Position Sizing: Kitna Capital Per Trade Lagayein? — Complete Hinglish Guide
Published by The Retail Trader · AUG 14, 2026 · Features
Sab log "kya buy karein" pe focus karte hain. Professional traders "kitna buy karein" pe focus karte hain. Position sizing hi wo skill hai jo 90% traders ko unsuccessful banati hai — kyunki wo isko ignore karte hain.
Simple truth: Aapka stock selection 60% accurate ho sakta hai, lekin agar position sizing galat hai toh account zero ho jayega. Conversely, average stock selection + perfect position sizing = profitable trader.
Rule: Kabhi bhi ek trade mein apne total capital ka 1% se zyada mat lose karo.
Example:
• Total capital: ₹1,00,000
• Max risk per trade: ₹1,000 (1%)
• Stock entry: ₹500
• Stop-loss: ₹490 (₹10 risk per share)
• Position size: ₹1,000 / ₹10 = 100 shares
• Total investment: 100 × ₹500 = ₹50,000
Dhyan rakho: Risk ≠ Investment. Aap ₹50,000 invest kar rahe ho but risk sirf ₹1,000 hai (agar stop-loss hit ho).
Scenario: 5 Consecutive Losses:
• 1% rule — Loss Per Trade: ₹1,000, Total Loss: ₹5,000, Remaining: ₹95,000, Recovery Needed: +5.3%
• 5% rule — Loss Per Trade: ₹5,000, Total Loss: ₹25,000, Remaining: ₹75,000, Recovery Needed: +33.3%
• 10% rule — Loss Per Trade: ₹10,000, Total Loss: ₹50,000, Remaining: ₹50,000, Recovery Needed: +100%
• 20% rule — Loss Per Trade: ₹20,000, Total Loss: ₹1,00,000, Remaining: ₹0, Recovery Needed: GAME OVER
1% rule se: 5 losses ke baad bhi sirf 5.3% recovery chahiye. 10% rule se 100% recovery chahiye — almost impossible.
Mathematical Proof:
• With 1% risk: 50 consecutive losses se bhi account 60% bacha rahega
• With 5% risk: 20 consecutive losses = account zero
• With 10% risk: 10 consecutive losses = account zero
Professional traders risk 0.5-1%. Beginners should risk 0.5%.
Position Size = (Capital × Risk %) / (Entry Price - Stop-Loss Price)
Example 1: Standard Trade
Ye saat baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Capital: ₹2,00,000
• Risk per trade: 1% = ₹2,000
• Entry: ₹1,000
• Stop-loss: ₹960
• Risk per share: ₹40
• Position size: ₹2,000 / ₹40 = 50 shares
• Investment: 50 × ₹1,000 = ₹50,000
Example 2: Tight Stop-Loss
Ye saat baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Capital: ₹2,00,000
• Risk: 1% = ₹2,000
• Entry: ₹500
• Stop-loss: ₹495
• Risk per share: ₹5
• Position size: ₹2,000 / ₹5 = 400 shares
• Investment: 400 × ₹500 = ₹2,00,000 (100% of capital!)
⚠️ Warning: Tight stop-loss means large position. Investment = 100% of capital is risky. Even though "risk" is only ₹2,000, if stock gaps down below stop-loss, actual loss can be much larger.
Example 3: Wide Stop-Loss
Ye saat baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Capital: ₹2,00,000
• Risk: 1% = ₹2,000
• Entry: ₹1,500
• Stop-loss: ₹1,400
• Risk per share: ₹100
• Position size: ₹2,000 / ₹100 = 20 shares
• Investment: 20 × ₹1,500 = ₹30,000
Sirf risk per trade decide karna kaafi nahi. Reward bhi dekhna chahiye.
Minimum R:R = 1:2
Ye teen baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Risk ₹1,000 → Target profit ₹2,000
• Win rate 40% ho toh bhi profitable:
• 10 trades: 4 wins (₹8,000) - 6 losses (₹6,000) = +₹2,000 net profit
Formula with R:R:
• Position Size = (Capital × Risk %) / Risk Per Share
• Target Price = Entry + (Risk Per Share × Reward Ratio)
Example: 1:3 R:R Trade:
• Capital: ₹1,50,000
• Risk: 1% = ₹1,500
• Entry: ₹300
• Stop-loss: ₹285 (₹15 risk per share)
• Position size: ₹1,500 / ₹15 = 100 shares
• Target: ₹300 + (₹15 × 3) = ₹345
• Potential profit: ₹45 × 100 = ₹4,500
• Potential loss: ₹15 × 100 = ₹1,500
• R:R = 1:3 ✅
Rule: Total open risk (saare open trades ka combined risk) should not exceed 5-6% of capital.
