ICT Archivist

Year: 2023

  • How To Trade Big Runners Properly | June 23, 2023

    Summary:

    Key takeaway: holding “big runner” trades is a skill you must earn gradually — it’s not greed but a disciplined progression from small, consistent wins to larger runs. Success depends more on mindset, risk management and framework than on fancy entries or copying others.

    Essentials:
    – Start small and grow slowly: begin with one contract/lot, prove you can take profits, then incrementally increase size. Don’t jump to max leverage just because it’s available.
    – Use partials: take logical partial profits as the trade moves in your favor to lock gains, reduce risk, and desensitize yourself to holding larger remaining positions.
    – Have a higher‑timeframe frame of reference: identify higher‑timeframe liquidity/targets (weekly/daily) before aiming for big runs; intraday charts alone won’t justify long holds.
    – Consider inter‑market relationships and time of day: choose the instrument most likely to move (the laggard when bearish), and factor algorithmic rotations (e.g., PM session) and opening‑range behavior.
    – Strict risk management: trade sizes and stops should protect your capital; funded account rules don’t mean you must use full permitted lots — avoid blowing accounts.
    – Manage psychology and distractions: journaling, reviewing video of your trades, and recognizing personal “tells” help you learn when to stop and when to hold. Avoid ego-driven or audience‑driven decisions.
    – Trade less, choose quality setups: focus on a few high‑probability trades rather than constant action; consistency (even small, regular wins) is respectable and scalable.
    – Long game and realism: expect a prolonged learning curve; conditions improve by gradual conditioning (he estimates many market days of experience). Slow and methodical wins.

    Bottom line: identify higher‑timeframe targets, start tiny, take partials, manage risk and mind, and only then gradually scale size — that’s how you reliably capture big runners.

    Quiz

    1) According to ICT, when you get a funded account you should initially:
    A. Use the maximum contracts the firm allows
    B. Start with one contract and graduate up slowly
    C. Always trade 15 contracts
    D. Immediately pyramid to 10 contracts

    2) What does ICT identify as the secret to holding big runners and managing trade risk?
    A. Doing full-pull entries only
    B. Taking partials at logical levels
    C. Relying solely on Fibonacci extensions
    D. Never using stop losses

    3) ICT says before trusting intraday charts to hold a trade for a large run you must have:
    A. Only one-minute chart confirmation
    B. A higher time frame draw on liquidity (weekly/daily)
    C. A pivot point and standard deviation indicator only
    D. A news headline to justify the move

    4) Around what time does ICT say the algorithm PM session begins (New York local time)?
    A. 9:30 AM
    B. 12:00 PM
    C. About 1:30–1:40 PM
    D. 5:00 PM

    5) What primary purpose does ICT assign to journaling?
    A. To post your best trades on social media
    B. To record concerns, cheerlead yourself, and desensitize to outcomes
    C. To predict exact future prices
    D. To replace demo trading entirely

    Answer Key:
    Q1: B
    Evidence: “so the rules for you to be able to do this is start with one contract when you get funded I don’t give a [__] what company it is” (0:32:11.399–0:32:17.880)

    Q2: B
    Evidence: “I teach you how to take partials…that’s the secret to holding big ass runners… you’re not doing a full pull” (0:22:56.159–0:23:03.360 and 0:26:44.460–0:26:48.659). Also: “partials are a huge huge benefit” (0:55:51.599–0:55:57.599)

    Q3: B
    Evidence: “the first thing that you have to understand is that you have to have a higher time frame draw on liquidity” (0:15:24.420–0:15:31.440). And: “you have to at least at the very minimum have some idea on a daily chart what is it reaching for” (0:17:53.520–0:18:01.260)

    Q4: C
    Evidence: “we know that the algorithm starts its PM session at 1 30 New York local time around 1 40 or so I can’t remember the minute marker but it’s about 140.” (0:38:24.180–0:38:37.280)

    Q5: B
    Evidence: “journaling is the biggest crutch as a Trader you have to be you have to have it folks… encourage yourself go back in your journal and find a period where you were hitting it… read what you annotated in the charts… that’s where you want to get a high off of that” (1:35:59.880–1:36:07.139 and 1:36:16.739–1:36:28.199)

  • Navigating Markets & High Probability Trading | May 29, 2023

    Summary:

    – Purpose and tone: The speaker (ICT) reviews his trader-education philosophy, trading evolution, and life lessons—direct, blunt, and aimed at forcing students to take responsibility and do the work.

    – Personal context and decision: He’s stepping back from active public mentoring (ending Inner Circle Trader activity in November) to regain balance and spend time with family. His videos and core content will remain available.

    – Responsibility and mindset: Trading success is 100% personal responsibility. Quit blaming tools, courses, influencers or the market. Most failures come from internal faults—laziness, impulsiveness, poor discipline—and not from the method.

    – Learning curve and realism: Trading requires time, repetition and emotional work. You can’t shortcut the experience; losses, mistakes and “scar tissue” teach essential lessons. Expect years of learning, not instant success.

    – Methodology focus: He emphasizes naked price action and top-down analysis (weekly → daily → 60‑minute → intraday). Avoid over-reliance on indicators; study price, time and liquidity (fair value gaps, order blocks, inefficiencies).

