ES & MES Futures Trade Plan #404
Battle Plan
Where To Go Long... Where To Go Short.
ES & MES FUTURES TRADE PLAN #404
TODAY'S REVIEW: ES FUTURES
Best ES Long Setup? Does Volume Have Anything To Do With It?
The best ES long setup is always at the trade location where the bulls MUST defend price... Volume has absolutely nothing to do with it. The best reaction zones are at or near the bottom of an established range. Our system trades those ranges perfectly.
TIP FOR MEMBERS: Every range I outline… in the Live Trading Room, the AM Briefings, the Wrap Up Videos, or the Price Map below… goes on your chart and into a folder. These are not one and done levels. A good range keeps paying for weeks… sometimes months. Save them. More on ranges further down.
Battle Plan 2️⃣... at the edge of a beautiful range... has paid over and over and over this week. Multiple 50 pointers. It has been a cash register that keeps ringing.
It paid again last night.
Cha-ching.
🔥 50 Pointer Battle Plan 2️⃣ ES Long Setup
ES dropped right into the "drop zone"... this arms the trade - it is now active.... and ES laddered back beautifully.
And the Battle Plan notes specifically noted I wanted to drop deeper into the mapping.
We got exactly that setup.
This has nothing to do with volume and everything to do with bulls defending price.
That's why our levels bounce. This is why our battle plans work so well. Traders are defending their position. We simply hop along for the ride.
Bulls defending price is why this trade works. That defense produces the bounce.
We trade the bounces.
Battle Plan 2️⃣ is about as pretty as it gets.
With our three contract system, this entry would have been pretty easy to peel the first and second contract off at 20-points each.
You are now up 40 points… ensuring a 40-point day while holding a Lotto runner.
This could be the trade that goes 100 plus points. We typically have one or two trades a week that run a hundred or more points. Holding a runner for 100 or more points makes your entire week in a single trade. All you had to do was follow the system. It's the easiest money a futures trader can make.
You're already in a winning trade. Now hold that bull by the horns and ride.
We never know which trade is going to move 100 or more points in our favor.
It could be this one.
It might be the next.
It isn't our job to guess which one. It's our job to enter the trade... at our high probability trade locations... AKA the Battle Plan... peel off our lead contracts, ensuring a green day, and hold a lotto runner with all of your might.
Many times, ES rolls over and gets you out of your runner for no additional profit.
It's part of the game.
And sometimes ... It goes and goes and goes. Cha-ching.
In this case, price ran right to the Bull Bear line for a nice 50-pointer and fizzled. I'm delighted in the accuracy of the mapping... no FOMO.
Side Note: Missed the trade? So what. There's another high probability trade around the corner. That could be in 10 hours or it could be in three days. Can you be patient? That's one reason trading in our group is so much easier than trading all alone... because we're all waiting for the same trades in the same trade location.
How To Trade Less on ES?
When a Battle Plan trade does not align with your trade plan, skip it. Simply do not take it. You don't need to be in every trade. If a Battle Plan trade occurs outside your "predetermined" trading
hours, it's not your trade on your terms. It's elementary, my friend.
Before you judge whether last night's trade was yours… answer one question.
What are your predetermined trading hours?
If you had to think about it, that's the problem. The hours live in your trade plan, in writing, before the session ever opens.
No trade plan yet? How to create a trade plan is free for everybody… member or not.
Trading ES seriously without a written Trade Plan? Stop. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Go straight to jail… and start crafting your trade plan tonight.
Did you pass on Battle Plan 2️⃣ at the ETH open last night?
Good... It was probably the right move. Not every trader has the appetite to trade on the opening.
Let me state it plainly.... You never have to trade the opening of the ETH session.
So the timing of this trade was not for beginning futures traders. This trade only lived inside of the trade plan of those traders who are very experienced in our system and had plenty of points banked for the week for the additional risk.
You see... Micron had reported earnings. A large potential mover.
And the earnings call occurred while the market was closed. Now, that's a news-driven open!
The timing made the risk high… the mapping had nothing to do with it.
And the outlined trade idea was right. We said the bulls would come alive at that location. They did. The trade ran a beautiful 50-points to the north.
Two things can be true at once.
1. The level was accurate, and
2. Standing aside was the prudent call.
Letting a 50-point move go by without you is part of the game.