Example:
• Capital: ₹1,00,000
• Max total open risk: ₹5,000 (5%)
• Max trades at 1% risk each: 5 simultaneous trades
Ye chhe baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Trade 1 — Risk: ₹1,000, Total Open Risk: ₹1,000
• Trade 2 — Risk: ₹1,000, Total Open Risk: ₹2,000
• Trade 3 — Risk: ₹1,000, Total Open Risk: ₹3,000
• Trade 4 — Risk: ₹1,000, Total Open Risk: ₹4,000
• Trade 5 — Risk: ₹1,000, Total Open Risk: ₹5,000
• Trade 6 — Risk: ❌ NO, Total Open Risk: Exceeds 5% limit
Why Total Open Risk Matters:
• Agar market crash aaye aur saare stop-loss hit ho, max loss = 5%
• 5% loss recoverable (5.3% gain se recover)
• Agar 10 trades open hain 1% risk each = 10% total risk = dangerous
Intraday Trading:
• Risk per trade: 0.5-1% (tighter, because more trades per day)
• Max trades/day: 3-4
• Total daily risk: 2-3% max
• Stop-loss: 0.5-1% from entry (tight)
• Position size: Large shares, small risk per share
Swing Trading (2-7 days):
• Risk per trade: 1-2%
• Max simultaneous trades: 5-6
• Total open risk: 5-8%
• Stop-loss: 2-4% from entry
• Position size: Moderate
Position Trading (weeks-months):
• Risk per trade: 1-2%
• Max simultaneous positions: 8-10
• Total open risk: 10-15% (wider stops, longer time)
• Stop-loss: 5-8% from entry
• Position size: Smaller shares, wider stop
Long-Term Investing:
• Risk per position: 2-5% of portfolio (not stop-loss based)
• Diversification: 10-15 stocks across sectors
• No stop-loss: Hold through volatility
• Position size: Based on conviction and valuation
Problem: Trader always buys 100 shares, regardless of stop-loss distance. Consequence: Tight stop-loss trade = high risk. Wide stop-loss trade = low risk. Inconsistent.
Fix: Risk amount fixed karo (1%), quantity calculate karo based on stop-loss.
Problem: "Aaj sure shot hai, 500 shares le leta hoon." Consequence: Sure shot nahi hota. 500 shares × big loss = account damage.
Fix: No "sure shot" exists. Always 1% risk rule. No exceptions.
Problem: Stock gir gaya. Aur buy kiya. Ab total position 2x. Total risk 2x. Consequence: Original risk 1% tha, ab 2% ho gaya. Double danger.
Fix: Don't average down in trading. If thesis broken, exit.
Problem: Stop-loss ₹490 pe hai. Stock overnight gap down at ₹470. Loss = ₹30/share, not ₹10. Consequence: Actual loss 3x more than planned.
Fix: Reduce position size for stocks prone to gaps. Don't hold overnight with tight stop-loss.
Problem: Margin trading se 3x position le liya. Risk bhi 3x. Consequence: One bad trade = 3% loss instead of 1%. Three bad trades = 9% loss.
Fix: Leverage = multiplied risk. If using MTF, reduce position size to keep actual risk at 1%.
Quick Formula For 1% Risk:
• Step 1: Capital × 0.01 = Max Risk Amount
• Step 2: Entry - Stop-loss = Risk Per Share
• Step 3: Max Risk Amount / Risk Per Share = Number of Shares
Quick Example:
• Capital: ₹1,00,000
• Max risk: ₹1,000
• Entry: ₹200, SL: ₹190
• Risk per share: ₹10
• Shares: ₹1,000 / ₹10 = 100 shares
• Investment: 100 × ₹200 = ₹20,000
Mental check: ₹20,000 investment = 20% of capital. Risk ₹1,000 = 1%. ✅
Q: 1% rule kyun, 2% kyun nahi? A: 1% conservative hai. Beginners ke liye 0.5-1% perfect. Experienced traders 1-2% use karte hain. 2% pe 10 consecutive losses = 20% drawdown — painful but survivable. 5% pe 10 losses = 50% — almost impossible to recover.
Q: F&O mein position sizing kaise karein? A: Same 1% rule. F&O mein lot size fixed hota hai, isliye calculate karo: (Lot Size × Premium) = total risk. Agar 1% se zyada hai toh trade mat karo ya smaller lot use karo.
Q: Capital ka kitna ek trade mein invest karna chahiye? A: Investment amount ≠ Risk amount. Aap 50% capital ek trade mein invest kar sakte ho if stop-loss tight hai (risk only 1%). General rule: single trade mein 20-30% se zyada invest mat karo.
Q: Portfolio mein kitne stocks hone chahiye? A: Trader: 3-5 open positions max. Investor: 10-15 stocks across sectors. <3 = under-diversified. >20 = over-diversified, hard to track.
Q: Stop-loss hit hone ke baad same stock mein re-enter karein? A: Haan, but position size same (1% risk). Re-entry is a new trade — previous loss is sunk cost. New trade = new risk calculation.
Ye das baatein dhyaan mein rakho:
• Risk per trade = 1% of capital (0.5% for beginners)
• Position size = Max Risk / Risk Per Share
• Total open risk ≤ 5% of capital
• Risk:Reward minimum 1:2
• No "sure shot" exception — always 1% rule
• Don't average down in trading
• Account for gap risk — reduce size if stock gaps
• Leverage multiplies risk — reduce size accordingly
• Capital preservation > profit generation
• Position sizing is THE skill that separates pro from amateur
The Retail Trader — Educational market analysis. Not investment advice. Position sizing is your survival tool — use it every trade, no exceptions.
Ye article sirf educational hai — koi buy ya sell recommendation nahi, koi guaranteed return ka daawa nahi, aur koi advisory nahi. Rules, rates aur mechanics exchange, SEBI aur RBI time-time par badalte hain, isliye har number apne broker ya official source par khud verify karo.