    – The “silver bullet” concept: A time-based intraday setup (60‑minute window / “kill zones”) that repeatedly produces tradable opportunities—use economic calendar timing, look for imbalances on low timeframes (drop from 5m → 4m → 3m → 2m → 1m) and trade precise, repeatable entries rather than chasing noise.

    – Seasonality and data: He endorses using reliable seasonality data (e.g., Steve Moore) as a macro input, but warns seasonality is not infallible—blend with price action and context.

    – Demo teaching & execution: He teaches and demonstrates in demo accounts to avoid legal/advice issues and to remove emotional attachment; practicing in demo is valid and valuable. Real-money execution and psychological readiness remain the student’s responsibility.

    – Risk management & mental capital: Know your real mental risk tolerance (mental capital) and size positions accordingly. Build “mental capital” by experiencing small, repeated wins and by pausing to consolidate after success (avoid chasing sugar highs).

    – Critique of influencers and drama: Drama/“clout” marketing is short-term and damages brands. Focus on substance, honesty, and consistent teaching. He calls out opportunistic rebranding and plagiarism in the space.

    – Teaching style and limits: He has shared much publicly, won’t teach certain proprietary items outside family, and won’t run future mentorships the way he did. He encourages students to study core content thoroughly and journal their work.

    – Human lessons & priorities: Trading can consume life; money doesn’t compensate for lost family time. He urges students to balance family and trading, avoid letting trading become their whole identity, and to use success to do good (charity, helping others).

    – Call to action for creators: Be honest about struggles and share real execution and lessons (including failures). Authenticity helps viewers and grows meaningful communities.

    Overall: trading is technical but primarily psychological; success comes from disciplined, time-based price-action study, honest self-work, consistent risk management, and patience—not shortcuts, drama, or idolizing gurus.

    Quiz

    1) Why does ICT say he often uses a demo account when teaching?
    A. Because demo accounts are more profitable
    B. To teach without acting as a financial advisor / to be outside legal scope
    C. Because he cannot trade real accounts
    D. To hide his methods from students

    2) What does ICT recommend new traders learn first?
    A. Complex indicators like RSI and CCI
    B. Supply and demand order blocks only
    C. Naked price action (price only, no indicators)
    D. High-frequency scalping techniques

    3) What is ICT’s “Silver Bullet” concept?
    A. A new indicator for long-term investing
    B. A 60-minute time-window intraday setup (a timing model/entry method)
    C. A brokerage he recommends
    D. A seasonal calendar he sells

    4) Whose seasonal tendency research/data does ICT cite and recommend for studying seasonal tendencies?
    A. Larry Williams
    B. Jake Bernstein
    C. Steve Moore
    D. ICT himself

    Answer key with evidence:

    1) B — “To teach without acting as a financial advisor / to be outside legal scope”
    Evidence: “Yes, I’m absolutely using the demo because I’m teaching and I’m outside the scope of any legality by doing that because I’m not acting as a financial advisor.” (00:12:56,082 –> 00:13:01,322)

    2) C — “Naked price action”
    Evidence: “They should learn primarily naked price action.” (00:57:36,732 –> 00:57:39,792)

    3) B — “A 60-minute time-window intraday setup”
    Evidence: “I’ve literally removed all of the f***ing guesswork and reduced it down to a 60 minute time window. Gave it a cool ass name, the silver bullet…” (01:34:02,127 –> 01:34:13,317)

    4) C — “Steve Moore”
    Evidence: “And I got them from Steve Moore.” (00:32:03,257 –> 00:32:06,537)

  • Is That Your P&L Or Are You Just Happy To See Me? | May 20, 2023

    Speaker (Michael Huddleston / ICT) delivers a long mentoring talk focused on mindset, discipline, and practical guidance for traders. Key points:

    – Purpose: Join his community to learn a skill—to make money—not for celebrity, entertainment, or constant novelty.
    – Mindset over mechanics: Psychology, discipline, and following rules are primary; execution details (entries, stops) are secondary.
    – Be accountable: The “final puzzle piece” is you—your habits, patience, and willingness to apply what you’ve learned.
    – Avoid being a “professional student”: Don’t endlessly chase new methods; pick a baseline model, master it, then adapt. He recommends his flagship models (2022 model, Silver Bullet, Optimal Trade Entry) as sufficient.
    – Focus and practice: Backtest, journal, rehearse, and trade only when setups match your model—be a sniper, not a market-hopper.
    – Profitability, not being right: Measure success by P/L and money management, not by predicting every move.
    – Time and patience: Learning takes years (he spent six). Don’t impose unrealistic deadlines; calibrate and aim for excellence.
    – Prepare for hard times: Develop multiple income streams and a reliable trading baseline to survive economic stress.
    – Critique of others: Beware of incomplete tutorials and “one-trick” teachers; value thorough, tested instruction.
    – Platform/context note: He discusses some political/censorship topics off YouTube to avoid losing his main teaching channels and stresses he’ll step back in November so students must be self-reliant.

    Actionable takeaway: choose one proven model, study and backtest it diligently, discipline your psychology, focus on consistent profitability, and stop chasing endless new techniques.

