Range, Gaps, and True Levels
Michal Biesek treats levels like a roadmap, not decoration. Before London opens, he marks yesterday’s high and low, the prior session open, and the exact Asia rarangeso he knows where traders are likely trapped. Those boundaries tell him whether he wants continuation or fade, and they keep him from chasing candles in the middle of nowhere. If price is rotating between the Asia high and low, he expects fake breaks; if it’s bursting cleanly beyond prior extremes, he gears for momentum.
Gaps and obvious imbalances matter just as much for Michal Biesek because they reveal unfinished business. If the open drives into a gap, he expects either fast fill or swift rejection—both tradable with clear risk. A reclaim back inside yesterday’s range after a quick stop-run is his cue to switch bias and target the opposite side of the range. The result is structure-first trading: fewer guesses, tighter invalidation, and entries that make sense before the candle prints.
Mechanics Over Prediction: Standardized Entries, Time Stops, Simple Management
Michal Biesek trades a checklist, not a hunch. He defines the trigger before the bell—either a pullback into structure after a decisive break or a swift reclaim after a stop-run—and uses the same entry type every time. If the candle closes without him, he lets it go instead of chasing, because missed trades are cheaper than bad fills. Time is part of the rule set: if the trade hasn’t reached the first target quickly during the open, he cuts it or scratches to free up capital and attention.
Management is equally mechanical for Michal Biesek. He pays himself at 1R, moves the stop only after partials or a clean shift in market structure, and never widens risk because a plan should shrink risk, not inflate it. News spikes are treated as exit signals, not invitations to “hold and hope.” By standardizing entries, enforcing time stops, and keeping management simple, he makes performance a product of repetition—not prediction.
Prop-Firm Friendly: Avoid Overtrading, Respect Drawdown, Stack Small R-Multiples
Michal Biesek designs his day around prop rules so the account survives long enough to compound. He calculates size from the true risk unit—the daily or trailing drawdown—not the headline balance. That keeps a single loser from clipping the threshold and voiding the account. He ignores “make the target today” thinking and instead stacks small, repeatable R-multiples, paying himself at 1R and letting runners work only when the structure is clean. When the platform shows him near the daily limit, he stops immediately and lives to trade tomorrow.
For verification and funded phases, Michal Biesek keeps the playbook even tighter. No holding through high-impact news, no late-session hail-marys, and no weekend exposure where spreads can nuke stops. If two trades aren’t there, he takes none, because flat is a position when rules are strict. He treats payouts as risk capital for the next pace-up rather than a signal to inflate size. The result is boring on purpose: consistent process, protected drawdown, and a slow, steady accumulation of wins that passes challenges without drama.
Michal Biesek’s edge is deliberately narrow: one to two hours at the London open, one FX pair plus the DAX, and two simple setups—an opening drive or a swift reclaim after a stop-run. He shows up with a pre-drawn map of yesterday’s extremes, the Asia range, and any obvious gaps, so he isn’t guessing when volatility arrives. When momentum is clean, he takes the first controlled pullback; when the open fakes out, he flips bias only after a decisive reclaim. Time is treated as risk—if a trade doesn’t reach the first target quickly in the opening flow, he cuts it rather than negotiate.
Everything sits on risk discipline sized for prop-firm realities. Michal Biesek risks a small fixed fraction per trade, enforces a hard daily loss cap, and limits attempts so a single morning can’t torpedo the account or the verification. He pays himself at 1R, trails behind structure, and never widens stops—news spikes are exits, not invitations to hope. The goal is stacking small, repeatable R-multiples and protecting drawdown so consistency wins the challenge, not hero shots.
Under the hood, it’s mechanics overprediction. Same prep window, same triggers, same management, and a weekly review that doubles down on what works while cutting what doesn’t. The takeaway is refreshingly actionable: tighten your universe, codify entries and exits, size for survival, and let the open do the heavy lifting. Trade less, decide faster, and give yourself a repeatable morning playbook that compounds without drama.
