“The best trades? The ones that go exactly as planned,” says Fintokei Star Jirka from the Czech Republic.
Not many traders have scored as many payouts at Fintokei as Jirka. His formula for success? Surprisingly simple - at least according to him. And it’s something anyone can follow if they take trading seriously.
💸 16 payouts. 6 accounts. Both ProTrader & SwiftTrader. All while working a demanding full-time job and running a small farm on the side. How did it all start – and why does he sometimes value following the plan more than profit? We sat down for a longer talk to find out.
First trade? Long on EUR/USD – thought it would be easy 😅
Hey Jirka, congrats on becoming one of our top traders – welcome to Fintokei Stars!
Hey, thanks a lot! I really appreciate it.
You’ve got 16 payouts under your belt. But do you remember your first-ever trade?
Oof, let me dig into the memory banks. 😄 That was over 10 years ago. But yeah, it was a long on EUR/USD. It actually worked – I made a few hundred CZK. Which was a bit dangerous, because I thought, “Hey, this is easy!”
Spoiler: it’s not. Right? 😄
Exactly. Far from it.
So you’ve been in the trading game for over a decade?
Even longer. I studied economics and got into financial markets around 2000. Back then, I tracked Czech stocks through printed newspapers. No joke! Opening a trade meant calling someone and needing big capital. It just wasn’t doable for me at the time.
Buffett inspiration & building a real system
What changed?
Online trading happened. Suddenly, it all became accessible.
Did you have a mentor? Or someone who helped shape your approach?
No mentor, but huge inspiration from Warren Buffett. He’s not a trader, but his mindset – discipline, consistency, deep analysis – is something I admire. Thanks to him, I realized it’s smarter to focus on just a few instruments you understand really well.
Was there a turning point for you?
Yeah. The moment I decided to go long-term with trading. That shifted my focus away from single trades to systems. I started thinking in probabilities. Like a casino – if I run this setup 1,000 times, I’ll end up ahead thanks to my edge. It became about statistical advantage, not luck.
Mastering emotions & loving the plan
Sounds like you’ve got your emotions under control. How do you manage them during trades?
Pretty well nowadays. 😄 The key is to detach. Analyze situations objectively and learn from mistakes. As an intraday trader, I prefer to close all trades by the end of the day. I’ll hold overnight occasionally, but I sleep better when everything’s wrapped.
What trades make you happiest?
The ones that follow the plan – 100%. Even if the profit is small. If another trade makes more just by luck, I still prefer the one that worked out as expected. For me, it’s all about control. That’s why I stick to DAX, gold, and S&P 500.
Stop loss is a must. I also scale in at key levels if the market turns against me.
Has prop trading helped your mindset?
For sure – and Fintokei especially. Unlike before, I now calculate acceptable losses for every setup. Stop loss is a must. I also scale in at key levels if the market turns against me.
At Fintokei, I pay much more attention to position sizing. Most of my exits are manual. If I hit my daily goal, I close everything – even if there’s more profit on the table. Because maybe there isn’t. 😄
Learning? Yes. But be selective
Did you take any courses or study specific materials?
Back in the day, there wasn’t much. Now there’s tons – but I’m skeptical. So many “gurus” on YouTube selling magic courses… I always wonder: if you’re that good, why are you selling courses?
Of course, I studied technical analysis, patterns, money management, backtesting… but these basics are available for free.That said, I love reading books by legendary traders. Trading in the Zone by Mark Douglas? Top stuff.
How to read candlestick patterns? Download our e-book!
Why Fintokei? Trust, tools & flexibility
What’s your honest take on trading with Fintokei?
Honestly? Super professional. I discovered you through online ads and had previous (bad) experiences with other prop firms.
Want to name names? 😄
Why not. 😄 One firm didn’t let me start a third challenge just because I had two past ones in drawdown – even though I made solid profits in total.
At Fintokei, that’s not a thing. I can run multiple challenges at once and test different strategies. Sure, I could do that on a broker’s demo – but the psychology is totally different.
Exactly. It hits differently when it’s on a funded challenge account.
Right. But I also treat losses as a part of the business. They’re costs. The key is to learn from them. Overall, I really appreciate the win-win mindset at Fintokei. You’ve built a strong tech platform, the support is fast, and everything feels fair.
Life beyond the charts: family, bees & the countryside
Last one: What’s a day in your life like – outside trading?
When I trade, I start the day by checking global news and watching a few market commentaries on YouTube. Mostly prepping for DAX, gold, and S&P.
When I don’t trade? Total chaos. 😄 I still work full-time – in management at a large company. But life’s not just about work.
I live in the countryside and I love it. I’ve got a big family, keep bees, grow vegetables, raise chickens, rabbits, and birds. I need to keep improving at something constantly—and that applies to trading and hobbies alike. That’s the best part!
