How I Broke RoboKeeper – and What It Reminded Me About Strategy

A Challenge in the Heart of Belgrade

Just this last week in the summer haze in the city of Belgrade, Serbia...

After taking in the historic fortress and some of the more scenic parts of the city, we wandered into the more tourist-heavy main thoroughfare, en route to dinner. That’s when I saw it: a football challenge booth, complete with a robotic goalkeeper known as "RoboKeeper."

Now, this isn’t just a story about football, or trading for that matter. It’s also about how having a plan, and executing with intent, changes outcomes. Whether you're navigating markets or everyday decisions, the same principle applies.

Sizing Up the RoboKeeper

I’d seen clips of this merciless machine on social media before - an AI-controlled shot-stopper with lightning-fast reflexes. No one scores. Not locals. Not tourists. Not even professional players. As we got closer, it was obvious that RoboKeeper was living up to the hype. One shot after another got denied. A row of kids and Dads clutching their hopes, only to be left deflated as a sunken football, laid in the bear humiliation of the green turf with Robokeeper's soulless glare staring back at them.

Defeated. Crushed! RoboKeeper shows NO MERCY!

Naturally, I had to give it a go.

As someone who used to live for the game I couldn’t resist. Dinner could wait. My companion was also intrigued.

Watching people miss was instructive. RoboKeeper tracks the ball with sensors, and its upright positioning hinted at a potential weakness. I figured it would have a harder time getting down low. So I came up with a simple strategy: hit it hard and low, aim for the bottom corners. Channel my inner Ronaldo.

Trusting the Reps

This wasn’t a time for experimentation. It was a time to execute. I had a plan. I kicked way too many footballs in my youth to not stand a chance. I had put in thousands upon thousands of hours playing football, particularly practicing shooting, hitting the ball hard and with precision. Even after all this time away from the pitch, I trusted that the muscle memory would kick in.

After some light negotiation with the guy running the booth to get back in the queue, I stepped up. I told my companion, "I'd be happy with just one goal"

I placed the ball, stepped back, took a breath. Visualised the contact. Locked onto the corner. Then unleashed.

First shot: GOAL. Clean contact. Low, fast, unstoppable.

My companion’s eyes were wide open, mouth hanging. In line with my reaction, to be honest. Not because I didn’t think I could do it - but because no one else had. I was quietly confident, but still, the expectation was low. That’s another lesson in itself. When you’ve never seen something done before, even your own belief can shrink a little - even if you’ve got the skill.

Second shot: GOAL. Even better. Third shot: GOAL. Three in a row. RoboKeeper couldn't move in time and I could sense his soul leaving his circuitry. He began to doubt his own existence. This had never happened before. I had broken him.

Translating it to Trading

So, what does this have to do with investing or trading?

It’s simple. Success came down to strategy, execution, and repetition.

In trading, like in football, you don't enter a position based on reaction, but in it's preparation. You analyse the structure (in this case, RoboKeeper’s stance), form a hypothesis (low shots are harder to reach), and then execute with confidence.

You don’t just show up and hope. You can commit because you have confidence in your set of stringent rules. And you practice, so when it’s time to take the shot (or enter the trade), you’re not second-guessing. You're not trying to be clever. You're simply applying what you’ve trained for.

Whether it’s a penalty kick or a price level, the principle is the same: strategy and execution. The more times you’ve practiced your setup, analysed the charts and realised what works and doesn't work, the more naturally you execute.

One shot. One trade. One strategy, repeated with purpose.

And sometimes, RoboKeeper gets defeated.

Beyond the Markets

Same goes outside the markets. Whether you're making a career move, pitching a bold idea, or setting personal goals - having a clear strategy, reading the landscape, and executing with intent is what gives you the edge.

Pictured: Divcibare, Valjevo in Serbia