Tag: ict

  • Inner Musings On “Funded” Challenges | February 19, 2023

    Summary — key points and main ideas

    – Speaker discusses funded prop-account challenges and how he’ll coach his 18-year-old son (Cameron) through one. He insists on teaching process over chasing big, fast wins.
    – Main trading philosophy: treat trading like a business — preserve capital, be disciplined, and avoid gambling/over-leveraging.
    – Practical method to pass a typical $50k funded evaluation:
    – Trade one contract only (vastly reduces emotional stress and risk).
    – Use small stop losses (aim ≤5 handles) and realistic targets (e.g., 3–5 handles per trade).
    – Break a 6% profit target ($3k) into manageable chunks: $750/week = 15 handles (e.g., three 5-handle wins, or two 7.5-handle trades).
    – Use morning/London/New York sessions; be selective; don’t force trades around news or bad conditions.
    – Minimum preparation: be consistently profitable in demo for about three months before attempting a funded/live account.
    – Coaching style: strict, corrective — he’ll let his son fail in controlled ways so he learns, then corrects mistakes (common newbie mistakes: chasing price, buying at premium, trading too many contracts).
    – Strong warnings against social-media “get-rich-quick” trading, copy-trading, and treating demo/live the same; many influencers promote unrealistic returns.
    – He refuses sponsorships/affiliations so his teaching remains independent and candid; cautions that brokers and platforms have flaws.
    – Broader, urgent personal message: speaker believes major geopolitical/economic disruptions are coming (supply-chain shocks, changes to money systems, CBDCs, bank controls, social unrest). He urges preparedness.
    – Practical preparedness advice: stock non-perishable food, medicines/prescriptions, spare eyeglasses, batteries, toiletries, basic hardware/home security, and a plan for family safety. Be pragmatic rather than panicked.
    – Final tone: caring, blunt—he wants listeners to learn disciplined trading to create a secondary income and to prepare practically for potential societal shocks, emphasizing time is limited and action is better than complacency.

    1) In ICT’s guidance for a funded prop challenge, what was the recommended number of contracts to trade?
    A. Five contracts
    B. Three contracts
    C. One contract
    D. Ten contracts

    2) What profit target did ICT say to aim for on the $50,000 funded account challenge?
    A. 2%
    B. 4%
    C. 6%
    D. 10%

    3) What did ICT say is the best baseline stop loss size for this approach?
    A. Less than 1 handle
    B. 5 handles or less
    C. 10 handles
    D. 20 handles

    4) According to ICT, what is the weekly approach to reaching the $3,000 objective?
    A. Trade all five days and aim to make $3,000 every day
    B. Divide $3,000 across four weeks and target $750 per week
    C. Try to get all $3,000 in one trade
    D. Wait for one huge 30-handle move

    5) What did ICT say is the correct way to overcome fear of entering trades?
    A. Switch to live trading immediately
    B. Increase position size slowly
    C. Practice in demo and use small, controlled experiments
    D. Trade only during news events

    Answer Key:


    1) C Evidence: “we’re not doing five contracts we’re not doing four we’re not doing three we’re not doing two we’re doing one” [1:10:57–1:11:00]
    2) C Evidence: “The Profit Target on the fifty thousand dollars is six percent which is three thousand dollars” [0:52:47–0:52:52]
    3) B Evidence: “five handles or less I think that’s a good Baseline” [0:37:04–0:37:12]
    4) B Evidence: “you have a three thousand dollar profit Target… four weeks divide that up that means in each week you have to make 750” [1:16:42–1:16:49]
    5) C Evidence: “how do I overcome the fear… you push a button in a demo” [1:41:44–1:41:59]

  • ICT Shotgun Saturday: The Measure Of The Tape | February 18, 2023

    Summary — “The Measure of the Tape” (Shotgun Saturday, Feb 18, 2023)

    – Core idea: learn to “measure the tape” — read real price action and order flow, not indicators or pattern superstition. Let price tell the story; wait for clear, time‑of‑day signals before trading.
    – Three unavoidable uncertainties traders must accept: Black Swan events, the unknown Sunday/new‑week opening gap, and the unknown new‑day (6pm) opening gap. These create gap risk and require discipline.
    – Practical framework: form a higher‑timeframe bias (e.g., risk‑on/risk‑off indicated by the Dollar Index), then use intraday templates (15‑min / 1‑min) and annotated levels (new‑week opening gaps, daily volume imbalances, fair‑value gaps) to watch how price behaves.
    – Key price signals to act on: shifts in market structure, runs on stops, and breakers — not hindsight patterns. Extend important daily/weekly imbalance levels through the week and trade around them.
    – Tools & workflow: keep separate chart templates for specific tasks, toggle TradingView to RTH (New York time), use 15‑min for intra‑week context and 1‑min for live tape reading; keep a notepad/journal rather than cluttering charts.
    – Teaching point: pick one PD/array setup that fits you and master it. Students develop at different paces; hindsight recognition will precede real‑time skill.
    – Week review example: prior bias (risk‑off, dollar higher) predicted CPI‑driven manipulation and subsequent moves; following the annotated imbalances explained the week’s consolidation and later expansion.
    – Philosophy & delivery: Michael will livestream and teach publicly every trading day through mid‑November to demonstrate methods live and for free — no future paid mentorships planned. He emphasizes proving concepts transparently (what he calls “no safety net”).
    – Personal motivation: he’s sharing long‑held institutional knowledge to help others prepare for hard economic times, encourage disciplined practice, and promote purpose‑driven use of trading profits (giving, humility).
    – Behavioral advice: focus on disciplined study, keep a trading journal, avoid chasing image/instant wealth, trade for realistic goals (even modest recurring income helps), and develop generosity and character alongside skill.
    – Logistics: no live trading on Monday (bank holiday); a prerecorded lecture will be posted. Continue following the daily live sessions and reviews to build real‑time tape reading skills.

