Table of Contents
In this interview, Miami-based trader Raul sits down in Dubai to unpack his journey—from early FTMO payouts and headline-grabbing lifestyle to the messy realities behind bots, support, and rebuilding a prop firm model. He speaks candidly about what went right, what failed, and why he’s shifting toward models that mirror live capital instead of pure simulation. If you’ve seen the Bugatti clips and wondered whether there’s real edge beneath the flash, this conversation cuts straight to the substance.
You’ll learn how Raul builds an edge around clear playbooks, three distinct entry styles (aggressive to conservative), and strict R-multiple targeting that favors cutting “dumb losses” while letting winners run. He breaks down when to size up, why journaling and data beat vibes, how to balance technicals with psychology, and why new traders should prove consistency on their own capital before chasing prop funding. It’s pragmatic, beginner-friendly guidance focused on execution, risk, and sustainability—not hype.
Raul (LamboRaul) Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Edge First, Hype Last
This is the operating system behind the screen time. The aim is to trade a simple, rules-driven playbook, manage risk like a hawk, and let the data—not ego—decide. Expect a focus on repeatable setups, strict R-multiple targets, and fast feedback loops.
- Trade a small, repeatable playbook; prune any setup that isn’t pulling its weight after 20–30 logged samples.
- Define exact invalidation before entry; if you can’t place a precise stop, you don’t have a trade.
- Size by risk per trade (e.g., 0.25%–0.75% of account); never size by “confidence.”
- Grade every trade A/B/C; only scale size on A-setups after a 20-trade green streak at current size.
Markets & Timeframes He Prefers
Keep the canvas consistent so your statistics mean something. Work one or two liquid instruments and stick to a tight timeframe stack that suits day trading and quick execution.
- Specialize in 1–2 instruments; same session each day to compress variance.
- Top-down in minutes, not hours: e.g., 1H context → 15M structure → 1–5M execution.
- No new trades in the last 30–45 minutes of your session unless the setup is A-grade and pre-planned.
Entry Playbook: Three Ways In
Here’s how entries get standardized—aggressive when momentum is clean, conservative when waiting for confirmation, and breakout when price is coiled. The point is to know which tool you’re using and why, before you click.
- Aggressive (pullback-tap): Enter at the first tagged level in trend; stop beyond last micro-swing; partial at +1R, manage for +2R.
- Conservative (retest-confirm): Wait for breakout, then buy/sell the retest that holds; stop below/above retest wick; target +2R baseline.
- Breakout (range/coil): Take the expansion through a well-defined range high/low; smaller initial stop; base case +2R and flat quickly if momentum dies.
Risk: R-Multiples, Not Dollars
He frames everything in R so that decisions scale automatically with account size. The north star: protect downside first, then let the math compound when the tape agrees.
- Hard stop in the book on every order; never use mental stops.
- Default target on breakouts is +2R; home-run hunts are exceptions only when volume is screaming.
- If you get +1R unrealized and structure is intact, consider moving to breakeven or trailing per plan; never let a +1R winner become a full loser.
- Daily risk cap (e.g., −1.5R to −2R); stop trading the moment it’s hit.
Management: Trailing That Actually Works
Trade management is where P&L is made or lost. The rules here aim to bank winners while dodging the common “+2R to BE” heartbreak.
- As price moves in your favor, ratchet the stop with structure (e.g., trail under/over fresh micro-swings) so a momentum stall pays you something.
- Lock to breakeven only after structure confirms; don’t suffocate the trade on noise.
- If momentum stalls before +1.5R, take a third off; if momentum accelerates past +2R on volume, leave a runner with a structure-based trail.
Playbook Stats & Journaling
Data tells you what to keep and what to kill. Log ruthlessly so your sizing, targets, and management evolve with proof.
- Journal every trade: setup tag, session, screenshot, R result, emotions (1–5), and management notes.
- Review weekly: kill or tune any setup with win-rate × payoff < 0.9 over the last 50 samples.
- Maintain separate stats for Aggressive/Conservative/Breakout so rules don’t blur across styles.
Prop Firms vs. Your Own Capital
He’s done big prop payouts, but the stance is pragmatic: don’t build your identity on rented capital, and know the rules can change on you. Aim for skill first, then use props as a multiplier.
- Prove 3 straight green months on your account before buying any evaluation.
- Treat prop rules (daily loss, max drawdown) as hard product constraints and adapt your playbook to them.
- Expect accounts to be clipped for rule breaches; don’t rely on a single firm for income.
- Withdraw regularly; don’t let points sit in dashboards.
Credentials & Context (Why Listen)
Beyond the lifestyle clips, there’s a track record with well-known prop challenges and widely discussed payouts—plus years in the seat. Use that as context, not a permission slip to break rules.
- Noted for early six-figure prop payouts (e.g., FTMO milestone), then doubled down on systematizing entries and management.
- Public stance against “one true way” dogma; if two traders read the same chart and do opposite things, your rules aren’t objective enough.
- Keeps the focus on execution quality, not labels or online debates.
Daily Execution Checklist
This is the quick pre-market to post-trade loop. Run it exactly, every day, so you’re never improvising under pressure.
- Pre-market (10–15 min): Mark HTF levels, define A-setups, set alerts; pre-write your first trade idea with entry/stop/target.
- During session: One screen for price, one for DOM/volume (if used), one for journal; no social feeds.
- After trade: Screenshot chart with stop/entry/exit; tag the setup; note if you followed rules 100%.
- Post-session (5–10 min): Log R, update win-rate and average R by setup; write one improvement for tomorrow.
The Rules in One Page (Print This)
Keep a laminated copy by your desk. You’ll make fewer impulsive decisions when the rules are visible.