    Quiz

    1. According to ICT, what should be the primary reason you come to his Twitter/YouTube community?
    A) To become part of a social group
    B) To learn how to make money
    C) To make him a celebrity
    D) To get free trading signals

    2. Which mindset trait does ICT say will prevent someone from being successful as a trader?
    A) Patience
    B) Needing to be right
    C) Discipline
    D) Willingness to adapt

    3. How many entry models does ICT say he developed while overcoming his fear of entering trades?
    A) 12
    B) 27
    C) 81
    D) 150

    4. What does ICT say will happen in November (2023) regarding his role/identity?
    A) He will start selling merchandise
    B) He will launch a new paid signals service
    C) He will step back/leave and “turn you loose”; stop being ICT and be Michael
    D) He will hire a large team of public influencers

    5. What does ICT call the “final puzzle piece” students are waiting for?
    A) The last entry model (PD array)
    B) The perfect trading indicator
    C) The student themselves — looking in the mirror
    D) A funded account provider

    Answer Key with evidence

    Q1 — B) To learn how to make money
    Evidence: “you should be here for one reason only to learn how to make money” (00:09:30.120–00:09:42.480)

    Q2 — B) Needing to be right
    Evidence: “and the ones that try to resist it while learning how to trade they’re not going to be successful and that trait is needing to be right” (00:11:21.180–00:11:30.360)

    Q3 — C) 81
    Evidence: “and that’s how I have 81 entry models” (00:24:00.360–00:24:10.260)

    Q4 — C) He will step back/leave and “turn you loose”; stop being ICT and be Michael
    Evidence 1: “because in November 2023 I’m going to Turn You Loose” (00:13:33.420–00:13:37.680)
    Evidence 2: “I want to put it down in November I don’t want to be ICT anymore I just want to be Michael and when I leave in November” (00:25:24.659–00:25:30.480)

    Q5 — C) The student themselves — looking in the mirror
    Evidence: “if you walked over to your mirror right now … that’s the final puzzle piece … it’s always been you” (00:50:34.500–00:50:55.380)

  • No shoes, No Shirt… NWOG | May 13, 2023

    Summary:

    – Context: ICT (a trading mentor) is on vacation but reviews the week’s market behavior and teaching points, noting some family health matters and that he’s sharing concepts publicly through November.

    – Market call and result: He focused bullishly on Nasdaq futures (NQ, symbol nqm2023) because a weekly “gap” (liquidity void) existed. He identified key weekly levels (gap high ~13,480.75 and gap low ~13,453.00). Price reached and respected those zones, then showed an “immediate rebalance” (a quick repricing signature at the 10:00 AM candle on May 12) that preceded a fast decline to the new-week opening-gap low (~13,310.50).

    – Key concepts taught
    – Fair Value Gaps (FVGs), weekly gaps, order blocks and how to mark them on weekly/daily/hourly charts to anticipate liquidity targets.
    – “Immediate rebalance”: when price reprices quickly to a prior level and signals algorithmic/spooled one‑sided movement — a high-probability signature for aggressive delivery.
    – Relative strength / “Sick Sister” concept: compare closely correlated markets (NQ, ES, Dow). Trade the market showing strength (or weakness) relative to peers.
    – Precision matters: expect small variances (ticks) but use exact price/time references; annotate your charts and backtest.

    – Trading guidance and risk management
    – Don’t trade CPI or other high-impact events from the wrong side; don’t rely on sound bites — read the full context.
    – Use scaled profits and partials while learning; experienced setups (immediate rebalance) may justify no partials, but novices should take partials.
    – Backtest, trade slowly, preserve capital, and build skill before using real/live or funded accounts. If confused, step away and restart study/practice.
    – Avoid copying trades blindly, chasing clout, or publicizing trades to the mentor (he discourages tweeting him results).

    – Mindset and mentoring
    – Trading success is incremental, requires discipline, self-awareness, and time. Identify personal strengths/weaknesses; don’t expect shortcuts from social media educators.
    – Markets are currently subdued (institutional cash on the sidelines); be patient and adapt to lower-volatility regimes.
    – He encourages independence: learn to analyze and execute on your own, not depend on signals.

    – Practical notes: He will post a tweet about a funded-challenge pick and urges students to do the chart work he prescribes (draw rectangles for FVGs, compare timeframes).

    Quiz

    1) Which three indices did ICT say you only need to watch comparatively for relative strength analysis (the “indices” to compare)?
    A. Russell 2000, NASDAQ 100, FTSE 100
    B. S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, Dow 30
    C. NASDAQ 100, Nikkei 225, DAX
    D. S&P 400, Dow 30, Russell 2000

    2) What was ICT’s guidance about taking partials when an “immediate rebalance” signature forms?
    A. Always take partials immediately
    B. Do not take partials on an immediate rebalance
    C. Take partials only if the market is Nasdaq
    D. Take partials only if the fair value gap is unfilled

    Answer Key with evidence

    1) B — S&P 500, NASDAQ 100, Dow 30
    Evidence: “when we’re talking about indices we’re talking about S P 500 NASDAQ 100 and the Dow 30.” (transcript, around 0:17:04–0:17:14)

    2) B — Do not take partials on an immediate rebalance
    Evidence: “immediate rebalance … you do not take [expletive] partials … you don’t take partials on immediate rebalance” (transcript, around 0:53:06–0:53:14). Additional context: ICT defines the immediate rebalance around the 10:00am May 12, 2023 candle and explains it signals sudden one‑sided delivery, which is why partials should not be taken (transcript discussion on immediate rebalance and the 10am May 12th candle, around 0:40:59–0:41:40 and 0:53:06–0:53:14).

