ICT Mastery Dashboard

ICT Complete Framework

// Smart Money Concepts — Michael J. Huddleston

"The market is not a casino. It is a precision delivery system engineered to move price from one liquidity pool to the next. Your job is not to predict — your job is to read the delivery."

— ICT (Michael J. Huddleston)

29 Topics

6 Macro Windows

8 Weekly Profiles

3:1+ Min R:R

43 Glossary Terms

2010 Origin Year

Core Philosophy

The ICT Thesis

Institutions use algorithms to deliver price between liquidity pools. They accumulate during quiet periods, manipulate price to trigger retail stops, then distribute in the true direction.

Your job: identify where liquidity is, when kill zones align, and what the HTF narrative dictates — then wait for displacement + retracement before entering.

Liquidity First Time-Based HTF Bias Algorithmic

IPDA Lookback

20 / 40 / 60 Day Rule

The Interbank Price Delivery Algorithm references prior 20, 40, and 60 trading days to identify draw-on-liquidity targets. Price is delivered between these reference pools.

ICT'S FIRST LESSON

"The market is not your enemy — you are." Discipline and process matters more than any setup.

Smart Money vs Retail

Who Moves Price

Institutions (banks, hedge funds) engineer moves
Retail traders are the liquidity being hunted
Stop losses = institutional buy/sell orders
Price is delivered algorithmically, not randomly

The Three Questions

Before Every Trade

Where is the draw on liquidity?
When is the kill zone active?
What is the HTF narrative?

Never trade without answering all three.

Mentorship Eras

ICT Timeline

2010–2012

ForexFactory — Original SMC, OBs, Liquidity

2015–2017

YouTube — Market Maker Models, Kill Zones

2022

YouTube (Free) — Most structured public curriculum

2023–24

Refinements — Macros, Silver Bullet emphasis

📚 Suggested Learning Path

New to ICT? Follow this sequence for the best progression from foundations to live execution:

Recommended Tools & Resources

☕

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ABOUT THIS DASHBOARD

A free ICT/SMC trading reference for futures & forex traders. 30+ tabs, live kill zone timer, news calendar, trade journal, confluence scorer and more. No login required — works offline as a PWA.

Liquidity — The Core Engine

// Where stops live, institutions feed

"Every rally and every selloff — it's all engineered to find the stops. When you understand that, you stop asking 'why did price do that?' and start asking 'whose stops did it just hunt?'"

— ICT

Chart Example

Buy-Side & Sell-Side Liquidity

▲ BSL — above swing highs / equal highs ▼ SSL — below swing lows / equal lows

Liquidity Types

Where Stops Cluster

Type	Location	Side
Equal Highs	Above multiple swing highs	BSL
Equal Lows	Below multiple swing lows	SSL
Trendline Highs	Above ascending TL touches	BSL
Trendline Lows	Below descending TL touches	SSL
Round Numbers	00, 000, 50 levels	Both
Prior Day H/L	PDH / PDL	Both

Liquidity Sweep

The Stop Hunt

Price raids stops before reversing. This is intentional — institutions need retail stop orders to fill their positions at scale.

A sweep ≠ a fake-out.
A sweep = institutional order fill.

Key Question

Always Ask

"Where are the stops clustered above and below current price?"

That answer determines your draw-on-liquidity target.

Turtle Soup Setup

Fade the Sweep

After a liquidity sweep, price immediately fails to hold beyond the swept level and reverses. The sweep = institutional fill. The reversal = the real direction. This is the mechanical entry model built on liquidity grabs.

Market Structure

// BOS, ChoCH, Premium vs Discount

"Price only does one of three things: it seeks buy-side liquidity, it seeks sell-side liquidity, or it rebalances a fair value gap. If you know which one it's doing right now — you know everything you need to know."

— ICT

Chart Example

BOS vs ChoCH

Premium vs Discount

The 50% Equilibrium

🔴 Premium — Sell zone (>50%) 🟢 Discount — Buy zone (<50%) ⭐ OTE: 61.8–79%

Break of Structure

BOS — Continuation

Price decisively breaks a prior swing high (bullish) or swing low (bearish). Signals the trend continues in the current direction.

Trend ContinuationConfirmation

Change of Character

ChoCH — Reversal Signal

First opposing BOS that breaks the most recent swing in the opposite direction. The earliest sign of a potential reversal. Also called MSS (Market Structure Shift).

Reversal SignalEarly Warning

OTE Fibonacci

Optimal Trade Entry

62% — First OTE level
70.5% — Primary OTE
79% — Deep OTE level
-27% — Extension target 1
-62% — Extension target 2

Only valid after confirmed displacement + MSS

Top-Down Analysis Framework

Multi-Timeframe Drill Down

M/W

Monthly/Weekly

Overall Bias
Premium or Discount?

→

D

Daily

Key OBs, FVGs
Draw on Liquidity

→

4H/1H

4hr / 1hr

Confirm Structure
Find the Setup

→

15M/5M

15min / 5min

Entry Refinement
Trigger Setup

→

1M

1min

Precision Entry
Exact Trigger

OTE Fibonacci

Optimal Trade Entry Zone

62% — First OTE level
70.5% — Primary OTE (most precise)
79% — Deep OTE level
−27% — Extension target 1
−62% — Extension target 2

Only valid after confirmed displacement + MSS. Draw from swing origin.

Full 6-step drawing guide with entry mechanics, stop placement, and extension targets is in the Setups tab.

SEE ALSO →

Order Blocks

// Where institutional orders were placed

"An order block is where the bank left their business card. Price will always return to where the institution last did business."

— ICT

Chart Example

Bullish & Bearish Order Blocks

OB Variants

All Order Block Types

Type	Description	Bias
Bullish OB	Last down-close candle before large rally	Buy
Bearish OB	Last up-close candle before large drop	Sell
Breaker Block	Failed OB — flips to opposite polarity	Flip
Mitigation Block	OB that caused move, never revisited	Pending
Rejection Block	Wick rejection zone — body-to-wick transition	Both
Propulsion Block	Consolidation just before impulse	Both

Bullish OB Rule

How to Identify

Find the last bearish (down-close) candle
Before a significant bullish displacement
The candle's body = the order block zone
Price often returns to rebalance before continuing up

Bearish OB Rule

How to Identify

Find the last bullish (up-close) candle
Before a significant bearish displacement
The candle's body = the order block zone
Price often returns to rebalance before continuing down

Breaker Block

The Polarity Flip

When an order block is decisively violated, it becomes a Breaker Block — it now acts as resistance (former bullish OB) or support (former bearish OB).

Support → Resistance
Resistance → Support

How to Mark an Order Block — Step by Step

1

Find the Displacement

Identify the strong impulsive candle(s) that caused a BOS or ChoCH. This is the result of the OB.

2

Look Left

For a bullish OB: find the last bearish (red) candle before the displacement up. For a bearish OB: find the last bullish (green) candle before the displacement down.

3

Mark the Body

The OB zone = the open to close of that last opposing candle (the body, not the wicks).

4

Check for Displacement Quality

The move away from the OB must be impulsive — not a slow grind. Strong institutional candle = high quality OB.

5

Wait for Return

Price will return to rebalance the OB. Enter when it reaches the zone — ideally at CE (50% of the body).

6

Invalidation Rule

If price closes below a bullish OB (or above a bearish OB) — the OB is invalid. It may become a Breaker Block.

High quality OB checklist:
✓ Last opposing candle before strong displacement
✓ Displacement creates a BOS or ChoCH
✓ FVG present in the displacement candle
✓ OB is in the discount zone (for bullish)
✓ HTF bias aligns with the OB direction
✓ Kill zone active when price returns

Low quality / invalid OB:
✗ Slow, grinding move away — not displacement
✗ No BOS/ChoCH from the OB
✗ OB in premium when looking for buy
✗ Already been tested multiple times
✗ No FVG in the displacement
✗ Outside a kill zone

SEE ALSO →

Fair Value Gaps & Imbalances

// Price inefficiencies that must be filled

"Fair value gaps are open wounds in the market. The algorithm is programmed to heal them. It will always come back."