    QUIZ

    1) According to ICT, which of the following is NOT one of the three specific uncertainties traders must embrace?
    A. Black Swan events
    B. Where Sunday price opens
    C. The exact size of your position
    D. Where the gap opening price at 6 PM will be

    2) Why does ICT say he no longer speculates as much on Sundays or holds many weekend trades?
    A. Because liquidity is always higher on Sundays
    B. Because there’s too much gap risk over the weekend
    C. Because indicators are more reliable on Sundays
    D. Because market makers stop trading on Sundays

    3) How does ICT define the “new week opening gap” (NWOG)?
    A. As a random intraday level that rarely matters
    B. As fair value: a static value between Sunday open, Friday close, and the midpoint
    C. As only relevant in trending weeks and not in consolidations
    D. As an indicator-generated signal from moving averages

    4) What did ICT state about charging for mentorships as of February 18, 2023?
    A. He will begin charging more for mentorships
    B. He will resume charging a small fee next month
    C. He will absolutely never charge for a mentorship ever again
    D. He plans to offer paid mentorships to select students only

    5) What TradingView display setting does ICT recommend toggling to see New York session gaps clearly?
    A. Keep default ETH (Electronic Trading Hours)
    B. Switch to RTH (Regular Trading Hours)
    C. Use UTC timezone only
    D. Disable all session filters

    Answer Key and evidence

    Q1 Correct answer: C
    Evidence: “so in your notes you want to write this down there’s three uncertainties that you have to embrace … number one Black Swan events … the second is we do not no one knows … where the new week Sunday price opens … number three where the gap opening opening price at 6 PM will be” (timestamps: 0:02:54.720–0:04:36.800)

    Q2 Correct answer: B
    Evidence: “this is the reason why I don’t speculate as much on Sundays anymore I don’t do a lot of the over the weekend holding of Trades anymore because there’s too much Gap risk” (timestamps: 0:06:58.139–0:07:11.759)

    Q3 Correct answer: B
    Evidence: “new week opening Gap is fair value it’s a static value between the opening price on Sunday and the closing price on Friday and the midpoint of that which is consequent encroachment those three specific price levels are going to be very very sensitive throughout the spectrum of a trading week” (timestamps: 0:32:56.880–0:33:19.860)

    Q4 Correct answer: C
    Evidence: “it’s February 18 2023 Michael Huddleston will absolutely never charge for a mentorship ever again I’m never doing it I’m never doing it” (timestamps: 1:23:05.940–1:23:16.760)

    Q5 Correct answer: B
    Evidence: “toggle that and trade it to I’m sorry switch it to rth regular trading hours and when you toggle that and trade it to … you’re going to see all the new new date Gap more or less converge within those two volumet balances” (timestamps: 0:58:38.339–0:58:51.720)

  • Shotgun Saturday: Order Flow & Real Time Price Action | February 11, 2023

    Summary — key points and main ideas

    – Purpose: ICT teaches order-flow trading using naked price action (primarily one‑minute candles) to read how institutional algorithms deliver price — not relying on indicators, volume-profile, DOM ladders, or retail chart patterns.

    – Core method: Read each one‑minute candle in relation to the prior candles. In a buy program every down‑close candle should “support” price (act as a stepping stone); in a sell program every up‑close candle should resist. Use these candle relationships to judge whether price is continuously being delivered toward liquidity (old highs, buy stops, fair value gaps, volume imbalances).

    – Liquidity focus: The market is driven toward real orders — buy‑side liquidity above relative highs and sell‑side liquidity below relative lows. Learn to identify liquidity pools, fair value gaps and volume imbalances; these act as magnets for price and are more important than textbook retail patterns (flags, head & shoulders, Elliott, etc.).

    – Practical tools / setup:
    – Create minimal chart templates: “new week opening gap” (Friday close → Sunday open) with a rolling four‑week lookback; and “new day opening gap” (5pm close → 6pm open). Extend those levels on your chart.
    – Keep charts uncluttered so you can see price, time, and where price reaches into fair value.
    – Use one‑minute charts covering the full trading day (9:30–16:00 NY) so you can see session structure and liquidity relationships.
    – Use Fibonacci expansions/standard deviation settings applied to meaningful intraday swings to project likely extension targets (speaker demonstrates this to justify targets like 4101.50 and 4104.25 on a sample day).

    – Session structure and sizing:
    – Start by hunting consistent, small, repeatable moves — a five‑handle run is the baseline learning target (repeatable daily). Build from there to larger moves as your skill and conviction grow.
    – Pick a specialty (morning or afternoon session) and become a specialist in that time window.

    – Execution & risk management:
    – Don’t rush stops or move them prematurely. Use stops as your safety net; train to trust the structure and give trades room.
    – Pyramiding and position sizing should reflect where the run sits relative to equilibrium/target (early/mid/upper quarters).

    – Mindset, discipline & journaling:
    – Watch live price action without monetary attachment — learn first, trade later (demo when instructed). The instructor will give live demo guidance later; don’t treat his commentary as a signal service.
    – Journal constructively: screenshot/print a one‑minute chart, pencil observations (what worked, what didn’t), and write encouraging, principle‑oriented notes rather than frustration.
    – Be patient: don’t expect to replace a job in a week. Build consistent setups and repeat them.

    – Market context & risks:
    – Consolidation is normal; geopolitical events can create manual interventions/black swans — these are risks you cannot predict.
    – Algorithmic/institutional behaviors create highly repeatable micro‑structure patterns; learning these gives an edge.

    – Teaching tone & commitment: ICT is passionate, blunt, and insists students put in focused work. He emphasizes responsibility (no signal provision), deep practice, and promises transformation if students follow the process.

    Overall takeaway: Learn to read live one‑minute price action and institutional market structure (liquidity pools, fair value gaps, volume imbalances). Use simple, uncluttered templates (new‑week/day gaps, last‑four‑week view), focus on repeatable small wins (five handles), journal constructively, specialize in a session, and build conviction before trading live.