  • Time Based Setups & Models – A Chapter Preview | May 6, 2023

    ICT presents a trading philosophy built around time-based setups and models: markets behave predictably at certain daily sessions (London, New York AM, lunch, PM, last hour), and profitable trading comes from anticipating these time-driven, algorithmic volume inflows rather than reacting to price moves.

    Key trading ideas
    – Time matters: schedule your trading around specific high-probability windows and learn the characteristic behaviors of each session.
    – Anticipate, don’t react: identify where liquidity, inefficiencies, order blocks and fair value gaps lie on higher timeframes and expect price to run into or away from them at predictable times.
    – Session rules (briefly): London often produces false breakouts/Judas swings into buy-stops (shorting opportunities); New York typically continues higher-timeframe moves and then forms reversal profiles; lunch hour (11:00–13:00 NY) commonly runs stops to re-accumulate positions; AM/PM “Silver Bullet” windows (~10–11, 14–15 NY) can produce compact continuation moves.
    – Use small, repeatable targets (e.g., 5 handles) and scale up gradually; higher timeframe setups can be the same logic on larger charts but occur less frequently.

    Risk, psychology and process
    – Limit time exposure and trade only what fits your personality and life; master one session/model before adding more.
    – Backtest, tape-read, demo and journal religiously; log setups by time until you desensitize to fear and learn to manage unrealized profits and drawdown.
    – Control impulses: avoid overtrading, social-media influence, FOMO; apply simple rules (e.g., sleep one night after a drawdown).

    Broader context and call to action
    – The speaker warns of systemic risks (currency changes, digital central bank controls, social-credit style controls) and urges practical preparedness (self-reliance, contingency planning).
    – Final message: adopt disciplined, time-based, rule-driven trading, put in the necessary study and journaling, and treat trading as a business to build resilience.

    Quiz

    1) According to ICT, what should a brand-new trader do at the very opening of the market?
    A. Trade aggressively to catch early moves
    B. Avoid trading in the first minute or two
    C. Rely only on indicators for entries
    D. Use maximum leverage to maximize gains

    2) ICT describes the London session “sweet spot” (in New York local time) as which window?
    A. 7:00–9:00 AM
    B. 9:30–11:30 AM
    C. 2:00–4:00 AM
    D. 3:00–5:00 PM

    3) What time does ICT identify as the New York open “Killzone” (New York local time)?
    A. 2:00–5:00 AM
    B. 7:00–10:00 AM
    C. 11:00 AM–1:00 PM
    D. 3:00–5:00 PM

    4) ICT refers to a specific one-hour AM setup often called the “Silver Bullet.” Which hour is that?
    A. 2:00–3:00 AM
    B. 7:00–8:00 AM
    C. 10:00–11:00 AM
    D. 3:00–4:00 PM

    5) Why does ICT argue time-based setups and models can be anticipated reliably?
    A. Because indicators always confirm them
    B. Because social media traders create predictable moves
    C. Because scheduled volume inflows and algorithms produce time-specific behaviors
    D. Because candlestick art forms are the only reliable tool

    Answer Key with evidence:

    1) Correct: B. Avoid trading in the first minute or two
    Evidence: “all right so you don’t want to schedule you’re trading if you’re brand new at the very opening like the first minute or two of trading because you know that now everybody’s in there dog piling in to take trades…” (timestamp ~0:19:14–0:19:33)

    2) Correct: C. 2:00–4:00 AM
    Evidence: “London time between two o’clock in the morning New York local time to 5 A.M… that’s a three hour window and The Sweet Spot is between two o’clock and four o’clock” (timestamp ~0:31:33–0:31:54)

    3) Correct: B. 7:00–10:00 AM
    Evidence: “the New York open Killzone which is seven o’clock to 10 o’clock in New York look time” (timestamp ~0:50:28–0:50:41)

    4) Correct: C. 10:00–11:00 AM
    Evidence: “Silver Bullet inside of the am session that time window is very very specific it’s inside of 60 minutes… all you’re looking for is a continuation… the first one that forms between 10 o’clock and 11. that one you’re going to see that right there” (timestamp ~1:21:21–1:22:28)

    5) Correct: C. Because scheduled volume inflows and algorithms produce time-specific behaviors
    Evidence: “you can set a clock to volume in trading as well just like traffic… you can anticipate setups that will form within those little specific time windows” (timestamp ~0:10:36–0:11:03); and “I’m only really focusing on specific times because those times are algorithmic… if there is an algorithm… most of you know there is” (timestamp ~0:25:13–0:25:24)

  • Equity Concerns When Your Heavens Are Like Brass | April 29, 2023

    Summary:

    – Personal context: ICT took a road trip with his sons to remove himself from the market and control impulsive trading tendencies. He openly discusses struggling with mental illness, impulsiveness, and a lifelong need to “prove” himself—factors that affect trading behavior.

    – Near-miss anecdote: He describes a tense gas-station incident where a likely staged robbery was averted by bluffing and leaving—used as a warning to stay aware and protect yourself physically as well as financially.