— ICT

Chart Example

FVG Formation (3-Candle Pattern)

FVG Mechanics

The 3-Candle Rule

A Fair Value Gap forms when Candle 1's wick and Candle 3's wick do NOT overlap. The space between them is the FVG — an inefficient price zone the algorithm will return to fill.

Concept	Description
Bullish FVG	Gap on the way up — price returns to buy from it
Bearish FVG	Gap on the way down — price returns to sell from it
Inverse FVG	FVG is violated — flips to opposite polarity
CE (Consequent Encroachment)	The exact 50% midpoint of the FVG
IFVG	FVG inside an OB — highest confluence zone

ADVANCED TERMINOLOGY

ICT calls bullish FVGs SIBI (Sellside Imbalance Buyside Inefficiency) and bearish FVGs BISI (Buyside Imbalance Sellside Inefficiency).

Most Precise Level

Consequent Encroachment (CE)

The 50% midpoint of any FVG or OB. Entering at CE gives the tightest stop with maximum R:R. ICT's most precise single entry point.

Unicorn Model — FVG Inside OB

When a Fair Value Gap sits inside an Order Block, you have ICT's highest-confluence entry. Enter at the CE (50%) of the embedded FVG — smallest stop, biggest R:R.

Opening Gaps

NWOG & NDOG

NWOG: Gap between Fri close & Sun open
NDOG: Gap between prior session close & current open
These gaps act as price magnets
Price almost always revisits them
Used as both targets AND S/R levels

SEE ALSO →

PD Arrays — Ranked

// Premium & Discount Arrays — ICT's full hierarchy

"You don't need to predict the market. You need to understand where the algorithm is going to deliver price, and which array it's going to use to get there."

— ICT

Sell from Premium

Bearish PD Array Hierarchy

1

Old Highs / Equal Highs (BSL)

Highest priority liquidity target

2

Bearish Order Block

Last bullish candle before drop

3

Bearish FVG

Imbalance on the way down

4

Bearish Breaker Block

Former bullish OB that was violated

5

Bearish Mitigation Block

6

Bearish Rejection Block

7

Bearish Propulsion Block

Buy from Discount

Bullish PD Array Hierarchy

1

Old Lows / Equal Lows (SSL)

Highest priority liquidity target

2

Bullish Order Block

Last bearish candle before rally

3

Bullish FVG

Imbalance on the way up

4

Bullish Breaker Block

Former bearish OB that was violated

5

Bullish Mitigation Block

6

Bullish Rejection Block

7

Bullish Propulsion Block

IPDA LOOKBACK — HOW TO USE IT

20 / 40 / 60 Day Reference Framework

The Interbank Price Delivery Algorithm references prior 20, 40, and 60 trading days to identify draw-on-liquidity targets. Price is always being delivered between these reference pools.

20D

Short-term draw. Most common intraweek target. Mark the 20-day high and low on your daily chart every session.

40D

Medium-term draw. Swing trade target. When 20D fails to hold, expect a move to the 40D high or low.

60D

Long-term draw. Position trade target. ~3 months of data. The algorithm always returns to these levels before reversing.

How to mark: On your daily chart, count back 20, 40, and 60 trading days. Draw horizontal lines at those highs and lows. These are your HTF draw-on-liquidity targets — price will be delivered to one of them before reversing.

QUARTERLY SHIFT / IPDA QUARTERLY THEORY

Q1 = Accumulation below 50% of prior quarter range. Q2 = Manipulation — sweep of Q1 highs or lows. Q3–Q4 = True directional delivery to the 60-day target. This is why major reversals often occur near January, April, July, and October — the algorithm resets its 60-day window.

Time — The Most Underrated Variable

// Kill Zones + ICT Macros

"Time is the most important variable in trading. A valid setup outside a kill zone is not a valid setup. It is a trap."

— ICT

Session Kill Zones

Highest Probability Windows (EST)

Asian Session

8:00 PM – 12:00 AM EST

London Open Kill Zone

2:00 AM – 5:00 AM EST

NY AM Kill Zone ⭐

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM EST

NY Lunch

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST

NY PM Kill Zone

1:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST

ICT Macros

20-Minute Algorithmic Windows

These are near-mechanical windows where an FVG forms and price returns to fill it within 20 minutes.

Macro	Window (EST)	Session
London Open	2:33 – 3:00 AM	London
NY AM #1	8:50 – 9:10 AM	NY
NY AM #2	9:50 – 10:10 AM	NY
NY Lunch	11:50 AM – 12:10 PM	Lunch
NY PM #1	1:10 – 1:30 PM	PM
NY PM #2	3:15 – 3:45 PM	PM

Silver Bullet

3 Windows

3–4 AM	London open
10–11 AM	NY AM
2–3 PM	NY PM

Sweep → FVG → Retrace → Target liq.

Key Intraday Times

Pivot Windows

12:00 AM	NDOG open
8:30 AM	News trigger
9:30 AM	RTH open
10:00–10:10	Reversal window
2:00–2:30 PM	FOMC-style
3:00 PM	London close

Economic Calendar

News as Liq. Events

NFP, CPI, FOMC, GDP are engineered liquidity events — not fundamental signals. The spike hunts stops on both sides first.

Protocol: Wait for spike → close → ChoCH on 1M/5M → enter FVG → target opposing liquidity.

NFP CPI FOMC GDP

BEFORE (−15 MIN)

Close positions. Mark current H/L. Identify which side has more stops. Do NOT enter.

AFTER SPIKE

Let candle close. Wait for ChoCH opposite the spike. Enter FVG. Target prior liquidity.

London Close

3:00 PM EST

Closes 3–4 PM → position squaring

Reversal of NY PM move

Tight ranges as books close

Silver Bullet PM: 2–3 PM overlap

After 4 PM — no new trades

London close + NY PM Silver Bullet = day's final H/L

Consolidation → Expansion

Tight Range = Storm

Compressed ranges precede every impulsive leg.

Asia range → London expansion

Pre-news compression → explosion

Inside bars → next day explosive

Smaller range = faster expansion

Fractal Delivery

Every Timeframe

Monthly	AMD over qtrs
Weekly	Mon→Fri
Daily	Asia→NY
Hourly/15M	per session
1M/5M	per move

SEE ALSO →

AMD Model & Weekly Bias

// Accumulation, Manipulation, Distribution — Fractal across all timeframes

"Asia accumulates. London manipulates. New York delivers. Never mistake the manipulation for the move — that's how retail traders get destroyed every single day."

— ICT

Power of 3

Accumulation → Manipulation → Distribution

A

ACCUMULATION

Asia range
builds position

M

MANIPULATION

London Judas
false move

D

DISTRIBUTION

NY real move
to target

Quarterly Theory — Fractal

AMD Plays on Every Timeframe

Timeframe	Accumulate	Manipulate	Distribute
Yearly	Q1	Q2	Q3–Q4
Monthly	Week 1	Week 2	Weeks 3–4
Weekly	Mon–Tue	Wed	Thu–Fri
Daily	Asia	London	New York
Intraday	Pre-KZ	Judas Swing	True Move

Day-of-Week Tendencies

Weekly Bias Framework

MON

Often manipulation / stop hunt — don't trust the direction

TUE

Frequently where the actual weekly direction begins

WED

Continuation or reversal pivot

THU

Often mirrors Tuesday's move

FRI

Partial reversal / profit-taking

Judas Swing

The False Move

A deliberate false move in the opposite direction of the day's true intent. Occurs during the London open or early NY session. Triggers retail stop losses and creates the liquidity institutions need before the real move.

Daily Bias Framework

5-Step Process

1. Where did price close vs. prior day range?
2. Identify liquidity above and below
3. Confirm with HTF weekly/monthly bias
4. Which side of PDH/PDL more likely swept?
5. Wait for Judas Swing to confirm true direction

Three Drives

Accumulation Pattern

Price often makes three touches of a liquidity zone before the real move. The third touch = highest probability sweep and reversal.

3rd touch = Entry trigger
Ties into Wyckoff logic

Market Maker Models

// The institutional playbook — Buy Model & Sell Model

"Institutions don't chase price. They engineer the conditions that make retail chase price — and then they go the other way."