Some traders will see that price bounce and decide to chase the entry. Not us. We wait. Perhaps along the price path you will be presented with a Core Strategy entry, perhaps after a Strong Level is reclaimed… you're welcome to take that. We have many tools in our toolbox to get into a trade.
Otherwise... we wait. We know "There is another high-probability trade around the corner."
You don't need to be in every trade. Not every trade fits your trade plan.
And your trade plan trumps anything I write in the Battle Plan.
On a personal note, I took this trade right after the New York session closed at 7714 and exited for a 10-pointer… I did not want to be positioned in a trade when ETH opened. I was having dinner with my wife when the market opened and completely missed this opportunity. Although I earned zero points, I had the satisfaction of a beautiful outlined trade. Just because I didn't take it didn't mean others didn't. Then price had a beautiful run. Oh well. Next. Another high-probability trade waits around the corner.
ES Range Rules Rule | Most Important Concept I Teach
What did I say the past two days over and over?
We will keep taking longs here until it no longer works... and I meant it.
This... Battle Plan 2️⃣... is a better place to look for a long than a short.
Range rules rule... ignore them at your own risk.
Tuesday's time-stamped link to the AM Briefing. This part is important. This explains it well.
SIDE NOTE: I highly recommend watching the AM Briefing as part of your morning preparation. Each week there will be something of high importance that will benefit you personally. I try to keep each AM Briefing under 10 minutes. I think it was six minutes on Tuesday morning.
Need more help with ranges? Search my YouTube Channel and attend as many live sessions as possible. It takes multiple exposures and many, many, many sessions to fully grasp, understand, and trade ranges successfully. At first, you simply can't believe it's true. I've learned that most traders have very hard heads. It takes a while for a concept to seep into the brain. Once you get it, trading ranges is very, very lucrative.
Range Rules YouTube Search: Click Here
I will say it over and over until it is tattooed into each trader's hardened prefrontal cortex... Range Rules Rule.
Funny story ... One day this summer my wife heard me say Range Rules Rule so many times she made a coffee cup for me that says Range Rules Rule. She said, "You preach it so much. You might as well have a coffee cup with the saying on it."
You Get a 50 Pointer, You Get a 50 Pointer, You Get a 50 Pointer!
What a week.
One of our trades went 50 points on Monday, another on Tuesday, another on Wednesday.
Not too shabby.
Can the bulls keep defending price here?
Either Battle Plan 2️⃣ will finally reclaim the Bull Bear line and break that high time frame trend line targeting the all-time high, or we collapse down... creating new opportunities.
Which will it be?
I don't know. I don't care.
We will trade what's presented.
We will take the highest probability trades mapped.
Rinse and repeat.
Battle Plan 2️⃣ Tested Again During London Session
It's 2AM. I am up.
And would you look at that.... color me surprised we were back down here at Battle Plan 2️⃣. My goodness.
I am writing this to you in real time... with a cup of coffee in hand.
As a reminder... in yesterday's AM Briefing I warned… every time ES returns to this location, we get pickier with our entries. Each test is a little less likely to work. That said, I have seen particular levels bounce 15 or more times. We trade it until it no longer works.
This test did not have the fiery ladderback price action we saw Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night. The defense was lethargic.
Battle Plan 2️⃣ is getting tired. It's starting to drag like an old tired dog. Careful here.
Trade one… a single contract at the outlined Battle Plan entry. See below. Price ran 14 points my direction, fizzled, and the trade was a breakeven. Oh well.
I'll wait for ES to make a new low so I can reload.
So that was my goal for ES to make a new low… pushing deeper into the Battle Plan 2️⃣ mapping… with an order waiting at the apex near 7703. All the while knowing we were nearing the Speculator Special at 7796.
We made the new low... but, not quite low enough to fill me.
So… I waited for the reclaim of the 09 Strong Level. Tight stop. Again, one lone contract… prudently cautious inside a "well used" Battle Plan location. Battle Plan 2️⃣ is feeling tired. Get up there!
ES rapidly moved 10 points in my favor and I moved my stop to breakeven again.
I'm not looking for a 10-pointer here. I'm looking to get paid. Absolutely nothing wrong with snagging a 10-pointer and calling it the day.
