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This interview features Riz Sardar on the Words of Rizdom podcast, a candid conversation about how a clear “why” translates into consistent execution on the screens. Riz comes from a disciplined, engineering-style background, and he’s become known for keeping his playbook tight, his routines simple, and his risk under control—exactly the mix beginners overlook when they chase signals. He matters because he models a path that scales without theatrics: know your purpose, focus your universe, and build habits that make good decisions automatic.
In this piece, you’ll learn how Riz frames strategy around purpose first, then translates that into a ruleset for entries, exits, and risk sizing that a new trader can actually run. We’ll break down his approach to narrowing markets, journaling for feedback, and using pre-trade checklists to cut impulsive mistakes—plus the simple routines he leans on to survive chop, avoid overtrading, and let high-quality setups come to him.
Riz Sardar Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
The Edge: One Purpose, Two Pairs, Zero FOMO
Riz keeps his universe tight, so decisions stay clean. He narrows focus to a couple of currency pairs and only acts when his pictures line up—no chasing, no “maybe” trades. That focus makes execution repeatable instead of emotional.
- Pick exactly two liquid pairs you’ll specialize in (e.g., EURUSD + one other) and ignore everything else during your session.
- Define your “why” for trading in one sentence and write it at the top of your journal; re-read it before every session.
- Set a maximum of 0–2 trades per session unless a pre-defined A+ setup repeats; this kills boredom trades.
- If your criteria don’t appear, log a no-trade day and walk—discipline is a profitable action.
- Keep a running list of what you do not trade (news spikes, illiquid hours, overlapping signals) to prevent edge dilution.
Prep & Testing Loop (Backtest → Forward Test → Live)
Riz builds confidence by validating rules in stages. He starts with historical testing, then forward tests in real time, and only then sizes up live after the process holds up.
- Backtest 100 examples of your setup; track win rate, average reward: risk, and max adverse excursion.
- Forward test 20 sessions in replay/sim with your exact checklist and timing rules; no fast-forwarding.
- Go live on micro-size for the first 20 trades (risk ≤ 0.25% per trade) to confirm real-time behavior.
- Promote a rule only if it survives all three phases; otherwise, refactor or discard.
- Maintain a single Process Doc (one page) that you update after each phase—this becomes your operating manual.
Entry Checklist: “The Three Pictures”
He executes when the market paints the pictures he expects—structure, trigger, and confirmation. When those three align, he pulls the trigger; if one is missing, he waits.
- Picture 1 – Structure: Trend or range clearly defined on the higher timeframe you anchor to; mark the key level you need to see trade around.
- Picture 2 – Trigger: A precise event at the level (e.g., rejection wick, break-and-retest, or micro pullback) that occurs once—no multi-try guessing.
- Picture 3 – Confirmation: Immediate follow-through (e.g., momentum candle close or volume/impulse) within 2–3 bars of the trigger; if late, pass.
- If any one picture is missing, do not enter—log it and wait for the full set.
- Screenshot every valid and invalid attempt into folders named structure/trigger/confirmation to sharpen recognition.
Risk & Management Playbook
Longevity matters more than any single trade. Riz’s approach prioritizes staying in the game with small, consistent risk and clear exit logic so the process doesn’t get hijacked by emotion.
- Risk a fixed fraction per trade (0.25%–0.5% is beginner-friendly); never scale risk because a setup “feels” better.
- Stops go beyond the invalidation point, not at round numbers; set first, then size position so risk stays constant.
- One target, one trail: Take partial at 1R only if that historically improves expectancy; otherwise hold to planned target and trail below last confirmed swing.
- If no follow-through within your defined window (e.g., 2–3 bars after entry), reduce risk by moving to break-even or exit—pick one rule and stick to it.
- Cap the day at max 1R–2R drawdown or two consecutive losses; after that, you’re done.
Session Timing & Attention Management
He protects attention as a resource—fewer inputs, higher quality decisions. Sessions are deliberate blocks of focused analysis and execution, with everything else boxed out.
- Trade only your primary session window (e.g., London or New York) for 90–120 minutes max; schedule it and show up on time.
- Mute all noise: turn off social feeds, signals, and chat during the session.
- Pre-session: mark levels, bias, and if/then conditions; mid-session: execute only if the checklist hits; post-session: journal, then close the platform.
- Keep a “temptations” list (random ideas, indicators to try) and review it after market hours.
- End every session with a grade (A/B/C) and one actionable improvement for tomorrow.
Journal That Builds Skill (Not Just Notes)
Riz treats journaling as a feedback engine, not a diary. Every line ties back to the rule, so the playbook gets tighter each week.
- Journal before/after each trade: state bias, checklist hits/misses, emotions at entry/exit, and any deviation.
- Attach three screenshots per trade (structure, trigger, confirmation) with annotations of what you saw.
- Tag trades by context (trend/range, session, volatility bucket) to learn where your edge is strongest.
- Run a weekly review: top 3 rule-following wins, top 3 deviations, and one rule to refine or remove.
- Maintain a Do-Not-Repeat section: concrete mistakes you’ll eliminate next week (e.g., “entered on confirmation bar 4—late”).
