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SMA breakout (Donchian-style) strategyvsPremium/Discount Zones strategy

SMA breakout (Donchian-style) strategy: Buy a fresh push above the 20-bar mean and trail the winner until it folds. Β· Premium/Discount Zones strategy: Buy the discount extreme, fade the premium extreme, exit at equilibrium.

BreakoutLong only

SMA breakout (Donchian-style) strategy

Buy a fresh push above the 20-bar mean and trail the winner until it folds.

Mean reversionLong & short

Premium/Discount Zones strategy

Buy the discount extreme, fade the premium extreme, exit at equilibrium.

Indicators

  • SMA (period 20)
  • Premium/Discount Zones (lookback 200)

Timeframes

1h4h1d
1h4h1d

Bias

Long only

Long & short

Market fit

Volatility expansion

Range-bound

Entry rules

  • Enter long when close crosses above the 20-bar SMA.
  • 4-bar cooldown after exit reduces back-to-back whipsaws.
  • Long when price is inside the discount zone (current_zone = +1).
  • Short when price is inside the premium zone (current_zone = -1).

Exit rules

  • Close on a cross back below the SMA.
  • Trailing 5% stop catches deeper retracements before the SMA flips.
  • Position closes when price returns to equilibrium.
  • 4% trailing stop, 5-bar cooldown.

Expected behavior

Trendy growth in directional regimes punctuated by ugly chop when price oscillates around the SMA. Best paired with a higher-timeframe trend filter to skip the chop.

Range trader β€” fits balanced markets where extremes get bought / faded back to mid. Stacks losses in strong trends that camp at one extreme for many bars.

Complexity

1 ind Β· 2 entry Β· 2 exitBalanced
1 ind Β· 2 entry Β· 2 exitBalanced

Which one is right for you?

Derived from the bias, timeframe and indicator profile of each strategy β€” not a back-test forecast.

When to pick SMA breakout (Donchian-style) strategy

  • You expect volatility expansion β€” the thesis is "Buy a fresh push above the 20-bar mean and trail the winner until it folds."
  • You want a long-only bot on 1h–1d candles with a balanced rule-set.
  • You're comfortable monitoring 1 indicator (SMA (period 20)).

Buy a fresh push above the 20-bar mean and trail the winner until it folds.

When to pick Premium/Discount Zones strategy

  • You expect range-bound β€” the thesis is "Buy the discount extreme, fade the premium extreme, exit at equilibrium."
  • You want a long & short bot on 1h–1d candles with a balanced rule-set.
  • You're comfortable monitoring 1 indicator (Premium/Discount Zones (lookback 200)).

Buy the discount extreme, fade the premium extreme, exit at equilibrium.

SMA breakout (Donchian-style) strategy

Buy a fresh push above the 20-bar mean and trail the winner until it folds.

Premium/Discount Zones strategy

Buy the discount extreme, fade the premium extreme, exit at equilibrium.

Related comparisons

Other pairings that involve one of these strategies.

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