With as much honesty as I can muster, I fully expect another breakeven trade... while hoping for a hundred-pointer. And there's nothing wrong with that either. I worry not because we have more Battle Plan trades below.
I am literally writing this sentence as I screenshot the chart below in real time. Boy, I'm gonna need a nap today.
Come on, you can do it.
What is the Key Level on ES This Week?
Without a doubt it's our 7712 Strong Level. Bears just could not push price below that level. The Bulls defended it beautifully... multiple times.
And... we will continue to take longs here until it doesn't work.
This level has paid over and over this week.
Now... if we can just reclaim this Strong Level.
Almost up 20-points now. Cha-Ching.
Key test here.
If you are more aggressive than me and trading multiple contracts, you peel contracts right here… ensuring a green day and holding a lotto runner. See the red box below.
That is what we do. Our system repeats over and over. It works. Rinse and repeat.
As I remarked in the live trading session yesterday, and James Paul seconded the notion… "I am still amazed every time I see price bounce at one of our levels." It's one of the coolest things to watch. It's like magic. It makes me feel like a little kid… giddy. Perhaps that's the pull of trading. You put a line on your chart and watch price bounce. It's so cool.
How nice is that? That is what we do.
If a trader wanted to pull up their Lotto Runner so that their Lotto Runner captures a 10-pointer, I would have no problem with that… or just keep it at breakeven and let price do what price is going to do. Green day ensured.
Look at this back test bounce. How pretty is that?
That's all you can ask a level to do… bounce for you.
How big of a bounce? That is not up to me.
I moved my stop to capture a 10-pointer... This Battle Plan 2️⃣ area seems tired, so I'm hoping we'll capture something, right?
And 10 points is what I made. Back to the drawing board.
Now had I done the three contract system, I would still be long. I just didn't think this trade deserved that type of risk here.
What is an ES Live Trading Room?
Our live trading room is where we map out longs and shorts in real time on the ES chart… only mapping the highest probability trades based upon trade location. Where will the bulls defend price? Where will bears jump on the train?
Today the vision was on the mark.
Shorts from the opening. We mapped out our ideal target for short.
The YouTube thumbnail says it all.
Our outlined target below was hit.
I didn't capture the entire move, but I captured 19 points. Other traders captured 20 points. A very nice morning. It's a rare morning indeed that I'm calling out shorts at the opening. That's what price action told me, and that's what we did.
Price finally arrived at Battle Plan 3️⃣ after 7712 defended one final time.
It was LONGS only from here.
That is the whole edge.
Understanding where you want to go long and where you want to go short.
Trading gets a whole lot easier.
Sure, we made points this morning short. We made points this morning long, but the most valuable thing about the live trading room today was the discussion. Thank you for your kind comments. It means the world to me.
Finally, Battle Plan 2️⃣ Rang the Cash Register Again.
Later in the afternoon... Battle Plan 2️⃣, paid twice!
It has been a cash register all week long.
In fact, Battle Plan 2️⃣ has paid out four times in the last 24 hours.
In just the last 24 hours.... 50 points, 25 points, 25 points, 25 points.
Tip of the Day
Keep A Clean Chart:
Every line and indicator you don't currently need is noise.
Strip the chart to what matters this week. Clean chart, clear head, better trades.
Great painters will always ask, "What can I remove?" I'm always looking to simplify my chart. Simplification brings clarity.
Tomorrow's Live Streams
|
AM Briefing 
|
YouTube Live Stream 
|
Scoreboard
Points Accumulated This Week:
Battle Plan: 245+
🔥 50-Pointer for Battle Plan 2️⃣... yet again.
🔥 25-Pointer for Battle Plan 2️⃣
🔥 25-Pointer for Battle Plan 2️⃣
🔥 25-Pointer for Battle Plan 2️⃣
Battle Plan 2️⃣ was just pay dirt today. My goodness.
Zoom: 90+
🔥 20 point short
🔥 10+ point long
Core Strategy: 70+ (For Full Members)
🔥 BS Short for 25 Points
🔥 BS Long for 25+ Points... You could still be long.
ECONOMIC CALENDAR
FRIDAY
MONDAY
TOMORROW’S ES KEY LEVELS AND TRADE IDEAS
Tonight’s Battle Plan maps the ES key levels for tomorrow’s session… the bounce zones and the trade ideas that go with them. Members read the full plan below.