— ICT

Chart Example

Market Maker Buy Model

① Raid sell-side liquidity (below lows)

② Displacement up through swing high (MSS)

③ Return to FVG / OB to rebalance

④ Expansion up to buy-side liquidity target

Chart Example

Market Maker Sell Model

① Raid buy-side liquidity (above highs)

② Displacement down through swing low (MSS)

③ Return to FVG / OB to rebalance

④ Expansion down to sell-side liquidity target

Price Delivery Patterns

How Institutions Deliver Price

Seek & Destroy

Price aggressively hunts one side of liquidity then reverses hard. Classic stop hunt.

Stop Hunt then Run

Classic sweep → displacement → trend continuation in the direction of the sweep.

Range Expansion

Tight ranges ALWAYS precede the next impulsive leg. In direction of HTF bias.

THE 4-PHASE INSTITUTIONAL CYCLE

How Smart Money Operates Every Week

①

ACCUMULATION

Quiet, tight range. Institutions building positions. Typically Sunday night to Monday. Retail sees nothing happening and ignores it.

②

MANIPULATION

False directional move. Sweeps the stop losses on one side. Triggers retail entries in the WRONG direction. Institutions fill at retail's expense.

③

DISTRIBUTION

The TRUE move. Explosive, impulsive delivery in the real direction. Retail is now on the wrong side or missed entirely. This is where smart money profits.

④

REBALANCE

Price retraces to fill the FVG left by the distribution move. Offers a second entry for those who missed Phase 3. Then the next cycle begins.

Every manipulation move looks like a breakout to retail. Every distribution move looks like it came out of nowhere. The cycle IS the setup. Stop chasing. Start waiting for Phase 2 to confirm Phase 3.

WORKED EXAMPLE — BULLISH WEEK

Market Maker Buy Model in Practice

DAY-BY-DAY DELIVERY

SUN

Midnight opens below PWL. NWOG prints below prior Friday close. Accumulation range forms.

MON

Manipulation. London continues lower. Sweeps PWL and prior week's SSL. Retail shorts pile in. This is Phase 2.

TUE

Weekly low prints. London ChoCH fires above Monday's wick. NY AM FVG fills. This is the entry.

WED

Distribution. Price expands toward BSL. Longs from Tuesday running. Add on pullback to FVG.

THU/FRI

Weekly high prints. Profit taking. Close remaining longs by Thursday close.

ENTRY LOGIC (TUESDAY)

HTF: Monthly below 50% range → bullish bias confirmed

Profile: Classic Tuesday Low selected Sunday night

Trigger: London sweeps Monday's low → 5M ChoCH above London wick

Entry: NY AM — price retraces into FVG from ChoCH candle. Enter at CE.

Stop: Below the Tuesday low (the swept level)

Target: PWH / Prior week's BSL. R:R: 4:1–7:1 typical on this setup.

SEE ALSO →

ICT Setups

// Unicorn, Silver Bullet, Turtle Soup, OTE

"The best trades look the worst right before they work. The Unicorn, the Silver Bullet, the Turtle Soup — they all require you to buy when it looks like it's falling, and sell when it looks like it's rising."

— ICT

Highest Confidence Setup

🦄 The Unicorn Model

ICT's most precise mechanical setup. Requires four confluences:

1

ChoCH confirmed on lower timeframe

2

First pullback into a valid Order Block

3

FVG embedded inside that OB

4

Enter at CE (50%) of the embedded FVG

3-Window Mechanical Setup

⚡ Silver Bullet

Only trade during the three defined windows. The mechanics are identical each time — master one window before trading the others.

3–4 AM

London open

10–11 AM

NY AM

2–3 PM

NY PM

STEP-BY-STEP ENTRY

1

Window opens — do nothing until it starts. No pre-entries.

2

Identify the resting liquidity (BSL above or SSL below current price).

3

Price sweeps that liquidity — stop hunt fires. Mark the swept level.

4

Strong displacement candle reverses — ChoCH confirmed. FVG forms in the displacement.

5

Price retraces into the FVG. Wait for CE (50% midpoint) touch.

6

Enter at CE. Stop: beyond the swept level. Target: opposing liquidity pool.

If the window closes before you get an entry — the trade is over. Never chase after the window ends.

Fade the Sweep

🐢 Turtle Soup

Prior swing with obvious stops beyond it
Price aggressively sweeps those stops
Immediately fails to hold beyond swing
Entry on reversal candle back inside range

Named after ICT inverting the classic Turtle Trader strategy

Fibonacci Entry

📐 OTE Model

Confirmed displacement and MSS first
Draw Fib from swing low to high (bull)
Enter between 62% – 79% retracement
Stop below the swept low
Target: -27% and -62% extensions

2022 Mentorship Addition

🌙 Midnight Open Model

ICT defines the true trading day as starting at Midnight NY time — not the 9:30 AM NYSE open. This reframes where you draw key levels and identify the Judas Swing.

1

NDOG = gap between prior session close and Midnight open. Mark this zone — price will revisit it.

2

Midnight → 8:30 AM = analysis window. Mark the high and low. These become your manipulation targets.

3

8:30 AM news spike = the algorithmic trigger. The spike sweeps one side of the midnight range — that IS the Judas Swing.

4

After the sweep → ChoCH on 1M/5M → enter FVG → target opposite side of midnight range.

Only trade your kill zone. Once the NY AM delivery is complete — step away. Never extend into the NY lunch window chasing continuation.

SMT Divergence

// Smart Money Tool — Correlated pair divergence signals

"If they both go up together, that's bullish. But if one goes up and the other doesn't follow — one of them is lying. And the market always tells the truth eventually."

— ICT on SMT Divergence

Chart Example

SMT Divergence — Bearish

ES makes new high → NQ FAILS to confirm → Bearish SMT → Reversal incoming

Correlated Pairs

Primary SMT Relationships

Asset A	Asset B	Relationship
ES (S&P)	NQ (Nasdaq)	Correlated
EUR/USD	GBP/USD	Correlated
Gold	DXY	Inverse
DXY	EUR/USD	Inverse
Crude Oil	CAD/JPY	Correlated

How to Read SMT

If Asset A makes new high but Asset B fails to confirm → bearish SMT
If Asset A makes new low but Asset B fails to confirm → bullish SMT
Most powerful on 15M and 1H at kill zones
Works on ANY timeframe

BEARISH EXAMPLE

ES makes a new high → NQ makes a lower high → Bearish SMT → Short ES from premium OB.

BULLISH EXAMPLE

ES makes a new low → NQ holds a higher low → Bullish SMT → Buy ES from discount OB.

SMT + Confluence Scoring

SMT Divergence is one of the highest-weight confluence factors. When combined with Kill Zone timing, liquidity sweep, ChoCH, and a valid PD Array — it builds a full high-probability setup. Use the Confluence Scorer to rate your setup live.

SEE ALSO →

Trade Execution

// How to enter — mechanics, stops, sizing

"A 3:1 trade that you didn't take is worth absolutely nothing. Execution is the only thing that separates the student from the trader."

— ICT

Entry Framework

Step-by-Step Execution

1

HTF Bias — Determine premium or discount on daily/weekly

2

Liquidity Target — Identify draw on liquidity (BSL or SSL)

3

Kill Zone — Wait for the correct session window

4

Liquidity Sweep — Watch for stop raid at key level

5

Displacement — Strong impulsive candle breaks structure (MSS)

6

Retracement — Price returns to OB / FVG / OTE zone

7

Execute — Enter at CE or OTE with defined stop and target

Risk Parameters

Stop, Target & Position

Risk per Trade1–2%

Minimum R:R3:1

Target R:R5:1 – 10:1

Stop Placement

Stop goes below the OB or beyond the liquidity that was swept. Never above an arbitrary number.

Target Placement

Next opposing liquidity pool — prior BSL or SSL that has not yet been taken.

The Do's & Don'ts

ICT's Rules for Execution

✓ DO

Trade with HTF bias always
Wait for displacement before entry
Enter on the return to FVG / OB
Journal every single trade
Demo trade until consistently profitable
Use strict kill zones only
Target 3:1 minimum R:R
Let news spike, then trade the reversal

✗ DON'T

Trade during low-liquidity lunch
Use lagging indicators as signals
Chase breakouts the moment they happen
Risk more than 1–2% per trade
Revenge trade after a stop-out
Trust trendlines as S/R
Over-trade — 2–3 setups per week max
Trade against the HTF narrative

POSITION SIZING — ICT METHOD

Risk % → Stop Distance → Contracts

ICT trades a fixed risk amount per trade, never a fixed number of contracts. The position size is derived from your stop loss distance.