    – Current market environment: Markets have been choppy, sideways and lower-probability for big moves (a “scalpers market”), making setups less clean and reliable than in past periods. That makes trading harder now than many expect.

    – Core trading advice:
    – When in doubt, stay out; when you recognize a trade is against you, get out. Don’t pray for a trade to save you.
    – Use rule-based, time-based setups (he highlights 10–11am and 2–3pm windows) rather than trying to be in the market every day.
    – Trade smaller, realistic goals (e.g., a few handles) and be content with consistent, modest wins rather than forcing big returns.
    – Demo-trade to discover your personal weaknesses and patterns before risking real money. Journaling performance is essential.
    – Accept losses as inevitable; trying to avoid all losing trades increases the chance of larger failures.

    – On learning and mentorship: There are no shortcuts—skill-building takes time (years), discipline, and honest self-assessment. Beware of flashy “mentors” selling quick fixes or signal services; focus on sound logic and process.

    – Market outlook and specifics: He referenced seasonal tendencies (possible May→June weakness) and weekly fair-value/liquidity gaps on the ES chart as context for potential moves, explaining that these structural reads guide his decisions.

    – Psychological and life balance: He emphasizes self-care—taking breaks, unplugging, spending time with family—to recalibrate when trading becomes emotionally driven. He reflects on grief, family responsibilities, and the importance of being present outside trading.

    – Final message: Learn who you are, follow a disciplined, rule-based approach, avoid impulsive behavior driven by ego or social media, and give yourself permission to step away until you can trade objectively and safely.

    Overall: the talk is a mix of market analysis, practical risk-management rules, strong emphasis on mental/behavioral fitness, and mentorship urging patience, demo-practice, journaling, and disciplined trading.

    Quiz

    2) In ICT’s talk, what does the phrase “your Heavens are like brass” mean for traders?
    A. Markets are extremely volatile and unpredictable
    B. Prayers or attempts to change outcomes feel unanswered and progress stalls
    C. You should double down on trades because outcomes are certain
    D. It’s a technical indicator for reentry points

    3) What is ICT’s primary recommendation about using demo accounts for new traders?
    A. Demo accounts are a waste of time; start with small real money
    B. Use a demo to learn the platform and discover your personal weaknesses before risking real money
    C. Only use demo accounts to practice one specific pattern repeatedly
    D. Demo accounts should be used only after you pass a funded challenge

    4) What time-based “Silver Bullet” windows does ICT emphasize as recurring opportunities each trading day?
    A. 8:00–9:00 and 12:00–13:00 Eastern
    B. 9:30–10:30 and 14:30–15:30 Eastern
    C. 10:00–11:00 and 14:00–15:00 Eastern
    D. 11:00–12:00 and 15:00–16:00 Eastern

    Answer Key with evidence

    1) Correct: B
    Evidence:
    – “there’s a passage in Deuteronomy… when you ask for help and you send a prayer it doesn’t sound like it’s getting answered… it feels like your Heavens are like brass” (0:27:54–0:28:32) — he links the phrase to prayers feeling unanswered.
    – “your field… is like iron so you can’t plant or harvest anything… so you’re stuck” (0:28:36–0:28:48) — further explanation that progress stalls, applied to trading situations.

    2) Correct: B
    Evidence:
    – “that’s why I teach with a demo that’s why it’s the best way to learn that’s where you need to learn in a laboratory experiment setting where you are not incurring monetary risk” (1:23:56–1:24:04) — he recommends demo to discover yourself without losing money.
    – “learn the broker with the demo and then go in with real money even if it’s a little bit of money” (1:21:21–1:21:23) — he advises using demo first to learn platform and personal patterns.

    3) Correct: C
    Evidence:
    – “you wait for the Silver Bullet that means you wait for a setup between 10 and 11 Eastern Time New York local time” (0:14:42–0:14:56) — he names 10–11 ET as a Silver Bullet window.
    – “there is a fair value Gap that will reach for inefficiencies… between 10 o’clock in the morning and 11 o’clock in the morning… and between two o’clock and three o’clock every single trading day” (1:52:12–1:52:31) — he confirms both 10:00–11:00 and 14:00–15:00 as recurring windows.

  • The Sands of Time… | April 25, 2023

    Summary:

    – Current market is range-bound and low-probability: no clear weekly expansion or one‑sided bias, daily price action is stuck in a small balanced range with wicks both up and down. That makes sustained, high-probability moves unlikely right now.

    – Criteria for high-probability trades: you must be able to identify where the weekly candle will expand to (higher‑timeframe sponsorship) and the daily range should offer sufficient room (he teaches aiming for a range that can potentially deliver ~10 handles for a 5-handle run). Those conditions are not present.

    – Practical advice: preserve capital — don’t force trades in this environment. If the market isn’t giving your model its required signatures, sit out, scalp very small, or use the time to study and backtest. Lucky wins right now are mostly coincidence and can lead to bigger losses if you push.

    – Psychology and discipline: trading requires patience and control. Impulsivity is likened to addiction (alcoholism/gambling); remove temptations if needed, keep written rules, and reward yourself for not trading when conditions are poor. Read Alexander Elder’s Trading for a Living for psychological insights.