    QUIZ:

    1) According to ICT, what defines the “new week opening gap”?
    A. The difference between Monday’s open and Friday’s open
    B. The difference between Friday’s close and Sunday’s opening price
    C. The difference between the prior week’s high and low
    D. The midpoint between Monday’s high and low

    2) What is ICT’s definition of the “new day opening gap” (NDOG)?
    A. The difference between the previous day’s high and low
    B. The difference between the 5 PM closing price and the 6 PM opening price (New York time)
    C. The difference between the overnight average and the midday price
    D. The difference between the morning session open and afternoon session close

    3) Which statement best reflects ICT’s view on using extra tools (volume, DOM, ladders, indicators) for reading order flow?
    A. They are essential and superior to price action
    B. They are sometimes helpful but mandatory for success
    C. They are unnecessary; naked price action and candle relationships suffice
    D. They should be used exclusively instead of candles

    4) In a buy program (bullish order flow), what does ICT say every down-closed one-minute candle should do?
    A. Signal immediate reversal to new lows
    B. Support price and provide constructive feedback for continuation higher
    C. Be ignored in favor of volume numbers
    D. Act as a definitive stop-loss trigger for buyers

    5) What baseline target per session does ICT recommend beginners use as a measure of progress (handles)?
    A. 1 handle per session
    B. 5 handles per morning or afternoon session
    C. 20 handles per session
    D. 50 handles per week only

    Answer Key and Transcript Evidence

    Q1 Answer: B. Evidence: 0:03:11–0:03:24 — “utilized the importance of knowing what that new week opening Gap is and that is always going to be Friday’s closing price to whatever the opening price is on Sunday”

    Q2 Answer: B. Evidence: 0:12:25–0:12:46 — “that is the difference between the 5 PM closing price on the s p … that closes between five o’clock and reopens at 6 pm eastern time … new day opening Gap is the difference between the closing price at 5 PM Eastern Time … and 6 PM opening price”

    Q3 Answer: C. Evidence: 0:11:21–0:12:03 — “you don’t need to have volume or the number of contracts recorded or shown inside of every individual candle… that’s irrelevant… you don’t need anything like that at all… you’re looking for levels of Premium to discount time oriented Concepts”

    Q4 Answer: B. Evidence: 0:24:47–0:25:00 and 0:26:41–0:26:47 — “every down closed candle should support price” / “every down closed candle should support any return back on the new candle”

    Q5 Answer: B. Evidence: 0:39:54–0:40:07 and 0:46:04–0:46:12 — “you’re looking for five handles as your initial Baseline measurement for progress” / “five handles right now is easy for you to learn to do”

  • Shotgun Saturday: Market Analysis Vs Technical Science | February 4, 2023

    Summary — key points and main ideas:

    – Purpose and format: ICT will run live, instructional market sessions (starting Tuesday, twice weekly through the second Friday of November) to teach real-time price analysis and trading decision-making. Sessions will include top-down market analysis (monthly → 15-minute), daily evening reviews, and transparent post-session charts/annotations (potentially published on TradingView).

    – Teaching focus: He contrasts “traditional technical analysis” (many indicators, competing theories) with his practical approach (“technical science”) that emphasizes time, price, liquidity, and how large participants move markets. The goal is to teach repeatable signatures and narrative-driven biases that generate high-probability entries.

    – Learn by observing and journaling: Students must watch live, record observations immediately, and keep a detailed trading journal. The speaker stresses that personal, time-stamped notes produce the most valuable learning resource — a unique trading “book” nobody can copy.

    – Demo-first, not live-first: Strong warning against starting with real money. Learn market structure, risk management, tape‑reading, backtesting, and demo-trading first to desensitize emotional reactions. Trading live too early breeds toxic fear/greed behavior and long-term scars.

    – Practical simplicity and transferability: The methods shown on ES (S&P e-mini) apply across instruments and timeframes (stocks, Forex, cash markets). You don’t need multiple screens or complex setups — focus on a small set of reliable signatures (fair value gaps, breakers, liquidity hunts, precision entries).

    – Risk management and trade management: Emphasizes modest, realistic risk sizing early, using partial exits (partials pay) and pyramid entries that stand on their own. Protect capital, take partial profits, and avoid “all-or-nothing” thinking.

    – Psychological development: Trading exposes personal character flaws (impatience, impulsiveness, fear). The program aims to build independence and disciplined mindset so you can trade without emotional interference or codependency on mentors/signals.

    – Beware influencers and image: Many social-media “gurus” offer bad advice (e.g., skip demo, jump into live). Don’t copycat; test methods yourself and judge by consistent, documented evidence, not image or hype.

    – Outcomes and practical goals: With disciplined application, students can develop a reliable skill set to cover living costs (e.g., car/home payments) and grow accounts. The speaker encourages realistic, modular goals and repeated practice rather than get-rich-quick thinking.

    – Commitment required: Results depend on the effort you put in — tape-reading, journaling, demo practice, and attending live sessions. The teacher’s aim is to make students independent traders by year’s end, not to create lifetime dependency.

    Overall message: Learn a streamlined, evidence-based approach to price action driven by liquidity and narrative; practice patiently (demo and journaling), manage risk and emotions, and you can become a self-reliant, consistently profitable trader.

    QUIZ:

    Q1. How often does ICT say he will run live sessions during the year?
    A) Daily
    B) Twice per week
    C) Once per month
    D) Only on weekends

    Q2. What does ICT recommend about starting to trade with live money?
    A) Start immediately with live money (smallest account)
    B) Use only funded accounts from day one
    C) Learn the basics, tape‑read and demo first — do not skip demo and rush into live
    D) Always trade with the maximum leverage available

    Q3. Which market does ICT say he will focus on as the primary medium for teaching?
    A) Forex majors only
    B) Commodities (oil, gold) only
    C) The S&P / e‑mini and index futures (applicable across markets)
    D) Cryptocurrency markets

    Q4. What sequence of learning does ICT advise before committing real capital?
    A) Trade live first, then read books
    B) Learn basics and risk management, tape‑read, back‑test, demo, then (gradually) live
    C) Only follow social‑media signal providers
    D) Learn only indicators and moving averages