FORMULA

Risk $ = Account × Risk%

Stop $ = Price × Stop Ticks × Tick Value

Contracts = Risk $ ÷ Stop $

ES EXAMPLE

Account: $50,000
Risk: 1% = $500
Stop: 10 pts × $50/pt = $500
→ 1 contract

ICT rule: Never risk more than 1–2% per trade. Size DOWN on marginal setups (Confluence 8–11). Size UP to max on A+ setups (Confluence 16–20). The calculator above computes this automatically.

SEE ALSO →

Trading Psychology

// Discipline, Patience, Process

"The market is not your enemy. You are your enemy. The market is just doing what the algorithm tells it to do. You are the one making emotional decisions."

— ICT

Core Truth

"The market is not your enemy — you are."

All losses trace back to: impatience, revenge trading, FOMO, or abandoning the process when it's uncomfortable.

Mindset Pillars

ICT Mental Framework

One good setup per week is enough
Be selective — quality over quantity
Protect capital above all else
Study price delivery, not patterns
Understand the why behind every move

Process

Non-Negotiables

Journal every single trade — entry reason, result, review
Screenshot the setup before AND after every trade
Review sessions weekly for repeating patterns
Demo trade months before going live
Define your rules before the session starts
Walk away after hitting daily targets or max drawdown

The Weekly Goal

2–3

Quality setups per week. Not per day. Overtrading is the #1 killer of retail accounts.

After a Loss

The Protocol

Do NOT immediately re-enter
Step away from the screen
Review: was it a valid setup or a deviation?
Journal the trade with a cold, objective eye
Return to the process — never to the loss

Long-Term Truth

The Real Edge

The edge is NOT in the setup. The edge is in the consistent, mechanical execution of the setup — over hundreds of trades, in all market conditions, without emotional deviation.

Advanced Concepts

// SIBI/BISI · PDH/PDL · Standard Deviation · Dealing Range · Trade Management · Wyckoff

"Retail sees patterns. Smart money sees liquidity pools. That is the single most important distinction you will ever learn in trading."

— ICT

ICT Imbalance Terminology

SIBI & BISI — The Full Names

ICT uses two specific terms for Fair Value Gaps based on the direction of the imbalance and the inefficiency they create:

Acronym	Full Name	Meaning
SIBI	Sellside Imbalance Buyside Inefficiency	A bullish FVG — price moved up aggressively leaving an imbalance. The sell-side of the range was not traded. Price returns to fill this inefficiency from the buy side.
BISI	Buyside Imbalance Sellside Inefficiency	A bearish FVG — price moved down aggressively leaving an imbalance. The buy-side of the range was not traded. Price returns to fill this inefficiency from the sell side.

SIBI = Bullish FVG (buy from it in discount)
BISI = Bearish FVG (sell from it in premium)
Both are filled using Consequent Encroachment (CE) as the precision entry.

Inversion

Inverted FVG / Inverted OB

When a SIBI or BISI is violated by price running through it rather than respecting it, the imbalance inverts and becomes the opposite type:

Inverted SIBI: A bullish FVG that was broken to the downside — now acts as bearish resistance on the return. Also called an Inverse FVG (IFVG).
Inverted BISI: A bearish FVG that was broken to the upside — now acts as bullish support on the return.
Reclaimed OB: An order block that price trades through, then trades back inside — now the block is "reclaimed" and retains some of its original attraction.

Rule: When an FVG is violated, flip it. The level that was support becomes resistance, and vice versa. This is the same polarity-flip logic as the Breaker Block.

Key Reference Levels — Daily & Weekly

PDH · PDL · PWH · PWL · PMH · PML

PDH / PDL

Previous Day High / Low

Most-watched daily reference. BSL rests above PDH, SSL rests below PDL. Price almost always revisits one of these each session. Mark every day on the 1H chart.

PWH / PWL

Previous Week High / Low

Primary weekly liquidity targets. The manipulation move on Monday typically sweeps toward PWH (bearish week) or PWL (bullish week). These are the algorithm's primary delivery targets each week.

PMH / PML

Previous Month High / Low

HTF liquidity targets. When price is near a PMH or PML, expect a sweep before the monthly directional move. Used as context for the quarterly bias and IPDA delivery targets.

Opening Prices

Daily / Weekly / Monthly Opens

The opening price of each period acts as a magnet. The True Open (Midnight NY) anchors each day's AMD model. Weekly open (Sunday midnight) is reference for the week's range. Monthly open sets the monthly bias.

Asia Range H / L

Asian Session High / Low

The accumulation range that London will sweep. The high and low of the 8 PM–12 AM EST session become the manipulation targets for London. Mark these before London opens every day.

True Open

Midnight NY Time

ICT's 2022 curriculum defined the True Day as starting at Midnight NY time — not 9:30 AM. The NDOG (New Day Opening Gap) is calculated from the prior session close to the Midnight open price.

Standard Deviation Targets

ICT SD Projections

ICT uses Standard Deviation (SD) measurements from a dealing range to project price targets. This is a statistical approach to identifying how far a move is likely to extend:

0.5 SD: Minimal move — partial target, often retraced
1.0 SD: Standard target — first objective, take partial profits
2.0 SD: Extended target — full run, where runners go
2.5 SD: Outlier move — rare, news-driven expansions

The dealing range used for SD measurement is typically the consolidation or accumulation zone before the displacement. Measure the range, apply SD multiples to project targets above (bull) or below (bear).

Dealing Range

The Consolidation Before the Move

A dealing range is the structured consolidation zone where institutions accumulate or distribute positions before a significant directional move. It has three key components:

Range High: BSL above — target for a sweep before a bearish move, or the delivery target for a bullish move
Range Low: SSL below — target for a sweep before a bullish move, or the delivery target for a bearish move
50% of Range (EQ): The equilibrium — premium above, discount below. Entries are taken from discount (buys) or premium (sells) within the range

ICT applies SD projections FROM the dealing range to project where price will deliver after the breakout. The range itself contains the OBs and FVGs that will be revisited on the retracement.

Institutional Candle

The Displacement Candle

An institutional candle is an unusually large, decisive candle that:

Breaks a key swing high or low decisively
Leaves a Fair Value Gap (FVG) in its wake
Closes near its extreme (minimal wick on the close side)
Represents the displacement phase of the market maker model
The body of this candle often becomes an Order Block on retracement

Opening Range

9:30 AM Equity Open

The first 5–15 minutes after the equity open (9:30 AM EST) establish the Opening Range — a critical reference zone:

The high and low of the 9:30–9:45 AM range are key levels
A sweep of the opening range high or low before 10 AM = the manipulation
The true directional move begins after the sweep
The 10:00–10:10 AM window is the primary reversal zone after the opening range sweep

London Open Model

2:00–5:00 AM EST Framework

Mark the Asia range high and low before 2 AM
At 2:33 AM: watch for the Judas Swing wick (manipulation begins)
Identify which side of the Asia range is swept
Look for ChoCh on 5M/15M after the sweep
FVG left by the reversal = the NY AM entry zone
If no ChoCh by 5 AM: stand aside, wait for NY AM

Advanced Trade Management

Scaling Out · Runners · Breakeven Protocol

Scale-Out Strategy

Position 1 (50%): Take profit at Target 1 — opposite session high/low or nearest FVG
Position 2 (30%): Take profit at Target 2 — weekly delivery target (PDH/PDL or PWH/PWL)
Runner (20%): Let run to the maximum draw-on-liquidity target (IPDA level)

Runner Management

Move stop to breakeven immediately after Target 1 is hit
Trail the runner stop behind each successive FVG or OB that gets respected
Never let a runner turn into a full loss — breakeven is the minimum protection
Let the runner go to the weekly or IPDA target without interference