    – Macro context: geopolitical risks, bank instability and structural changes (e.g., CBDCs) elevate risk and reduce institutional willingness to assume new risk, contributing to the market’s stagnation.

    – Mentoring stance and personal note: as a mentor he won’t promote trading when his model doesn’t support it — he’s stepped away (traveling in an RV in Florida) to avoid trading impulsively and will return to live analysis when conditions improve (plans to be back on charts next Monday).

    Quiz

    1) According to ICT, what is the primary criterion you must have to consider a trade a high probability setup?
    A. A news catalyst scheduled that day
    B. An understanding of where the weekly candle will expand to
    C. A gap open on the daily chart
    D. Multiple confirmations on one-minute charts

    2) What does ICT advise you to do when the market is in a low probability condition?
    A. Pyramid into positions to force a win
    B. Trade more frequently to find opportunity
    C. Sit still or “do something else”
    D. Follow every social media signal available

    3) For a “high probability five-handle run,” ICT teaches the range should potentially offer how many handles in total?
    A. 5 handles
    B. 8 handles
    C. 10 handles
    D. 15 handles

    4) Which book does ICT recommend as the best for trading psychology and understanding impulsive behavior?
    A. Market Wizards
    B. Trading for a Living by Alexander Elder
    C. Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
    D. Thinking, Fast and Slow

    5) How does ICT describe the current market state in this talk?
    A. Low-resistance liquidity runs with clear direction
    B. A balanced trading range with wicks/tails both up and down — a small intraday scalpers market
    C. Strong trending market with institutional sponsorship pushing price
    D. Purely news-driven volatility with no intraday structure

    Answer key with evidence:

    Q1 — B. An understanding of where the weekly candle will expand to.
    Evidence: “number one you have to have some measure of understanding where that Weekly candle is going to expand to” (00:03:14.640–00:03:31.440). Also reiterated: “that Weekly expansion you have to know where is that Weekly candle the one that you’re in right now … you have to have an expectation” (00:20:17.280–00:20:26.940).

    Q2 — C. Sit still or “do something else”.
    Evidence: “if the Market’s not giving you something go do something else” (00:03:33.419–00:03:40.800). And: “I have to sit still” (00:11:09.540–00:11:17.240).

    Q3 — C. 10 handles.
    Evidence: “it needs to have a range to offer at least 10 handles” (00:25:25.919–00:25:41.220). Also: “how many handles does the range have to potentially deliver for you to get a high probability five handle run … 10 handles” (00:25:14.280–00:25:33.960).

    Q4 — B. Trading for a Living by Alexander Elder.
    Evidence: “the beginning of Alexander Elder’s book trading for a living in my opinion … that is so much better” (01:06:57.240–01:07:04.819). He further discusses the book and its psychological sections (01:07:01.680–01:07:10.460).

    Q5 — B. A balanced trading range with wicks/tails both up and down — a small intraday scalpers market.
    Evidence: “look at the daily chart you have Wicks and Tails both in up and down in that range” (00:14:56.399–00:15:03.000). And: “so now that means we’re in a scalpers Market” (00:21:00.900–00:21:05.580). Also: “we are in a point of balance … it’s balanced price has traveled up and down in that range both ways” (00:26:23.940–00:27:04.440).

  • Beauty For Ashes | April 14, 2023

    Summary

    – Framing: The speaker opens with a personal, fatherly reflection about his children and mentoring traders — people naturally resist listening, learn by painful mistakes, and often repeat the same errors expecting different outcomes.

    – Core lesson about trading: Success depends on discipline, patience, and following a repeatable, rule-based model. Impulsive, gut-driven trades, chasing moves, and trading outside a tested approach lead to burned accounts, lost confidence, and long-term setbacks.

    – Practical guidance: Use time-based, probabilistic setups, wait for proper confirmations, trade during the right sessions, and apply strict risk management. He repeatedly advises trading one contract (or very small size) while learning so drawdowns remain manageable and mistakes are recoverable.

    – Warnings about funded-account “combines”: These programs often impose very tight drawdowns and restrictive rules (e.g., closing times, maximum daily percentages). They incentivize over‑leverage and resets (small fees repeated), which statistically squeeze inexperienced traders and profit the companies. If you use them, keep leverage low and treat them cautiously.

    – Learning pathway: Paper trade and demo like a surgeon uses cadavers — learn safely, backtest, and be “bored” with demo results for months before risking real money. He recommends his 2022 model video series as a complete, practical starter for building a repeatable method.

    – Personal/industry context: He shares frustration watching his son repeat impulsive mistakes in a funded account, and expresses concern about social-media toxicity, content theft, and platform censorship. He plans to leave Twitter in November and to use SoundCloud for broader, non-trading commentary.

    – Final counsel: Don’t make trading a spectacle or shortcut it for quick wins. Recalibrate impulsiveness into persistence focused on a working model; accept small losses, learn, and rebuild — only then will you turn your “ashes” (past failures) into lasting progress.