    Q5. What is ICT’s position on taking partial profits (“partials”)?
    A) Partials are stupid and reduce your R
    B) Partials are important—”partials pay” and are a reliable way to capture gains
    C) Partials should never be used by professionals
    D) Partials are only for gamblers

    Answer Key:
    Q1: B Evidence:
    – “so we won’t be doing any more live sessions after that but it’ll be two two per week” (0:07:39.539–0:07:44.400)
    Q2: C Evidence:
    – “we’re focusing primarily on the S P because you only need one market” (0:18:28.919–0:18:35.700)
    – “everything that I’m going to be teaching over the medium of the e-mini s p is absolutely applicable to stocks it’s applicable to Forex it’s applicable to cash markets” (0:12:31.680–0:12:41.339)
    Q3: C Evidence:
    – “anybody tells you skip a demo and go right into live Trading … aren’t [__] subscribe never listen to that [__] again period” (1:15:55.320–1:16:01.520)
    – “don’t [__] trade with live funds until you know how to [__] trade” (1:27:05.880–1:27:09.719)
    – “the proper procedure is learn the basics about the marketplace learn risk management then then tape read not demo tapered study real Market action back test look at old moves study in great detail Law Journal” (1:22:00.120–1:22:19.620)
    Q4: B Evidence:
    – “learn the basics about the marketplace learn risk management then then tape read not demo tapered study real Market action back test look at old moves study in great detail Law Journal” (1:22:00.120–1:22:19.620)
    – “once you see with Tape reading over and over again week after week you have at least 60 percent of your expectations come to fruition then only then go into demo” (1:33:03.900–1:33:17.820)
    Q5: B Evidence:
    – “partials pay” / “partials never fail in pain ever think about that” / “there’s never been a partial profit that never [__] paid profit … that’s a hundred [__] percent” (1:43:30.239–1:44:02.460)
    – “every Trend that I’m looking to take I want at least two partials before I get to my Terminus” (1:47:07.619–1:47:17.400)

  • Discharging before the weekend | February 2, 2023

    Summary:

    – ICT reviewing recent live sessions and outlining his teaching approach: focus on real-time price behavior, highlight key levels, and train students to build their own models rather than follow trade calls blindly.
    – He will take short breaks from day trading to rest but will continue teaching; students should not panic—markets repeat and learning is a long process.
    – Emphasis on discipline and risk management: remove risk when you feel off or fatigued, avoid treating one trade as your entire career, take partial profits before moving stops, and accept that mistakes and drawdowns are normal.
    – He encourages independent analysis—use his commentary to accelerate learning but also trust what you see on your own charts (order blocks, fair value gaps, breakers, etc.).
    – Argues markets are largely algorithmic/manipulated rather than purely driven by classical supply & demand (especially indices/currencies). He uses a card-deck analogy: a “mechanic” (market operator/algorithm) rigs the deal, so understanding that operator gives an edge.
    – Gives examples from a recent session where expected gaps and support levels filled/failed, showing how time filters and warning signs tell him when to reduce exposure.
    – Criticizes social-media noise and urged students not to be swayed by flashy gurus; testing his concepts yourself is the right approach.
    – Learning his methods takes time and focus; do not overtrade or partner with someone whose discipline you can’t trust. He teaches to equip each trader to be “an army of one.”
    – Overall: remain patient, disciplined, study price structure and the instructor’s concepts, manage risk, and test ideas rather than blindly following calls.

    Quiz

    1) Which days did ICT say he would take away from the charts?
    A. Tuesday and Thursday
    B. Monday and Friday
    C. Wednesday and Saturday
    D. He said he would not take any days off

    2) What did ICT advise about trading in the days leading up to non‑farm payroll (NFP)?
    A. Trade aggressively—volatility makes it easier
    B. Only use options strategies
    C. Avoid engaging price action in those days
    D. Increase position size to capture the move

    3) Which analogy did ICT repeatedly use to describe price action and market activity?
    A. Ocean tides
    B. A clock mechanism
    C. A deck of cards being shuffled
    D. A factory assembly line

    4) According to ICT, supply and demand is a real factor for commodities but is an illusion for which markets?
    A. Commodities only
    B. S&P and currencies (e.g., ES and FX)
    C. Bonds only
    D. Options markets only

    5) What did ICT recommend a developing trader do when they realize they can’t find their footing or feel “off”?
    A. Double down on positions to recover losses
    B. Remove risk—close or reduce positions
    C. Trade as usual but increase leverage
    D. Add a partner to manage trades for you

    Answer Key with transcript evidence
    Q1: B
    Evidence: “Monday and tomorrow Friday’s Trading I’m going to take those days away from the charts” (transcript 0:01:02.579–0:01:15.119).

    Q2: C
    Evidence: “I’m telling folks not to try to engage price action it’s the days leading up to non‑farm payroll” (transcript 0:07:10.740–0:07:23.039).

    Q3: C
    Evidence: “think of that as cards” / “price is absolutely like a deck of cards being shuffled” (transcript 0:23:26.220–0:23:33.000 and 0:55:08.760–0:55:13.700).

    Q4: B
    Evidence: “supply and demand is an illusion… but there really is no supply and demand for s p… and the currencies which has no real supply and demand factors associated either” (transcript 0:28:15.179–0:28:40.580 and 0:28:43.500–0:28:49.640).

    Q5: B
    Evidence: “the best thing you can do as a developing student… remove risk. even if you’re in a trade just remove it close it” (transcript 0:13:41.760–0:13:52.139).

  • Drawing Your Successful Trading Blueprint | January 28, 2023

    Summary:

    – Purpose and schedule: ICT’s launching live mentorship sessions beginning February 7, 2023 (YouTube/Twitter). Sessions will be frequent (about twice weekly) and focus on real-time chart work, narration, and top-down analysis.

    – Teaching goal: Build a clear, repeatable blueprint for profitable trading by teaching tape/price-action reading (not indicator reliance). The aim is to make students independent traders, not copycats.