Daily Loss / Drawdown Limits

Set a max daily loss before the session — typically 2–3% of account
If max daily loss is hit: stop trading immediately, no exceptions
Set a weekly drawdown cap — typically 5–6%
After two consecutive losing days: reduce position size by 50% until confidence returns
Never average into losing positions

Wyckoff Integration

How ICT Incorporates Wyckoff Logic

ACCUMULATION SCHEMATIC

PS (Preliminary Support): First attempt to hold price — creates the initial low
SC (Selling Climax): Panic selling exhaustion — ICT calls this the liquidity sweep / SSL raid
AR (Automatic Rally): First impulse up — ICT's displacement / ChoCH
ST (Secondary Test): Return to the SC low — ICT's OB/FVG retracement (the OTE entry)
Spring: Final sweep below the ST low before markup — ICT's Turtle Soup / final SSL raid
Markup: The bullish expansion — ICT's distribution to BSL target

DISTRIBUTION SCHEMATIC

PSY (Preliminary Supply): First resistance — creates the initial high
BC (Buying Climax): Euphoric buying exhaustion — ICT's BSL sweep / liquidity raid above highs
AR (Automatic Reaction): First impulse down — ICT's displacement / bearish ChoCH
ST (Secondary Test): Return to BC high — ICT's bearish OB/FVG retracement (OTE entry)
UTAD (Upthrust After Distribution): Final sweep above ST — ICT's Turtle Soup / final BSL raid
Markdown: Bearish expansion — ICT's distribution to SSL target

ICT's Market Maker Models (Buy/Sell) are essentially Wyckoff Accumulation/Distribution Schematics described through the lens of institutional algorithmic delivery. The Spring = SSL Sweep. The UTAD = BSL Sweep. The Markup/Markdown = the AMD Distribution phase.

Correlated Markets & Index Relationships

Using Correlation for Confluence

Market A	Market B	Relationship	Use
ES (S&P 500)	NQ (Nasdaq 100)	Correlated	SMT divergence for reversals
ES	YM (Dow Jones)	Correlated	Triple index confirmation
EUR/USD	GBP/USD	Correlated	Forex SMT divergence
DXY (Dollar)	EUR/USD	Inverse	Dollar strength = EUR weakness
Gold (XAU)	DXY	Inverse	Dollar down = Gold up
Crude Oil	CAD/JPY	Correlated	Oil proxy in forex

How to Use Correlation

Confirmation: If ES and NQ BOTH make new highs → the move is likely genuine and continuation is probable
SMT Signal: ES makes a new high but NQ fails to confirm → bearish SMT divergence → expect a reversal
DXY as bias filter: If DXY is in a premium zone and showing bearish structure → EUR/USD likely bullish → align your forex trades accordingly
Triple confluence: ES, NQ, and YM all at the same PD array simultaneously → highest probability entry zone

Trade Journal — The ICT Method

What to Record on Every Trade

BEFORE THE TRADE

Date, time, instrument, session (London / NY AM / NY PM)
Weekly profile selected and HTF bias (bullish/bearish)
Draw on liquidity target identified (BSL/SSL level)
Kill zone active (yes/no)
Liquidity swept (yes/no — which level)
ChoCH confirmed (yes/no — timeframe)
PD Array used for entry (OB / FVG / Breaker / OTE)
Entry price, stop price, target price, planned R:R
Screenshot of the setup at entry

AFTER THE TRADE

Result: Win / Loss / Breakeven
Actual R:R achieved
Was the setup valid? (regardless of outcome)
Did you follow the plan? (yes/no)
What would you do differently?
Screenshot of the closed trade with annotations
Emotional state during the trade (calm / anxious / revenge-trading?)
Weekly review: patterns in losses — time of day, session, setup type

ICT's rule: a losing trade that followed the plan perfectly is a good trade. A winning trade that deviated from the plan is a dangerous trade. Journal both equally.

FRACTAL APPLICATION — THE SAME SETUP ON EVERY TIMEFRAME

Sweep → ChoCH → FVG: Monthly to 1-Minute

Every ICT concept is fractal — the exact same Sweep → ChoCH → FVG sequence plays out on every timeframe. The only difference is the size of the move and the time to target. Mastering it on one timeframe means you understand it on all of them.

Timeframe	The Sweep	The ChoCH	Entry (FVG)	Target	Hold
Monthly	Sweeps PMH/PML or 60D high/low	Monthly candle closes opposite	Weekly OB / FVG	60-day target	Weeks–months
Weekly	Monday sweeps PWH or PWL	Tuesday 1H ChoCH fires	1H OB / FVG from ChoCH	Weekly high or low	2–4 days
Daily	London sweeps Asia range H/L	5M/15M ChoCH after London wick	5M FVG from displacement	PDH or PDL	Hours
1H/15M	Kill zone sweeps prior session H/L	5M ChoCH	1M–5M FVG	Session high/low	30–90 min
5M/1M	ICT Macro sweeps micro H/L	1M ChoCH	1M FVG (Unicorn if inside OB)	Local liquidity	5–20 min

When a 5M sweep + ChoCH aligns with a 1H OB, which aligns with a daily FVG, which aligns with a bullish weekly profile — that multi-timeframe convergence is the Unicorn setup. The fractal confirms itself.

📊 Chart Walkthrough

// How to read a chart — ICT method, step by step

"You don't need a hundred setups. You need one setup, on one pair, in one kill zone, done correctly a hundred times. That's mastery."

— ICT

THE ICT PRE-TRADE FRAMEWORK — 7 STEPS

Apply these in order, top-down, before touching the entry timeframe. If any step gives you a "no" — the trade doesn't exist yet.

STEP 1 — MONTHLY / WEEKLY (5 min)

HTF Bias & Draw on Liquidity

Open the Monthly chart. Is price above or below the 50% range of the last 3–4 months? Above = bearish bias (in premium). Below = bullish bias (in discount).

BULLISH READ

Price below 50% of monthly range → bias is long. Mark the nearest 20/40/60-day low as the draw target above.

BEARISH READ

Price above 50% of monthly range → bias is short. Mark the nearest 20/40/60-day high as the draw target below.

Mark PDH, PDL, PWH, PWL, PMH, PML as horizontal lines. These are your liquidity pools — price will sweep one of them before reversing.

STEP 2 — DAILY (5 min)

Weekly Profile Selection

Switch to the Daily chart. Identify where we are in the weekly delivery cycle.

MON

Did Monday sweep PWL (bull) or PWH (bear)? If yes → manipulation confirmed → weekly direction is clear.

TUE

Most likely delivery day for the weekly high or low. If Monday swept → Tuesday London or NY AM is your primary entry window.

WED+

Continuation or delayed delivery. Select from the 8 weekly profiles to determine expected daily behavior.

STEP 3 — 4H / 1H (5 min)

Structure & PD Array Identification

Drop to the 4H then 1H. Confirm market structure and identify the premium/discount arrays price will use to deliver.

Is price making HH/HL (bullish structure) or LH/LL (bearish)?
Mark the most recent BOS — that's your directional confirmation
Identify the OBs and FVGs left by the last impulsive move
Is price in premium (above 50%) or discount (below 50%) of the 1H range?
The highest-ranked unfilled PD array in the right zone = your target entry area

STEP 4 — WAIT FOR KILL ZONE

Time — The Filter That Removes 80% of Bad Trades

Close the charts. Do not watch the screen. Set alerts for the kill zone open. Return when the window opens.

London

2:00–5:00 AM EST

Manipulation phase. Watch for Asia range sweep.

NY AM ⭐

8:30–11:00 AM EST

Primary delivery. Highest probability window.

If you're not in a kill zone — you are not trading. You are watching. There is nothing to do until the window opens.

STEP 5 — 15M / 5M (KILL ZONE OPEN)

The Setup: Sweep + ChoCH

Now watch actively. You are looking for the 2-part trigger that confirms the trade direction.

PART 1 — THE SWEEP

Price aggressively moves into resting liquidity (BSL or SSL). A wick beyond the prior swing high/low. This is the Judas Swing — the manipulation candle filling institutional orders.

PART 2 — THE ChoCH

After the sweep, price reverses and breaks the last opposing swing on the 5M or 15M. This is the Change of Character — institutional direction confirmed. A FVG forms in this displacement candle.