- Risk per trade: ___% | Daily cap: −___R | Max open risk: ___R.
- Allowed setups only: Aggressive / Conservative / Breakout (circle one).
- Targets: base +2R; runner only on confirmed momentum.
- Management: trail with structure; breakeven after confirmation; never let +1R turn to −1R.
- Stop trading after 2 consecutive losers or −2R, whichever hits first.
- Journal every trade before closing the platform.
Mindset & Habits That Support the System
Discipline is the edge when everyone has the same chart. These habits keep the playbook tight and your head clear.
- Fixed start/stop times; if you miss the session, you’re done for the day.
- Zero revenge trades—require a 5-minute timeout and written reset before any re-entry.
- Weekly strike list: remove one distraction from your desk or life every Friday.
- Celebrate process wins (perfect rule-following), not just P&L.
Size Risk First: Fixed R Per Trade, Never Confidence-Based
Raul’s rule is simple: before he thinks about entries, he decides exactly how much he’s willing to lose. He converts that into a fixed R—say 0.5% of equity—so every trade is sized by the stop distance, not by “how good it looks today.” That keeps him from randomly doubling size after a win or “feeling it” on a hot setup. Raul says the only number that should move your position size is volatility and stop placement, not your mood.
He also refuses to let a winner turn into a full loser once it’s cleared +1R with structure still intact. If a setup is B-grade, it still gets the same R; the difference is whether he even takes it, not whether he sizes it bigger. Fixed R makes stats honest: win rate × average R tells Raul exactly which setups deserve oxygen. The result is steady curves and fewer blowups—because sizing is math, not hope.
Trade the Mechanic, Not the Prediction: Rules Beat Opinions Daily
Raul treats markets like a machine: inputs, triggers, execution—no storytelling. He doesn’t guess where EURUSD or gold “should” go; he follows predefined mechanics like level breaks, retests, time-of-day filters, and minimum range. If the checklist is green, Raul takes it; if one key condition is red, he passes—no “gut feel” override.
For Raul, prediction is entertainment and mechanics are business. He batches screenshots of the same setup and measures the result distribution so the rulebook evolves with data, not hot takes. When price violates structure, he exits even if he “thinks” it’ll come back. And when the mechanic fires cleanly, he lets the process play out—because over hundreds of trades, the rules pay and opinions cost.
Use Volatility-Based Positioning and Diversify by Strategy, Underlying, Duration
Raul sizes positions by volatility, not vibes—wider stops on choppy days mean smaller size, tighter stops on clean trends allow normal size. He rotates risk across different playbooks (breakout, retest, pullback) so one market mood can’t wreck his week. When an instrument’s ATR spikes, Raul dials down contract size to keep R constant and avoid getting wicked out.
He also spreads exposure across a couple of uncorrelated underlyings and staggers holding times—quick scalps, intraday swings, and occasional runners. That mix smooths the equity curve: if breakouts stall, retests may still pay; if one instrument ranges, another can trend. For Raul, diversification isn’t “trade everything”—it’s distributing the same disciplined R across strategies, symbols, and durations that don’t all fail at once.
Define Stops Before Entry; Let Winners Run to +2R or More
Raul starts every trade by writing the invalidation point—price level where the idea is objectively wrong. The stop goes there first, then position size is calculated to keep risk at a fixed R. He never uses mental stops; the order is in the book before he clicks buy or sell. If he can’t place a clean stop beyond structure, he passes on the trade.
Once in, Raul expects a base case of +2R when momentum behaves, but he manages actively to protect the curve. After price clears +1R and structure confirms, he’s comfortable moving to breakeven or trailing, not before. He trails beneath new micro-swings so momentum must genuinely reverse to take him out. If momentum stalls early, he’ll take a partial and tighten; if it accelerates, he lets a runner breathe while the stop ratchets up. Raul’s rule: protect downside mechanically, let upside prove itself.
Process Discipline: Journal, Review, Prune Weak Setups, Scale Only A-Grades
Raul treats journaling like a performance lab, not a diary. Every trade is tagged by setup, session, entry style, and R-result so he can see which rules actually print. He schedules weekly reviews to rank setups by win rate × average R, then trims the bottom tier without mercy. If a pattern can’t prove itself over 30–50 samples, Raul removes it from rotation to protect focus and capital.
When the data says a setup is elite, Raul scales only after it’s earned that status at smaller size. He increases risk in measured steps—never jumping from 0.25R to 1.0R in a single day—and rolls back sizing the moment rule-breaks or variance spike. Raul also scores his execution (followed plan: yes/no) so green P&L from bad behavior doesn’t sneak into the playbook. The mantra is simple: document, measure, prune, and then carefully scale what’s statistically A-grade.
In the end, Raul’s edge isn’t a magic indicator—it’s the way he runs the whole operation. He sizes every position by a fixed R, defines the stop before the entry, and treats volatility like a dial for position size rather than a reason to gamble. He doesn’t predict; he executes mechanics he’s tested—breakouts, retests, pullbacks—through a consistent timeframe stack and session window. When momentum behaves, he expects +2R as the base case; when it doesn’t, the trade is cut by rule, not by hope.
What really separates Raul is the feedback loop. Every trade is tagged, screenshotted, graded, and reviewed so the playbook keeps getting leaner and the best setups get more oxygen. He diversifies by strategy, underlying, and duration to smooth the curve, respects daily risk caps, and scales size only after an A-grade setup proves itself at smaller risk. Whether you’re trading your own capital or juggling prop rules, his message is the same: make sizing mechanical, make entries rule-based, make exits structural, and make your journal the final arbiter. Do that long enough and the curve takes care of itself.