    – Market & timeframe: Instruction will use one primary teaching medium — the E-mini S&P (ES). Focused intraday trading window: New York session, roughly 9:30–noon (most setups resolve by ~11:00). He’ll show how to translate the lessons to other instruments/timeframes later.

    – Methodology: A top-down workflow — weekly → daily → intraday (1–5 minute) — with emphasis on PD arrays (order blocks, fair-value gaps, old highs/lows, volume imbalances) as the structural guides for entries, exits and narrative building.

    – Risk, size and money management: New traders should use very small, controlled risk (he suggests ≤1%, often much less — e.g., 0.5% or micro sizes). Use demo environments to practice with realistic stops before risking live capital. Never chase or over-leverage to “fix” drawdown.

    – Psychology & discipline: You must know yourself (impulses, fear, greed), set clear goals and daily limits (when to stop), and learn to accept and manage losing trades. Journaling and disciplined self-talk are crucial to rewire behavior and reduce anxiety.

    – Expectations & timeframe: Learning to read price and internalize the method takes time — expect months to a year (not weeks). He promises unique, repeatable lessons but does not guarantee constant monetary profits.

    – Behavior & community guidance: Don’t publicly broadcast or copy trades; avoid distractions like social-media posturing and “chasing the Joneses.” He discourages relying on other people’s screenshots, hot-takes or short-term signal-chasing.

    – Practical format: Live sessions will show chart annotations, forecasted levels, and reasoning for bias. If you can’t watch live, reviewing the recorded live charts and doing the post-session case study/hypothetical entries will still teach the same lessons.

    – Scope limits: He will not focus on crypto and will limit teaching primarily to ES (though the concepts apply across futures, FX, stocks). He won’t hand-hold or provide “quick-fix” systems — students must show up and do the work.

    – Teaching ethos: He values long-form demonstration and iterative learning (many small building blocks). He will show when his analysis fails and how to respond unemotionally; the goal is to remove bad habits and reduce self-inflicted losses.

    Bottom line: commit to the year, trade one market and model, practice in demo with strict risk limits, journal and develop discipline. The mentorship will walk you through top-down price-action methods, live examples, and emotional management so you can learn to read the tape and build a durable trading approach.

    1) When does ICT say the live mentorship sessions will begin?
    A. January 2, 2023
    B. February 7, 2023
    C. March 1, 2023
    D. April 15, 2023

    2) Which market does ICT choose as the primary teaching medium for the year?
    A. Forex (EUR/USD)
    B. Crude Oil
    C. E-mini S&P 500 (ES)
    D. Bitcoin

    3) What daily time window does ICT set as the primary intraday trading focus for the live sessions?
    A. 7:00–9:00 New York time
    B. 9:30–noon New York time
    C. 1:30–4:00 New York time
    D. 3:00–4:00 New York time

    4) What maximum trade risk does ICT mention hypothetically for the setups discussed?
    A. No more than 5%
    B. No more than 2%
    C. No more than 1%
    D. No more than 0.1%

    5) Which analogy does ICT repeatedly use to explain how traders should build their trading model?
    A. A musical composition
    B. A home (choosing the house/style you’ll live in)
    C. A car race
    D. A scientific laboratory

    Answer Key
    1: B
    2: C
    3: B
    4: C
    5: B

    Evidence from the transcript (with timestamps)
    1 — Live sessions begin Feb 7, 2023:
    – “the live sessions that will begin February 7th 2023” (0:01:59.759–0:02:06.000)

    2 — Teaching medium: E‑mini S&P 500:
    – “I’m choosing to trade only the standard and poor is 500.” (1:51:09.660–1:51:15.059)

    3 — Primary intraday window 9:30–noon (New York time):
    – “we’re using the es the e-minning s p that’s our Market and we’re focusing our attention on 9 30 to noon” (2:50:51.540–2:51:03.180)
    – “this is your window this is what you’re focusing on … shade that all the way over to noon” (2:57:43.319–2:57:46.560 / 2:58:28.380–2:58:37.080)

    4 — Risk no more than 1% hypothetically:
    – “and we’re risking no more than one percent hypothetically if we’re looking at the moves” (3:00:36.120–3:00:41.040)

    5 — Trading-model as a home analogy:
    – “consider your successful trading your successful Endeavor as a Trader much like a home” (0:02:46.019–0:02:55.500)
    – “your trading system … it needs to have a structure … what type of house do you want” (0:02:51.120–0:03:01.860)

  • Risk Management Within Trade Management | January 20, 2023

    Summary:

    – Main lesson: disciplined trade management and emotional self-management are more important than finding a perfect entry. Use stops, take partial profits, and never reopen risk after you’ve trimmed a position.

    – Practical rule: when you trim risk (take partials and trail your stop), commit to the new stop. If the trade begins to feel wrong (physical anxiety, pacing, vocal frustration), follow a written protocol: peel off size, reduce to the smallest position, then close entirely if the discomfort persists.

    – Trade example: on Friday ICT accumulated a long into a fair-value gap, took partials as price stalled, trailed the stop to protect risk, and ultimately was stopped out after further retracement. He had no regrets because he followed his rules.

    – Charts and timeframes: don’t zoom in too tightly or trade from a phone. Show multiple timeframes (daily, weekly, 4H, 1H, 15m, 1m) to understand context and avoid misplaced decisions from narrow views.

    – Market types: learn to distinguish low-resistance liquidity runs (fast, “hot knife” moves) from high-resistance liquidity runs (choppy, stair-step moves that often retrace and run stops). Manage expectations and sizing accordingly.

    – Psychology: trading exposes ego and emotional weaknesses. Admit when you’re wrong, avoid trading for clout or public approval (live-streaming increases pressure), and don’t let social media dictate risk-management choices.

    – Process: preserve capital as priority. Have a visible, rehearsed checklist for what to do when trades become uncomfortable. Trading is a skill requiring practice and self-discipline; expect losses and learn from them.