No sweep = no setup. No ChoCH = no entry. Both must occur within the kill zone. This alone eliminates 90% of bad entries.

STEP 6 — 1M / 5M (ENTRY)

The Entry: FVG / OB at CE

After ChoCH fires, price will retrace into the FVG or OB created by the displacement candle. This is your entry zone.

1

Mark the FVG from the ChoCH displacement candle (the gap between C1 wick and C3 wick).

2

Mark the CE (50% midpoint of the FVG). This is your ideal entry price.

3

Wait for price to retrace INTO the FVG. Enter limit order at CE or wait for a 1M ChoCH from inside the FVG.

4

Stop: Beyond the swept liquidity level (the original sweep wick low/high). Target: The opposing liquidity pool identified in Step 1.

STEP 7 — TRADE MANAGEMENT

After Entry — Three Rules

RULE 1 — BREAKEVEN

Once price reaches 1:1 R:R, move stop to breakeven. You now have a free trade. Never give back more than 1R once you're ahead.

RULE 2 — NO RE-ENTRY

If stopped out during the kill zone — no re-entry in the same window. The setup has invalidated. Wait for the next kill zone.

RULE 3 — JOURNAL IT

Win or loss — screenshot before and after. Journal the trade with entry reason, what confirmed, what failed. This is where real edge is built.

COMPLETE SEQUENCE — QUICK REFERENCE

Monthly/Weekly
HTF Bias → Daily
Weekly Profile → 4H/1H
Structure + PDA → Wait for
Kill Zone → 15M/5M
Sweep + ChoCH → 1M/5M
FVG Entry at CE → Manage &
Journal

SEE ALSO →

Weekly Profiles

// The 8 recurring delivery models — use Sunday night to select

"Monday's job is to lie. Tuesday's job is to tell the truth. If you understand that one concept, you will stop getting chopped up every Monday for the rest of your trading career."

— ICT

Weekly Profile Decision Tree (Sunday night): 1. Identify HTF bias (bullish/bearish). 2. Mark HTF discount or premium array. 3. Did Monday sweep the relevant liquidity side? YES → expect Tuesday to deliver the weekly high/low. NO → expect Wednesday. 4. No weekly H/L by Wed → Thursday reversal risk. 5. No weekly H/L by Thu → Friday Seek & Destroy (stand aside).

▲ BULLISH PROFILES

1. Classic Tuesday Low

High Probability

Monday manipulates lower to sweep sell-side liquidity. Tuesday delivers the actual weekly low during London or NY AM. Wed–Fri expand higher.

Day	Action
Mon	Fake move lower — sweeps prior-week low. Retail sells.
Tue	WEEKLY LOW PRINTS — London or NY AM. ChoCh fires. Entry zone.
Wed	Expansion higher begins. Longs from Tuesday running.
Thu	Retracement into FVG/OB from Tuesday leg. 2nd entry.
Fri	Close near weekly high. Profit-taking. No new longs.

Entry: Tuesday London/NY AM — ChoCh above London wick + FVG fill. Stop: below weekly low. Target: weekly premium / prior-week high.

2. Wednesday Low — Bullish

Moderate

Monday and Tuesday both fail to reach the HTF discount array. Weekly low is delayed to Wednesday London or NY AM. Thursday and Friday deliver the expansion — compressed but sharp.

When Mon & Tue fail to expand toward discount, pressure builds into Wednesday. Expect a compressed but sharp 2-day bullish run.

3. Thursday Reversal — Bullish

Moderate

Price drifts lower Mon–Wed into a significant HTF PDA. Thursday London sweeps the low and produces a sharp ChoCh. Friday confirms and extends. Tell: tight Mon–Wed range drifting into PDA.

Do NOT short the drift. Wait for the Thursday sweep + ChoCh.

4. Friday Bullish Reversal — Seek & Destroy

Low

Market hunts both sides Mon–Thu, then delivers a sharp bullish reversal on Friday. Often triggered by high-impact news (NFP, CPI).

⚠ Destroys traders positioned correctly all week then stopped by Friday's sweep. Default: stand aside Thursday/Friday when no weekly H/L has formed.

▼ BEARISH PROFILES

5. Classic Tuesday High

High Probability

Mirror of the Classic Tuesday Low. Monday fakes higher to sweep buy-side liquidity. Tuesday delivers the actual weekly high in London or NY AM. Wed–Fri distribute lower.

Day	Action
Mon	Fake move higher — sweeps prior-week high. Retail buys.
Tue	WEEKLY HIGH PRINTS — London or NY AM. Bearish ChoCh fires.
Wed	Distribution lower begins. Shorts from Tuesday running.
Thu	Retracement into bearish FVG/OB. Second short entry.
Fri	Close near weekly low. Institutions book profits.

Entry: Tuesday London/NY AM — bearish ChoCh below London wick + FVG fill. Stop: above weekly high. Target: weekly discount / prior-week low.

6. Wednesday High — Bearish

Moderate

Monday and Tuesday both fail to reach the HTF premium array. Weekly high delayed to Wednesday. Thursday and Friday are sharp distribution days. Often coincides with mid-week news events.

7. Thursday Reversal — Bearish

Moderate

Slow drift higher into premium Mon–Wed. Retail builds long bias. Thursday London sweeps into HTF premium and reverses aggressively. Friday closes near the weekly low.

8. Friday Bearish Reversal — Seek & Destroy

Low

Market chops all week, both sides hunted, then collapses on Friday. Only trade with exceptional confluence or avoid entirely.

⚠ Same caution as the bullish version. Default action: avoid.

Quick Reference

All 8 Weekly Profiles at a Glance

Profile	Bias	Probability	Summary
Classic Tue Low	Bullish	High	Mon manipulation down → Tue weekly low in London/NY AM
Classic Tue High	Bearish	High	Mon manipulation up → Tue weekly high in London/NY AM
Wed Low	Bullish	Moderate	Mon–Tue fail to hit discount → Wed delivers the low
Wed High	Bearish	Moderate	Mon–Tue fail to hit premium → Wed delivers the high
Thu Reversal — Bull	Bullish	Moderate	Mon–Wed drift lower into HTF PDA → Thu sharp ChoCh up
Thu Reversal — Bear	Bearish	Moderate	Mon–Wed drift higher into HTF PDA → Thu sharp ChoCh down
Fri Bullish Reversal	Bullish	Low	All-week chop → Fri sweep + rally. News-driven. Avoid.
Seek & Destroy — Bear	Bearish	Low	All-week chop → Fri sweep + collapse. News-driven. Avoid.

SEE ALSO →

Daily Profiles

// 6 intraday delivery models — match to weekly profile bias

"London opens to manipulate. New York opens to deliver. When you see London doing something that doesn't make sense — it's because New York hasn't told you the punchline yet."

— ICT

Key principle: Match the daily profile to the weekly profile bias to filter entries. When they conflict — stand aside. The mismatch check is one of the sharpest pre-trade filters available.

Profile 1 — Classic Bull Day

High

Occurs on trend days, Mon–Wed in a bullish week.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Tight range — accumulation. No directional expansion.
London KZ	Sweeps Asia LOW (manipulation wick). Retail sells.
NY AM KZ	Reverses the London sweep. True bullish delivery begins.
NY Lunch	Shallow pullback or flat. Trend respected, longs hold.
NY PM KZ	Continuation or slight consolidation near daily high.

Entry model: London ChoCh above the Asia low sweep → NY AM entry into the FVG left by the reversal candle. Target: prior-day high / weekly premium.

Profile 2 — Classic Bear Day

High

Occurs on trend days, Mon–Wed in a bearish week.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Tight range near highs. Buy-side liquidity building above.
London KZ	Sweeps Asia HIGH (manipulation wick). Retail buys.
NY AM KZ	Reverses the London sweep. Aggressive sell-off begins.
NY Lunch	No meaningful bounce — sellers fully in control.
NY PM KZ	Continuation lower. Closes near daily low.

Entry model: London ChoCh below the Asia high sweep → NY AM entry into the bearish FVG. Target: prior-day low / weekly discount.