    Quiz

    1) According to ICT, the markets are best described as:
    A. A toy store
    B. War
    C. A video game
    D. A playground

    2) What does ICT repeatedly recommend when trading funded-account challenges?
    A. Trade as many contracts as allowed
    B. Trade only during after-hours
    C. Trade one contract
    D. Ignore risk management

    3) ICT attributes repeated account blow-ups primarily to:
    A. Faulty brokers
    B. Lack of a rule-based model and impatience/impulsiveness
    C. Low market liquidity
    D. Bad news events

    4) ICT’s characterization of many funded-account companies is that they:
    A. Help new traders become instantly profitable
    B. Provide real brokerage services with wide drawdown allowances
    C. Exist to fleece traders by encouraging resets and overleverage
    D. Are the safest path to trading freedom

    5) ICT emphasizes trading during certain times because:
    A. Price action provides precision only in specific time windows and narrative periods
    B. The market behaves the same every hour of the day
    C. You should trade 24/7 to catch every move
    D. Time of day doesn’t matter if you use many contracts

    Answer Key with evidence:

    1) Correct: B
    Evidence: “the markets are not a toy store… it’s not a video game… it’s not a game at all it’s War” (timestamps: 0:05:16.380–0:05:34.080)

    2) Correct: C
    Evidence: “one contract is all you need to do” / “one contract” (timestamps: 0:57:32.640–0:57:40.099 and 1:04:21.839–1:04:28.619)
    Additional supporting lines: “if you just trade with one contract you’ll never break their rules and you’ll make money” (timestamp: 0:43:05.099–0:43:14.180)

    3) Correct: B
    Evidence: “no model at all… no patience… you just Forge ahead… and in the process you burn your account” (timestamps: 0:05:41.699–0:06:05.840) and “that’s a discipline issue” (timestamps: 0:09:15.180–0:09:25.320)

    4) Correct: C
    Evidence: “they exist to fleece you… they already know the statistical probabilities are you’re going to fail” (timestamps: 0:33:34.320–0:34:00.299) and “you’ll pay that 99 dollars… reset reset reset” (timestamps: 0:38:35.700–0:38:47.040 and 0:40:55.800–0:41:03.320)

    5) Correct: A
    Evidence: “I can only trade this pattern and set up in between this time frame this beginning and ending window… you don’t trade 15 hours after that” (timestamps: 0:18:28.440–0:18:46.559) and “The Narrative is when we go into New York session during this period I’m looking for the algorithm to do a specific thing… it’s time-based” (timestamps: 1:23:18.900–1:23:36.060)

  • Tin Foil & Yarn… | March 30, 2023

    Summary:

    – Housekeeping: He asks listeners not to upload the “tinfoil hat” portion of this discussion to YouTube. He’s fine with other content being shared, but will remove that segment if posted. He’ll be observing Passover and pausing live trading commentary until around April 10–11; the next live stream will start at 9:45 AM (10–11am session focus).

    – Market recap: The morning session was choppy and unsatisfying but produced identifiable short-term structure (an intermediate high and subsequent move toward outlined objectives). He highlighted how specific confluences (SMT divergence, fair-value gaps, new week opening gap, etc.) guided the read.

    – Core trading lesson: Learn to recognize high-probability conditions—specifically “low-resistance liquidity runs” (clean, fast, forgiving moves that offer multiple entry points and pyramid opportunities) versus “high-resistance liquidity runs” (choppy, two-sided, slow moves that are emotionally draining and hard to trade). Favor the former and avoid or reduce risk in the latter.

    – Practical advice:
    – Lower your expectations on choppy days and don’t force trades. Observation, tape reading, and patience often beat pushing the button.
    – Only trade when clear, one-sided market conditions and multiple confluences align.
    – Avoid over-leveraging and revenge/compulsive trading during messy markets; gaining “scar tissue” from repeated avoidable mistakes makes learning harder.
    – Study repeated price-action examples to condition your recognition of fair-value gaps, PD arrays, and timing (NY morning 10–11 often creates tradable structure).

    – Personal notes: He uses anecdotes about teaching his sons to illustrate why students repeat poor habits if they won’t follow consistent, simple rules. He stresses humility, discipline, and learning from experience rather than trying to impose your will on the market.

    Overall message: Be selective—trade only in clear, one-sided conditions supported by confluences; when markets are muddy, observe and preserve capital and psychology.

    Quiz

    1. What does ICT ask viewers not to upload to YouTube?
    A. Trading psychology discussion
    B. The tinfoil hat discussion portion
    C. All live streams
    D. Passover comments

    2. Why does ICT say he is not doing market discussions until April 10th?
    A. He is traveling overseas
    B. He is observing Passover and taking time to be with the Lord
    C. He is closing his trading business
    D. He is switching to Forex only

    3. What kind of market condition does ICT say traders should look for?
    A. High resistance liquidity runs
    B. Low resistance liquidity runs
    C. Random breakout spikes
    D. High-frequency scalping conditions

    Answer Key with Evidence

    1. B. The tinfoil hat discussion portion
    Evidence: “when I say we’re in a tinfoil hat discussion do me a favor… don’t put that portion up I don’t want this stuff on YouTube okay” (0:00:12.900–0:00:27.480)

    2. B. He is observing Passover and taking time to be with the Lord
    Evidence: “I’ll be observing Passover no I’m not a Jew but I Christian and I… I’m just simply taking some time to be with the Lord and that’s what I’ll be doing” (0:01:06.420–0:01:34.880)

    3. B. Low resistance liquidity runs
    Evidence: “High Resistance liquidity runs is what you’re trying to observe and learn how to spot so you don’t have to go in there and trade them” and “Low Resistance liquidity runs is what you’re trying to get good at spotting anticipating expecting and engaging” (0:18:37.440–0:18:55.980)

  • Until The Breaks Fall Off… | March 25, 2023

    This is a long coaching talk using a recent example of the speaker’s 18‑year‑old son to teach trading psychology, risk management and practical routines. Key points:

    – Story: the son passed a funded‑account combine, made an early small win, then became overconfident and kept trading recklessly without the mentor present. Small incremental losses erased gains and produced a drawdown (around $3–4k), forcing a pause by the funded‑account rules. Father will coach him back to consistency.