    – Market context: current markets are unusually choppy because big institutional players are cautious; expect noise, sudden purges of liquidity, and occasional retracements (e.g., Friday retrace into weekly range).

    – Teaching commitment: the speaker will continue showing real execution and trade-management examples (mentorship begins Feb 7) to help students build consistent, disciplined trading.

    Quiz:

    1) According to ICT, what is his rule after he trims risk on a trade?
    A. Move the stop loss back toward break-even immediately
    B. Never move the stop loss back once it’s been trimmed
    C. Open the stop loss wider to give the trade more room
    D. Remove the stop loss entirely

    2) What does ICT say about trading or doing analysis on your phone?
    A. It’s fine to make major trading decisions on your phone
    B. Only trade on your phone if you have a funded account
    C. You should not be trading or doing full analysis on your phone — it’s a recipe for disaster
    D. Phones are the best way to manage stop losses on the go

    3) When ICT feels himself (or sees a trader) become high‑strung, anxious or physically uncomfortable in a trade, what does he recommend doing?
    A. Add to the position to prove you’re right
    B. Move the stop further away and hope it runs
    C. Take partials / reduce risk and, if it persists, close the trade and walk away
    D. Live‑stream and ask followers for advice

    4) How does ICT describe a “high resistance liquidity run” compared with a “low resistance liquidity run”?
    A. High resistance runs are fast “hot‑knife” moves; low resistance runs chop and consolidate a lot
    B. High resistance runs chop, consolidate, retrace and can run stops; low resistance runs move quickly and cleanly (like a hot knife through butter)
    C. There is no practical difference between them
    D. Low resistance runs always lead to full trend reversals

    5) What is ICT’s stated first rule or primary principle in trading when unsure?
    A. Chase every potential big move
    B. Preservation of capital — when in doubt get out
    C. Never take partials so you can max out winners
    D. Rely on complex heat maps and DOM reads

    Answer Key with transcript evidence:

    1) Answer: B. Never move the stop loss back once it’s been trimmed.
    Evidence: “I don’t move my stop loss back once I once I trim the risk this is one of the rules that you want to have going forward in your trading as well” (00:00:36.180–00:00:47.640).

    2) Answer: C. You should not be trading or doing full analysis on your phone — it’s a recipe for disaster.
    Evidence: “you shouldn’t be trading on your phones… you should not be ever making financial decisions in your Trading with applications on your phone… trading from your phone yeah that’s a recipe for disaster” (00:05:24.600–00:06:21.660).

    3) Answer: C. Take partials / reduce risk and, if it persists, close the trade and walk away.
    Evidence: “if you feel that tug of war that’s affecting your focus… that’s the surest sign that you need to take something off” (00:26:33.419–00:29:00.900). Also: “if it doesn’t start panning out… start peeling it off… take it down to the smallest position… if that doesn’t subside then you close the trade and have no regrets about it” (01:59:09.300–02:00:38.940).

    4) Answer: B. High resistance runs chop, consolidate, retrace and can run stops; low resistance runs move quickly and cleanly.
    Evidence: “High Resistance liquidity runs have much more deeper retracements they tend to consolidate a lot they chop around then move a little bit… that is a high resistance liquidity run” (00:17:36.900–00:17:58.980). And: “in a low resistance liquidity run signature I can run them for a full pool… low resistance… it’s going to move like a hot knife through butter” (01:41:33.540–01:41:49.260 & 01:41:59.280–01:42:14.000).

    5) Answer: B. Preservation of capital — when in doubt get out.
    Evidence: “that’s number one rule always preservation of capital” (00:06:57.300–00:07:03.900). And later: “first rule… preserve capital when in doubt get the [__] out” (02:07:29.119–02:07:32.300).

  • Hotboxing With ICT | January 17, 2023

    Summary:

    – ICT explains why he didn’t call out every detail during a complex, focus-demanding PM session: the price action was very choppy and required undivided attention, and such environments are stressful and not suitable for most traders to trade in.
    – He emphasizes studying live annotated examples (screenshots/video with commentary) and journaling trades—this is the best way to learn to recognize repeatable setups and build intuition.
    – Key teaching: trade only in high-probability conditions (low-resistance liquidity runs) and avoid trading when the market is neutral/choppy. When unsure, “sit on your hands” — don’t force trades.
    – Practical workflow: mark specific price levels and candles, screenshot and annotate them, then backtest and review. Specific ES daily levels he highlighted to watch: 4030.75 (recent target), sell-side pools near 4000 / 3996.75, and a favored downside level at ~3982.50 (derived from Jan 13 wick midpoint and Fibonacci). Also track Jan 13 low and Jan 9 high.
    – Risk & position management: prefer pyramiding from a larger initial partial (example model: 6 → 3 → 1 to build to ~10 contracts; experienced traders may scale to 18). Beginners should start with one contract and learn scaling gradually.
    – Psychological guidance: recognize three roles inside a trader—analyst (model/rules), trader (manager), gambler (emotion). Suppress the gambler, follow the analyst, and refuse to trade for ego or social-media clout.
    – Critique of social media: many “gurus” post replayed/cherry-picked content; live documentation and annotated study are what actually teach repeatable skills.
    – Outcome promise: with disciplined study and practice you’ll learn to identify biases and execute profitable setups (expect to reliably find at least one meaningful setup per week), though it takes time and effort.
    – Logistics: he’ll be offline tomorrow morning and plans to reconvene in the PM session; students should study the named daily levels through London and into the next session.

    Main takeaway: prioritize annotated study and journaling, trade only when the market presents clear high-probability signals, manage risk and pyramid slowly, and cultivate discipline to sit out unfavorable, choppy conditions.

    Quiz:

    1) Why did ICT say he was not pointing out specific levels during the PM session?
    A. He forgot to prepare charts.
    B. He was engaged and it was very focus-demanding, making multitasking difficult.
    C. He didn’t want students to copy trades.
    D. The market was closed.

    2) Which method did ICT call “the highest form of journaling”?
    A. Keeping a handwritten notebook of trades.
    B. Recording yourself trading and annotating the chart (fluid entry, management and exit).
    C. Saving broker statements monthly.
    D. Relying on market replay videos.

