Applying computer science and mathematics to trading

Most traders see markets through a purely financial lens: patterns, price action, sentiment. I add a different perspective, that of a software engineer. Every trading problem becomes an engineering problem, solvable with code, data, and scientific method.

Read my trading philosophy

Trading Philosophy

Professional Market Making Approach

1

Act like a Market Maker, not a speculator

The trader's role is not to predict market direction, but to enter and exit the order flow quickly. The mindset is that of a bookmaker, not a gambler. No searching for reversal points, no indicators to predict the future.

2

Trade only the present

What happened 30 or even 5 minutes ago is irrelevant. The only question that matters is: "What is this contract worth right now? Can I buy it cheaper or sell it higher?" So-called "levels" created hours or days ago have no relevance to the current moment.

3

Exploit the mathematical edge of the spread

Buying on the bid (not the offer) transforms a trade from negative expectancy, roughly 1 in 6 chance of profit, to positive expectancy, with 5 in 6 chance of not losing. This same edge is the profit engine of major financial institutions.

4

Small adjustments x frequency = big results

No chasing "home runs." A single improvement, for example turning a 1-tick loss into a scratch, multiplied by 250 trading days can be worth thousands of dollars per year. Professional thinking operates in terms of compounded frequency, not single big trades.

5

Relative value through correlations

Price alone says nothing about value. Value is determined only by comparison with correlated instruments, just like comparing car or house prices. Correlations with other markets determine which side of the spread to trade.

6

Continuous decision cycle: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act

Inspired by John Boyd's OODA theory, professional trading uses a continuous feedback loop. Speed of adaptation matters more than brute force, just as lighter, more agile Soviet fighters outperformed heavier, more expensive American aircraft.

7

Rigorous discipline and professional standards

You don't trade out of excitement or boredom. After a series of losses, you stop, analyze the problem, and only then resume. Discipline is the foundation of good habits, which in turn are the foundation of consistency.

8

No technical analysis, no charts

No charts, no patterns, no indicators. The main tools are the DOM (Depth of Market) and the Tape. Technical analysis is seen as an obstacle that makes decisions easier but not better.

9

Separate decision quality from outcome

As Annie Duke teaches, don't confuse a good outcome with a good decision. A post-trade checklist that accounts for the role of randomness allows you to evaluate the decision-making process without falling into the "resulting" trap.

10

Continuous incremental improvement

Inspired by the "marginal gains" concept (as adopted by Team Sky in professional cycling), the path is made of constant incremental improvements. No "eureka" moments, but gradual, sustainable growth built brick by brick.

Data, not opinions

Every decision starts from data. Hypotheses are tested, not guessed. Strategies are validated statistically before reaching the market. If something can't be measured, it can't be improved.

Code, not intuition

Intuition doesn't scale. An algorithm can analyze thousands of data points in milliseconds. Automation eliminates the human variable and applies rules consistently, every session.

Method, not promises

Trading involves risk, and no one can guarantee profits. What I offer is a rigorous, reproducible approach: if you can't describe your strategy as a set of precise rules, you can't know if it works.

The real enemy: yourself

The biggest problem in trading is not finding the right strategy. It's executing it. Discretionary trading puts every decision in the hands of your emotions: fear makes you exit too early, greed makes you hold too long, frustration pushes you to revenge trade.

You study for months, build a plan, define your rules, and then the market opens and everything falls apart. You skip a signal because you're scared. You move a stop because you "feel" the market will come back. You double your size to recover a loss. The result is always the same: inconsistency.

This is not a mindset problem you can solve with willpower. It's a structural problem. As long as a human is pressing the button, emotions will interfere. The solution is not to become a better human. It's to remove the human from the execution.

How computer science solves this

Automated execution

The algorithm follows the rules. Every time, without hesitation, without fatigue, without fear. It doesn't care if the last three trades were losers.

No discretionary decisions

Every entry, exit, and stop is defined in code before the market opens. There's nothing left to interpret, nothing to decide in the moment.

Emotions removed from the equation

You don't fight your psychology. You bypass it entirely. The code executes while you can step away from the screen.

Consistent, measurable results

When execution is deterministic, you can actually measure what works and what doesn't. No more "I deviated from the plan." The plan runs itself.

The vision

Combining computer science and finance produces tools and approaches that neither discipline, on its own, could generate.

This is what I build: a systematic trading method, indicators for discretionary futures trading, and training that puts engineering rigor at the service of every trader who wants to think differently about markets.

Not a shortcut to easy money. A different way of looking at the markets: computational, testable, honest.

What I stand for

Transparency

No hidden magic. Every tool is built on clear, explainable logic.

Honesty

No performance promises. Trading is risky and I say it upfront.

Rigor

Every strategy goes through backtesting, statistical validation, and walk-forward analysis before going live.

Independence

I'm not a financial advisor. I build tools and share knowledge. Your decisions are your own.

This philosophy is the foundation of my method and the indicators I build for discretionary futures trading.

Discover the indicators

Disclaimer.Legal Notice and Risk Warning

The software offered on this website is a computer product developed and distributed under a usage license. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendation, solicitation to invest, or asset management in any way. The software operates automatically exclusively on the user's trading platform and account, over which the user maintains full control and total responsibility. The developer has no access to the user's accounts, funds, or credentials. Trading financial instruments involves a high level of risk and may result in the partial or total loss of invested capital. Past results, including backtests or historical performance, do not constitute a guarantee or reliable indication of future results. By installing and activating the software, the user declares awareness of the risks associated with automated trading, confirms operating based on their own autonomous and informed decision, and acknowledges being solely responsible for the operations executed by the software on their account. The developer shall not be held liable for losses, direct or indirect damages, lost profits, or any other consequences arising from the use of the software. It is recommended to consult an independent financial advisor before operating in financial markets.

© 2026 Alessandro Ruggieri. All rights reserved.

info@alessandroruggieri.dev