Profile 3 — Bullish Reversal Day

Moderate

Occurs after a multi-day sell-off reaching HTF discount, or on the weekly low delivery day.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Opens lower. Looks bearish. Sell-side liquidity in range.
London KZ	Continues lower — makes new low below Asia. Retail shorts pile in.
NY AM KZ	REVERSAL — sweep complete, sharp ChoCh above London open.
NY Lunch	Price holds above reversal candle. Longs running.
NY PM KZ	Continues higher or consolidates. Closes well off lows.

Key tell: London makes a new low BELOW Asia low, then NY AM closes back above the London open. Daily candle = hammer or bullish engulf on HTF. The lower London goes, the more powerful the reversal.

Profile 4 — Bearish Reversal Day

Moderate

Occurs after a multi-day rally reaching HTF premium, or on the weekly high delivery day.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Opens at highs. Looks bullish. Buy-side liquidity building above.
London KZ	Extends higher — makes new high above Asia. Retail longs pile in.
NY AM KZ	REVERSAL — sweep complete, bearish ChoCh on 9:30–10:00 AM candle.
NY Lunch	Price holds below reversal candle. Shorts running.
NY PM KZ	Continues lower. Closes near the daily low.

Key tell: London makes a new high ABOVE Asia high, then NY AM closes back below the London open. Daily candle = shooting star or bearish engulf on HTF.

Profile 5 — Double Distribution Day

Moderate

Occurs on Wednesdays, pre-news days, midweek rebalancing sessions.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Ranging — sets up the first liquidity pool.
London KZ	First distribution leg — delivers to a partial target. Looks like the daily move.
NY AM KZ	Retraces — looks like a reversal. This is the 2nd setup forming.
NY Lunch	Consolidates at midpoint. Two separate price ranges now visible.
NY PM KZ	Second distribution leg. Experienced traders catch both moves.

Common mistake: traders take the London leg correctly, get stopped on NY AM retracement, then miss the 2nd leg. Tell: NY AM does NOT produce a clean ChoCh in the opposite direction — it just consolidates and resumes.

Profile 6 — Range / Consolidation Day

Stand Aside

Occurs pre-news, FOMC waiting, mid-week chop, Friday afternoons.

Session	Behavior
Asia	Tight range — no meaningful setup.
London KZ	Small spike that looks like a setup. Reverses. Retail gets stopped.
NY AM KZ	Another small spike. Another stop-out. No follow-through.
NY Lunch	Chop continues. Both sides of the range swept repeatedly.
NY PM KZ	No directional delivery. Closes near the open.

The correct action: if London AND NY AM both fail to produce meaningful expansion — stop trading. Every kill zone will produce a small wick that looks like a setup. They are all traps. Sitting out a range day is a winning trade.

Quick Reference

All 6 Daily Profiles at a Glance

Profile	Bias	Probability	Summary
Classic Bull	Bullish	High	London sweeps Asia low → NY AM rips higher all day
Classic Bear	Bearish	High	London sweeps Asia high → NY AM distributes lower all day
Bullish Reversal	Bullish	Moderate	London fakes lower → NY AM sharp reversal candle
Bearish Reversal	Bearish	Moderate	London fakes higher → NY AM sharp reversal candle
Double Distribution	Both	Moderate	London leg 1 → NY retraces → NY PM leg 2
Range / Chop Day	None	Stand Aside	No KZ follow-through. Both sides swept. Zero trades.

SEE ALSO →

Alignment Matrix

// Weekly profile × Daily profile — the cross-timeframe edge

"When the weekly bias, the daily profile, and the intraday structure all say the same thing at the same kill zone — that is your highest probability trade. Everything aligned. That's the Unicorn."

— ICT

The mismatch check — before every trade: 1. What is my weekly profile and what direction does it point? 2. What is today's expected daily profile given where we are in the week? 3. Is the current intraday price action consistent with that expected daily profile? If weekly says bullish but daily is delivering a Classic Bear pattern — either your weekly read is wrong, or this is Monday's manipulation. Do not force the trade.

Cross-Timeframe Alignment Table

Weekly Profile × Day × Expected Daily Delivery

Weekly Profile	Day	Expected Daily Delivery	Action
Classic Tue Low (Bull)	Monday	Range day or Bearish Reversal — the Monday fake lower IS the manipulation. Do not short.	Observe
Classic Tue Low (Bull)	Tuesday	Bullish Reversal day — London continues down, NY AM ChoCh fires. This is the entry.	Enter Long
Classic Tue Low (Bull)	Wed+	Classic Bull day — London holds higher, NY AM continues the expansion.	Hold / Add
Classic Tue High (Bear)	Monday	Range day or Bullish Reversal — Monday fake higher is the trap. Do not buy.	Observe
Classic Tue High (Bear)	Tuesday	Bearish Reversal day — London fakes higher, NY AM ChoCh fires short. Entry.	Enter Short
Classic Tue High (Bear)	Wed+	Classic Bear day — London holds lower, NY AM continues lower.	Hold / Add
Thu Reversal (Bull)	Mon–Wed	Range or drift-bear days — do NOT short. This is accumulation into an HTF PDA.	Stand Aside
Thu Reversal (Bull)	Thursday	Bullish Reversal day — the sweep and ChoCh that all week was building toward.	Enter Long
Seek & Destroy	Any day	Range days all week. Do not trade. Friday may produce a sharp reversal — avoid.	No Trade

The Core Rule

Triple Alignment Required

Kill Zone active
+ Sweep + ChoCh
+ Weekly profile bias
= Valid trade

If all three conditions are NOT met simultaneously — there is no trade.

Bullish Alignment Signal

All Green Lights

Monthly/Weekly bias: bullish (below 50% of range)
Weekly profile: Classic Tue Low or similar
Daily profile: Bullish Reversal or Classic Bull
Kill zone: London or NY AM active
London swept Asia LOW and closed back inside
ChoCh confirmed on 5M or 15M

Bearish Alignment Signal

All Red Lights

Monthly/Weekly bias: bearish (above 50% of range)
Weekly profile: Classic Tue High or similar
Daily profile: Bearish Reversal or Classic Bear
Kill zone: London or NY AM active
London swept Asia HIGH and closed back inside
Bearish ChoCh confirmed on 5M or 15M

SEE ALSO →

Trade Planning Checklist

// Run in order before every trade. Fail any step = no trade.

"If you cannot define your edge before you enter the trade, you do not have an edge. You have a hope. And hope is not a trading strategy."

— ICT

The one rule that eliminates most losses: Only enter during a kill zone. Only enter after a sweep + ChoCh. Only trade in the direction of the weekly profile bias. If all three conditions are not met simultaneously — there is no trade.

✅ VALID SETUP — All must be true

Kill zone active (London / NY AM / NY PM)
Liquidity sweep confirmed (BSL or SSL raided)
ChoCH on 5M or 15M after the sweep
FVG or OB present in the displacement move
Direction aligns with weekly profile bias
At least 3:1 R:R with defined stop placement

❌ INVALID — Any one disqualifies the trade

Outside all kill zones (lunch, after 4 PM, overnight)
No sweep — entering on anticipation only
No ChoCH — just a reaction candle, no structural shift
Counter-trend to weekly profile (fade the bias)
Monday entry before manipulation is confirmed
Stop requires more than 2% account risk

Phase 5 — Intraday Management Rules

Once In a Trade

Move stop to breakeven once Target 1 is hit Do NOT re-enter after being stopped out in the same kill zone

If two consecutive kill zones fail to follow through → switch to Range Day protocol (no new entries) Friday after 12:00 PM EST — no new positions. Close all by 2:00 PM.

SEE ALSO →

Common Mistakes & Fixes

// The most expensive errors retail traders make — and the ICT correction

"The most expensive education in trading is the one you pay for with your account. Study the chart after every mistake — not to punish yourself, but to learn the algorithm."

— ICT

Mistake #1

Entering Outside a Kill Zone

No matter how good the setup looks — if it's 7:00 PM or 11:30 AM, it is not a valid entry.

The fix: Kill zone filtering is non-negotiable. If the setup forms outside a kill zone, mark it as a reference — don't trade it. Wait for the next kill zone to produce the same setup.