    3) What pyramiding entry sequence does ICT describe as his common model?
    A. Start with one contract and double each subsequent entry.
    B. Start with six contracts, add three on the second entry and one on the third (three positions pyramiding to ~10 contracts).
    C. Always trade a single contract only.
    D. Use random position sizes depending on mood.

    4) What is ICT’s stance on holding positions over the daily trading break / overnight?
    A. He prefers holding overnight to capture large moves.
    B. He avoids holding overnight because of unpredictable gap risk.
    C. He holds overnight only on Fridays.
    D. He uses overnight holds only for small accounts.

    5) When the daily chart shows no clear high‑probability directional bias, what does ICT advise?
    A. Increase lot sizes to force a profitable outcome.
    B. Sit on your hands — be patient and avoid trading until probability improves.
    C. Copy whatever social‑media gurus are posting.
    D. Remove stop losses and hope for recovery.

    Answer key with evidence:
    1) Answer: B
    Evidence: “Well, obviously you can see by my recording, I was engaged and it was very focus demanding.” (0:00:34.320–0:00:42.960) and “it was very uh very hard for me to you do more than one thing at a time…” (0:00:45.040–0:00:55.120).

    2) Answer: B
    Evidence: “That fluid entry management and exit that is absolutely the highest form of journaling because you’re actually doing the process. You’re annotating the chart as it goes.” (0:03:46.400–0:03:56.319) and “Once you do it a few times … it’s a great way to journal too.” (0:03:20.640–0:03:29.760).

    3) Answer: B
    Evidence: “The one I go to for all of you most of the time is I start with six contracts and then I’ll split that for my second entry to pyramid by position. I’ll go in with three contracts dropping that down into one contract on my third partial. So, I’m pyramiding in three positions to one trade to a 10 lot or 10 contract position.” (0:16:25.040–0:16:48.720).

    4) Answer: B
    Evidence: “Admittedly, I don’t like to hold over during that break because anything can happen… And that’s what makes me love more than anything now that I am a proficient day trader in not being willing to hold overnight. I don’t I don’t want to do those types of things anymore. It’s too much risk. The gap risk in doing that…” (0:13:46.959–0:14:11.519).

    5) Answer: B
    Evidence: “I don’t have a clean read on a directional bias… I can see no real easy directional reach … I’m neutral… I have no idea what to expect going into tomorrow.” (0:39:30.960–0:40:14.720). And: “Where am I in terms of my analysis? I’m in a position of paralysis. I can’t make a call. So if I can’t make a call, I have to sit on my hands and do nothing.” (0:50:54.000–0:51:06.800).

  • Sunday Morning Shotgun With ICT | January 15, 2023

    Summary

    – Mentorship schedule and format: official program starts February 7. There will be daily market commentary on YouTube and roughly two live streaming sessions per week (about 1–2 hours each). Streams will be raw (not heavily edited).

    – Primary markets and scope: focus is on index futures (mainly ES — S&P minis — and sometimes NQ). Also cover dollar index and major FX pairs occasionally; crypto is not a focus.

    – Purpose of live sessions: live tape-reading and price-action teaching — watching 1‑ and 5‑minute candles live to learn how price actually behaves (speed, liquidity runs, inefficiencies, fair value gaps). This cannot be fully learned from static, edited videos or market replays.

    – Do NOT use live sessions as trade signals: students must not put live/funded trades while watching. The sessions are training; trading in real money while following the stream ruins the learning process and personal discipline.

    – Trading principles taught: no indicators — use open/high/low/close + time. Emphasis on time as the deciding variable, understanding high‑resistance vs low‑resistance liquidity runs, fair value gaps, institutional order‑flow entries, precise stop placement and trade management (partials, scaling). Focus on high‑probability, quick runs rather than prolonged, risky trades.

    – Practical goal for students: learn to consistently identify small, repeatable opportunities — target five ES handles per day as an attainable, low‑risk objective; scale from there. Work from small, consistent wins to larger moves.

    – Risk management and discipline: place logical stops (not arbitrary ones from retail books), manage size, take partials, avoid over‑leveraging, don’t chase losses. Personal responsibility for trades — mentors provide teaching, not guarantees.

    – Live execution authenticity: live executions will be shown; market replay executions appear differently — ask streamers to toggle executions to verify live trades.

    – Learning method and homework: expect boring, repetitive practice. Watch live, take notes, record emotional responses, journal outcomes, review weekly — learning is experiential and cumulative.

    – Psychological preparation: trading provokes fear and impulsiveness. Advice for panic/anxiety: distraction techniques (counting a sweep second hand, controlled breathing), positive self‑talk, logging emotions, desensitizing to outcomes. Don’t bring friends/family/co‑workers into your learning — avoid outside opinions and social‑media clout chasing.

    – No promotions/endorsements: instructor will not recommend brokers, funded accounts, or do sponsored placements.

    – Expectations: this is hard, takes time, and will include losses. If you commit, follow instructions, and practice disciplined tape‑reading, you should materially improve and develop transferable, profitable skills over months/years.

    Bottom line: the mentorship is a year‑long, discipline‑focused, live tape‑reading program centered on precise, time‑based price action and risk management — designed to teach students how to find consistent, low‑risk opportunities and master the psychological and practical skills of real trading.