Size Risk First: Keep Losers Small, Let Winners Pay Rent
Riz Sardar hammers one point before anything else: protect capital by fixing risk per trade like rent you’re willing to pay. He sets invalidation first, sizes the position second, and only then thinks about potential profit—so a single idea never hijacks the account. Start every setup by asking, “Where is this trade wrong?” and place the stop beyond that line, not at a round number.
Once the risk is capped, Riz lets the market do the heavy lifting—winners can “pay rent” by covering prior small losses and compounding account health. If momentum stalls and your rule says scratch, you scratch; if it runs, you hold without moving the stop impulsively. Keep daily drawdown limits tight, reduce size in higher volatility, and never scale up just because a setup “feels” better. Do this consistently and the math—not the mood—decides your week.
Trade the Mechanics, Not Your Opinions: Checklist Over Predictions Daily
Riz Sardar treats the market like a machine—inputs, rules, outputs—so his identity never gets tangled with a trade. He starts with structure, confirms a trigger, and waits for immediate follow-through before clicking, even if his “view” says otherwise. That separation kills the urge to prove a bias right and keeps execution repeatable. When the pictures don’t align, he passes without drama because “no trade” is still a decision.
Every session, Riz runs the same checklist out loud to cut noise and anchor focus. If one item fails—timing window, level integrity, or momentum—he logs it and stands down. After entry, he follows predefined management rules instead of reacting to every tick. The win is measured by rule-following first, P&L second, which is why his edge scales without needing perfect predictions.
Allocate by Volatility: Adjust Position Size When Markets Speed Up
Riz Sardar scales position size to the environment, not his confidence level. When ATR expands or the session gets whippy, he cuts size so the same stop distance risks the same tiny slice of equity. In quiet markets, he allows slightly larger size only if the stop is tighter and the structure is clean. The goal is constant risk per trade despite changing market speed, so one spike never wrecks the week.
Riz also ties timing to volatility: if a move should unfold within two to three candles and doesn’t, he trims or scratches instead of “hoping” the range breaks. He avoids stacking correlated exposure during high-vol windows, preferring one best-in-class setup over three lookalikes. This way, volatility becomes a variable in the formula, not a surprise that forces emotional decisions. Keep risk fixed, let size float with volatility, and your equity curve stays smoother when markets go loud.
Diversify Smartly: Underlyings, Strategy Types, and Holding Durations
Riz Sardar doesn’t diversify by collecting random tickers; he diversifies by risk drivers. If EURUSD and GBPUSD are moving off the same dollar impulse, he treats them as one theme and takes the single highest-quality setup. He also mixes strategy types—for example, mean-reversion rules in ranges and momentum rules near breaks—so he isn’t overexposed to one market condition. This keeps correlation shocks from turning a normal red day into a drawdown spiral.
Time matters too, so Riz staggers holding durations to avoid stacking intraday noise. One idea may be a quick scalp into a session level, while another is a structured swing with wider stops and separate management rules. He logs overlaps so he knows when two positions actually express the same bet, and he trims the weaker one. The result is a portfolio of independent edges—different underlyings, different mechanics, different clocks—so when one lane stalls, another can carry the week.
Define Risk Upfront: Stop Placement and Invalidations Before Entry
Riz Sardar starts every trade by drawing the line that proves him wrong—invalidation—then places the stop just beyond that structure, not at a neat number. Only after the stop is fixed does he calculate position size so the dollar risk stays constant. He refuses to widen stops after entry; if the market tags invalidation, he’s out and moving on. This sequence keeps risk clean and prevents hope from editing the plan mid-trade.
Before clicking, Riz runs quick “what-if” checks: what if the trigger is late, what if momentum stalls, what if the spread widens at the level. If any answer breaks the plan, he passes and logs it rather than improvising. Post-entry, he follows a simple contingency: scratch to break-even on failed follow-through within a defined time window, or accept the stop like a bill he already budgeted. Daily guardrails finish the job—once his max drawdown budget is hit, he shuts it down and protects tomorrow’s chances.
Riz Sardar’s through-line is simple: purpose first, mechanics second, everything else a distant third. Across the entire conversation, he keeps returning to the same pillars: define invalidation before entry, cap risk as a fixed fraction, and let the setup prove itself quickly or get out. He trades what he can describe in one sentence and measure in three pictures—structure, trigger, confirmation—so the process scales without needing hero calls. When volatility picks up, he cuts size and tightens the window for follow-through; when the tape is slow, he stays patient and lets “no trade” count as a win for discipline.
His playbook blends edge and self-management in equal parts. He specializes in a tiny market universe, avoids stacking correlated bets, and diversifies by risk drivers, strategy type, and holding duration—not by collecting symbols. Sessions are time-boxed, distractions are off, and every decision is journaled against the rules, so feedback turns into refinements, not rants. The result is an operating system you can run tomorrow: one or two A+ patterns, a checklist that decides for you, risk that never bloats, and a review loop that keeps you honest. If you copy nothing else, copy this sequence—plan, test, execute, journal, refine—and the math will do the heavy lifting.
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