View The Trade Setups
COMMON QUESTIONS FOR ES FUTURES TRADERS
Best ES Long Setup? Does Volume Have Anything To Do With It?
A: The best ES long setup is always at the trade location where the bulls MUST defend price... and volume has absolutely nothing to do with it. The best reaction zones sit at or near the bottom of an established range. Traders are defending their position there. That defense produces the bounce... and we simply hop along for the ride. Battle Plan 2 is the perfect example. Sitting at the edge of a beautiful range, it has paid over and over this week with multiple 50 pointers. Save every range you are given. A good range keeps paying for weeks... sometimes months.
How To Trade Less on ES?
A: When a Battle Plan trade does not align with your trade plan, skip it. You don't need to be in every trade. If a trade occurs outside your predetermined trading hours, it's not your trade on your terms. Those hours live in your written trade plan before the session ever opens. You never have to trade the opening of the ETH session... last night's Battle Plan 2 long came right after Micron earnings, a news-driven open, and standing aside was the prudent call even though the level was accurate. Letting a 50 point move go by without you is part of the game. There is another high probability trade around the corner. Your trade plan trumps anything written in the Battle Plan.
What is the Key Level on ES This Week?
A: Without a doubt it's the 7712 Strong Level. Bears just could not push price below it. The bulls defended it beautifully... multiple times... and it paid over and over this week. We will continue to take longs there until it no longer works. If you trade multiple contracts, you peel contracts at the reclaim... ensuring a green day and holding a lotto runner. That is what we do. Rinse and repeat.
What is an ES Live Trading Room?
A: Our live trading room is where we map out longs and shorts in real time on the ES chart... only the highest probability trades based upon trade location. Where will the bulls defend price? Where will bears jump on the train? Today the vision was on the mark. Shorts from the opening hit our outlined target for 19 to 20 points. Then price arrived at Battle Plan 3 after 7712 defended one final time... and it was longs only from there. That is the whole edge. Knowing where you want to go long and where you want to go short makes trading a whole lot easier. The most valuable part of the room is the discussion.
What is a Strong Level in ES futures?
A: A Strong Level is a key price on the ES chart where traders have repeatedly defended their position, so price tends to bounce there. This week the 7712 Strong Level held multiple times. We trade Strong Levels two ways... a long right at the level when bulls defend it, or a long on the reclaim after price dips below and comes back through. A reclaim entry with a tight stop is a prudent way in when a level is getting tired. Put the line on your chart and watch price react.
What is the three contract system and a lotto runner?
A: You enter at a high probability Battle Plan trade location with three contracts. Peel off the first and second contracts at 20 points each... you are now up 40 points and the day is green. The third contract is your lotto runner. Move its stop to breakeven and hold it with all your might. Many times ES rolls over and takes you out for no additional profit. Sometimes it goes and goes for 100 or more points, and one runner like that makes your entire week. It isn't your job to guess which trade runs. It's your job to enter at the location, bank the lead contracts, and hold.
What does Range Rules Rule mean?
A: It's the most important concept taught at Micros Trader. Once ES establishes a range, the bottom of that range is a better place to look for a long than a short, and the top is a better place for a short. You keep taking those trades until they no longer work. Some levels bounce 15 or more times. Each test gets a little less likely to work, so you get pickier with your entries, but you never fight the range. Ignore range rules at your own risk.
Why is NFP Friday dangerous for ES traders?
A: Non-farm payroll hits at 8:30 AM Friday along with average hourly earnings and the unemployment rate. Every trade opportunity that day is super low probability. Check what your trade plan says about trading NFP. A three day weekend is a perfectly good answer. If you do trade, come with your hard hat on... watch price action for the love of price action, or go one and done.
MICROS TRADER BASICS
Together We Trade Better
Together We Trade Better is the founding philosophy of Micros Trader. It is the belief that serious traders improve faster, stay more disciplined, and build real consistency when they are surrounded by people working the same system toward the same goals.
Trading alone is hard. Trading in a room full of noise is harder. Trading with a focused group of disciplined professionals who all speak the same language, follow the same process, and hold the same standards... that is what Micros Trader is built around.
Full lesson: Together We Trade Better in the Trading Library
📍 Originally published on MicrosTrader.com
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