    Quiz – Recap and test your knowledge

    Q1: When did ICT say the 2023 mentorship would officially begin?
    A. January 1st
    B. February 7th
    C. March 1st
    D. April 15th

    Q2: Which market instruments did ICT say would be his main focus for the mentorship?
    A. Crypto tokens (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
    B. Individual stocks (tech names)
    C. Index futures (S&P and mini Nasdaq)
    D. Commodities only (gold, crude)

    Q3: How many live sessions per week did ICT tentatively schedule for the mentorship?
    A. One
    B. Two
    C. Three
    D. Five

    Q4: What instruction did ICT repeatedly give about viewers trading during his live sessions?
    A. Open a funded account and trade every example he shows
    B. Use the live session as a trade signal service
    C. Do not trade or use the live session as trade signals
    D. Only trade crypto during live sessions

    Q5: What daily target (in handles) did ICT say beginners should focus on finding consistently?
    A. 1 handle
    B. 3 handles
    C. 5 handles
    D. 20 handles

    Answer key with evidence:
    Q1 — B (February 7th).
    Evidence: “we haven’t started officially the mentorship which is February 7th” (00:01:08.159–00:01:16.799)

    Q2 — C (Index futures: S&P and mini Nasdaq).
    Evidence: “my main focus is going to be on index Futures that specifically is even the s p and or the mini Nasdaq futures contract” (00:02:14.819–00:02:23.640)

    Q3 — B (Two).
    Evidence: “there will be two live sessions tentatively scheduled each week” (00:02:55.560–00:03:00.300)

    Q4 — C (Do not trade / do not use as trade signals).
    Evidence: “do not trade don’t use this for a trade signal service it’s not” (00:16:15.180–00:16:27.420)
    Also: “if you’re going to be in my live sessions … and if you’re in there trying to press the button and do trades you are not going to be learning properly” (00:04:05.879–00:04:17.519)

    Q5 — C (Five handles).
    Evidence: “five handles is what I want you to focus on that’s your goal in your Journal that’s what you’re looking for” (00:56:01.020–00:56:07.260)
    Also: “five handles per day” (00:42:37.980–00:42:44.700)

  • January 2023 CPI commentary | January 12, 2023

    Summary:

    – The speaker is live-tape reading the market around a CPI release and repeatedly emphasizes: do not trade ahead of major news (CPI, rate announcements, NFP). He waits to see price reaction for 30+ minutes and only considers engaging after the initial one- to two-minute, time-based price delivery is clear.

    – He walks through his real-time process for ES/US500: identifying key levels (order blocks, fair-value gaps, wick midpoints and past highs/lows), drawing time-based levels on 5‑ and 1‑minute charts, and watching how price approaches liquidity pools. He names example levels to monitor (e.g., ~4018 on ES, downside references near 3954/3934/3927 on ES and comparable US500 levels) as possible targets depending on direction.

    – The method is algorithmic/time-based price-reading rather than indicator-driven. He stress-tests market structure (three passes, imbalance vs. balanced range), measures velocity into targets, and drops to shorter timeframes to find institutional entry drills if a level breaks.

    – Risk management is central: use stops, take partials (e.g., bank ~75–90% at early targets), roll stops to mean thresholds, and accept being stopped out as part of the process. He warns about slippage/gapping on news and that stops don’t guarantee protection during extreme moves.

    – Pedagogy: he’s intentionally live-streaming real-time readings (not cherry-picked hindsight) to teach the narrative—what price will likely do and why. Students should journal, annotate charts, and record sessions to build pattern recognition and emotional discipline. He urges patience, practice, and focusing on small repeatable objectives (five-handle moves) as building blocks.

    – He strongly criticizes retail “gurus,” hindsight cherry-picking, and range/bar-based methods for algorithmic intraday work. Time-based charts are non-negotiable for his approach.

    – Broader comments: he frames trading as hard, requiring work and emotional control, and advises preparing financially because he anticipates tougher economic conditions ahead. He invites viewers to learn by observation and practice rather than seeking quick wins or shortcuts.

    Quiz (Answer Key Below)

    Recap and test your knowledge

    1) According to ICT, how does he approach trading before major CPI releases?
    A. He regularly trades aggressively ahead of CPI.
    B. He never trades ahead of CPI and teaches students not to.
    C. He sometimes trades ahead if the setup looks good.
    D. He only trades ahead in a demo account.

    2) What minimum “low-hanging” objective (in handles) does ICT recommend beginners aim for?
    A. 1 handle
    B. 3 handles
    C. 5 handles
    D. 10 handles

    3) Which type of chart does ICT insist is required to read algorithmic/time-based price action properly?
    A. Range bars or tick charts
    B. Time-based charts (e.g., 1‑min, 5‑min)
    C. Renko or point-and-figure charts
    D. Only higher timeframe daily/weekly charts

    4) When ICT describes taking partials and protecting profits, where does he say he would roll his stop?
    A. To the original full-risk entry price only
    B. To an arbitrary round-number level
    C. To the mean threshold (midpoint) of the referenced candle / break-even area
    D. Never roll stops — leave them unchanged

    5) ICT says if the market is going down it will most likely:
    A. Go to take out an old high
    B. Go down to an old low or down into a fair value gap (an inefficiency)
    C. Immediately reverse to the upside without touching prior structure
    D. Remain rangebound forever

    Answer Key:
    1) B — Evidence: “this is a market driver that I do not trade ahead of” (0:00:33.420–0:00:45.980) and “that’s why I teach my students not to do it either” (0:01:15.659–0:01:24.420). Also: “we do not stand in front of… CPI and non‑farm payrolls” (0:05:24.000–0:05:33.780).

    2) C — Evidence: “you can easily get five handles with that easily” (0:36:51.300–0:37:04.140) and “that small little box that’s what your eye’s looking for… five handles” (0:59:02.760–0:59:35.280).

    3) B — Evidence: “time is the first element and price delivery… if you’re using range bars… you’re not trading algorithmically” (0:31:31.080–0:32:05.279). Also: “not a range chart… only a Time based chart” (1:55:29.460–1:55:32.520 and 1:55:52.320–1:55:58.500).

    4) C — Evidence: “then I would roll my stop… the mean threshold of that candle which would be approximately… 39.83 and 0.75 that’s where my stop would roll from” (0:37:52.079–0:38:11.700). Also: “I would hypothetically have my stop at 39.72 and a half” (1:33:24.480–1:33:32.880).

    5) B — Evidence: “are we going up or down… if it’s going down it’s going to go below an old low or it’s going to go down below market price to a fair value Gap where there’s an inefficiency” (1:43:39.480–1:44:06.119).