Mistake #2

Shorting the Monday Manipulation Lower

In a bullish week, Monday's move down IS the manipulation. It is the setup for Tuesday's low — shorting it is exactly what institutions want retail to do.

The fix: Identify the weekly profile Sunday night. If the bias is bullish, Monday's sell-off is accumulation fuel — not a short signal.

Mistake #3

Chasing After London Expansion

If London has already moved 40+ pips before NY opens, the move has already been delivered. Chasing puts you at the worst possible entry.

The fix: Wait for the NY AM retracement into the FVG/OB left by the London displacement. If price has gone too far, wait for the next kill zone.

Mistake #4

Trading Range Days

If two consecutive kill zones fail to expand, every subsequent wick looks like a setup. They are all traps on a range day.

The fix: Switch to Range Day protocol after two KZ failures. Zero new entries. Sitting out is a winning trade.

Mistake #5

Widening Stops After Entry

Moving a stop wider after entry is an emotional reaction that converts a bad trade into a catastrophic one. Stop placement is decided before entry — full stop.

The fix: Define stop placement as part of the pre-trade checklist before entering. Once in the trade, the stop is immovable — except to move to breakeven when Target 1 is hit.

Mistake #6

Ignoring the Weekly Profile

A bullish daily setup inside a bearish weekly profile is a counter-trend trap. Always align both timeframes before entering.

The fix: Run the mismatch check before every entry. If the weekly and daily profiles conflict — there is no trade. The higher timeframe wins every time.

Quick Reference — Mistakes vs Fixes

Full Summary Table

Mistake	The Fix
Entering outside a kill zone	No valid entry signal exists outside a kill zone. Mark the setup, wait for the next KZ.
Shorting the Monday manipulation lower (bull week)	Monday's move down IS the setup for Tuesday's weekly low. Identify weekly profile first.
Chasing after London expansion	If London has moved 40+ pips before NY opens — wait for the retracement or the next KZ.
Trading range days	Two consecutive KZ failures = Range Day protocol. Zero trades for the rest of the session.
Widening stops after entry	Stop is defined before entry and is immovable wider. Only move to breakeven at Target 1.
Ignoring the weekly profile	Run the mismatch check. If weekly and daily conflict — stand aside. HTF always wins.
Entering a valid structural setup outside a kill zone	The manipulation move you'd need to confirm the trade happens INSIDE the kill zone — wait for it.

AMD Real-Time Execution — Step by Step

How to Use the Power of 3 in a Live Session

STEP 1 — ASIA CLOSES

Note the Asia range high and low. These are the liquidity levels London will target.

STEP 2 — LONDON OPENS

Watch for a sweep of the Asia range — above or below. This is the manipulation move.

STEP 3 — CONFIRM THE FAKE

London swept the low and closed back inside the Asia range? → look for longs. Swept high and closed inside? → look for shorts.

STEP 4 — NY AM ENTRY

Enter on the ChoCh + FVG confirmation in the NY AM kill zone only. No ChoCh = no entry.

⏱ Live Kill Zone Timer

// Real-time session tracker — all times in EST (New York)

"Outside a kill zone, you are not trading the market. You are gambling with the market. The difference is everything."

— ICT

CURRENT TIME (EST / NEW YORK)

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NEXT KILL ZONE

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Opens at ---

Session Timeline — 24 Hour View

12AM2AM4AM6AM8AM10AM12PM2PM4PM6PM8PM10PM12AM

Asian Session

8PM–12AM

8:00 PM – 12:00 AM EST

Accumulation phase. Mark the range high and low — London will sweep one side.

London Kill Zone

2AM–5AM

2:00 AM – 5:00 AM EST

Manipulation phase. Watch for Asia range sweep + ChoCH confirmation.

NY AM Kill Zone ⭐

8:30AM–11AM

8:30 AM – 11:00 AM EST

Primary execution window. Highest probability. Enter on FVG/OB after London ChoCH.

NY Lunch ⚠️

12PM–1:30PM

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM EST

DEAD ZONE. Avoid all entries. Thin liquidity, choppy price action.

NY PM Kill Zone

1:30PM–4PM

1:30 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Secondary window. Silver Bullet 2–3 PM. Continuation or partial reversal of AM session.

Today's ICT Macros

Macro	Window	Status
London Open	2:33–3:00 AM	—
NY AM #1	8:50–9:10 AM	—
NY AM #2	9:50–10:10 AM	—
NY Lunch	11:50AM–12:10PM	—
NY PM #1	1:10–1:30 PM	—
NY PM #2	3:15–3:45 PM	—

Economic News Calendar

High Impact Events — Mapped to Kill Zones

📁 High 📁 Med

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Data: ForexFactory · All times EST · —

⚡ Pre-Trade Bias Builder

// Answer 6 questions — get your trade signal

"Before you put on a single trade, you need to know: where is the liquidity, what is the time, and what is the higher timeframe bias. Without all three — sit on your hands."

— ICT

Question 1

What is your HTF bias?

Question 2

Where is the nearest draw on liquidity?

Question 3

Is a Kill Zone currently active?

Question 4

Has a liquidity sweep occurred?

Question 5

Has ChoCH / MSS confirmed?

Question 6

Is price at a valid PD Array?

📐 R:R Calculator

// Risk/Reward · Position Size · Profit & Loss

"Never risk more than you are willing to lose completely. Your stop loss is not a suggestion. It is a contract you make with yourself before you enter."

— ICT

Trade Inputs

ACCOUNT SIZE ($)

RISK % PER TRADE

ENTRY PRICE

STOP LOSS PRICE

TARGET PRICE

Results

DIRECTION

LONG ▲

R:R RATIO

3.0:1

RISK AMOUNT

$100

PROFIT TARGET

$300

POSITION SIZE

50

✅ VALID — Meets 3:1 minimum

RISK EXPOSURE

0%ICT MAX: 2%5%

POSITION SIZING — ICT METHOD

Risk % → Stop Distance → Contracts

ICT never trades a fixed contract count. Position size is derived from your stop loss distance — so risk stays constant regardless of market volatility.

FORMULA

Risk $ = Account × Risk %

Stop $ = Stop pts × Tick value

Contracts = Risk $ ÷ Stop $

ES FUTURES EXAMPLE

Account: $50,000
Risk: 1% = $500
Stop: 10 pts × $50 = $500
→ 1 contract

Size by confluence: Marginal setup (score 8–11) → 0.5× size. Standard (12–15) → 1× size. Strong (16–18) → 1.5×. A+ (19–20) → max size. Let the Confluence Scorer guide your sizing.

📊 Institutional Levels Calculator

// OTE · Premium/Discount · Standard Deviations · Fibonacci

"The OTE is where the algorithm goes to reload. 61.8 to 79 percent. That's where smart money enters after displacement. Learn to draw it correctly and you will never struggle for entries again."

— ICT on OTE Fibonacci

Input Range

SWING LOW (A)

SWING HIGH (B)

BIAS

Calculated Levels

🌍 Session Overlap Map

// 24-hour live timeline · All sessions · Current position

"The Tokyo session is the setup. The London session is the manipulation. The New York session is the delivery. Three acts. Every single day."

— ICT

Live 24-Hour Session Map (EST)

Sydney

5:00 PM – 2:00 AM EST

Low liquidity. Sets initial range for Asia session.

Tokyo / Asia

8:00 PM – 6:00 AM EST

ICT Kill Zone: 8 PM–12 AM. Accumulation phase. Mark range H/L.

London

3:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

ICT Kill Zone: 2–5 AM. Manipulation. Judas Swing. Highest EU volume.

New York

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST

ICT Kill Zones: 8:30–11 AM + 1:30–4 PM. Distribution. True directional move.

London–NY Overlap ⭐

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM EST

Highest volume window of the day. Most institutional moves originate here.

🃏 ICT Flashcards

// Tap to flip · Know it / Still learning · Track your progress

"You have to know the language before you can read the story. Learn every term, understand every concept — until it becomes reflexive, not analytical."

— ICT

Card 1 of 1 · 0 known

Score	Rating	Action
0–7	Poor	Skip — No Trade
8–11	Marginal	Reduced Size
12–15	Good	Standard Size
16–18	Strong	Full Size
19–20	A+ Setup	Max Size 🔥