    – Core lesson: most damaging trading errors are self‑inflicted. Impulsiveness, wanting to “get it back,” chasing targets, trading for clout/leaderboards, and over‑leveraging are the usual culprits — not the market, broker, or mentor.

    – Emotions & physiology: cortisol and adrenaline distort perception, create a false sense of emergency, and lead to reckless decisions. When emotional, traders should step away (30+ minutes), turn off charts/social media, and reset.

    – Recovery mindset and process:
    – Accept responsibility, avoid blaming external factors.
    – Give yourself time; set a reasonable recovery horizon (e.g., weeks) to remove urgency.
    – Use incremental goals (modular steps) rather than trying to “YOLO” back to an equity high.
    – Journal candidly: record the emotional/mental catalysts for each trade, not just technicals.

    – Practical risk-management rules:
    – Don’t trade live funded accounts until you’re emotionally neutral and consistently disciplined in demo.
    – Never trade under intoxication or with impaired judgment.
    – Use stops, partial exits, and risk limits; pay yourself on reliable moves rather than insisting on full targets.
    – Don’t watch P&L constantly — watch price behavior and structural signals instead.

    – A repeatable setup (a “silver bullet”): watch for fair value gaps and liquidity runs between about 10:00–11:00 AM New York time on short intraday frames (1m/30s/15s); these often deliver reliable small runs (e.g., 5 handles).

    – Teaching philosophy: progressive learning — start small, take partials, build confidence and strike rate over time (aim for high probability setups and a high strike rate, not gambler’s swings). The mentor stresses demo practice and controlled forward testing.

    – Community and conduct: ignore trolls and performative mentors who push reckless ideas; focus on process and proven execution. The speaker defends using demo accounts for teaching and values demonstrable student results.

    – Personal note: the speaker will prioritize coaching his son for the next days, encourages students to step back when needed, take care of their health, and focus on long‑term disciplined growth rather than short‑term ego wins.

    Bottom line: trading failures typically come from psychological and behavioral errors. Build processes that force discipline (journals, time buffers, partials, stop rules), trade high‑probability setups, and treat drawdown as a solvable, incremental problem rather than an emergency.

    Quiz

    1. According to ICT, what is the main reason traders fail when they get into drawdown?
    A. The market stops being predictable
    B. They become emotionally and psychologically unstable
    C. Their broker changes the rules
    D. Their charts stop working

    2. What did ICT say his son should have done after making the first profitable trade of the morning?
    A. Increased his position size
    B. Kept trading until the combine was passed
    C. Stopped and not done anything else
    D. Switched to a different market

    3. What time window did ICT identify as the time to find the “silver bullet” setup?
    A. 8:00 to 9:00 AM New York time
    B. 9:30 to 10:00 AM New York time
    C. 10:00 to 11:00 AM New York time
    D. 1:00 to 2:00 PM New York time

    4. What did ICT say a trader should do immediately after taking a losing trade?
    A. Double the next trade size
    B. Close all positions, remove orders, and step away for at least 30 minutes
    C. Keep trading to recover quickly
    D. Switch to a different instrument immediately

    5. What did ICT recommend using to manage drawdown and reduce impulsive trading?
    A. A larger leverage ratio
    B. A live stream accountability group
    C. A journal and a patient, incremental recovery plan
    D. A paid signal service

    Answer key with evidence:

    1. B. They become emotionally and psychologically unstable
    Evidence: “drawdown losing trades has caused you to doubt yourself” and “the toxic thinking… you tend to do what you tend to avoid following the rules” and “it’s the operator that’s drunk” (around 2:10:38 to 2:12:12)

    2. C. Stopped and not done anything else
    Evidence: “you had what would have been the largest win… you should have stopped right then and there didn’t do anything else why did you go back in” (around 0:10:32 to 0:10:43)

    3. C. 10:00 to 11:00 AM New York time
    Evidence: “between 10 o’clock and 11 o’clock in the morning New York local time you will find a fair value Gap that will deliver five handles every day guaranteed” (around 2:00:14 to 2:00:38)

    4. B. Close all positions, remove orders, and step away for at least 30 minutes
    Evidence: “close all positions remove all orders turn the charts off” and “stop get up walk away 30 minutes minimum” (around 0:30:06 to 0:30:18 and 1:04:14 to 1:04:29)

    5. C. A journal and a patient, incremental recovery plan
    Evidence: “you have to physically write these things out” and “you have to keep yourself accountable… through your journal” and “give yourself four weeks to fix that” (around 1:41:37 to 1:42:18 and 1:48:41 to 1:49:06)