Great — let’s turn your attached “first-15-minute opening range with five-minute confirmation

and one-minute execution” into a crystal-clear, beginner-friendly playbook for NQ (E-mini

Nasdaq-100 futures).

I’ll define every term and give exact, mechanical steps for:

 entries (continuation and reversal),

 exits and profit targets,

 stop-loss placement and management,

 when you must skip a trade,

 common problems (cons) and how to fix them.

I’ll also include a worked example with numbers.

What you need (set this up once)

1. Three charts of NQ open at the same time:

o a 15-minute chart,

o a 5-minute chart,

o a 1-minute chart.

2. Session times: New York stock market opens at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

3. Lines tool: You must be able to draw horizontal lines precisely at a chosen price.

4. Basic facts about NQ:

o Minimum price movement (a “tick”) = 0.25 points.

o Value of one tick = 5 U.S. dollars per contract (Micro NQ is 0.50 U.S. dollars per
tick).
Key definitions (plain language)

 Opening range (first 15 minutes): The price high and low of the 9:30–9:45 a.m. Eastern
Time 15-minute candle.
You will draw one horizontal line at the high and one at the low of that candle.

 Candle “close”: The price at which the candle finishes. A five-minute candle “closes”
every 5 minutes (9:50, 9:55, 10:00, …).

 Wick: The thin line above or below a candle’s body. A wick shows price went there
briefly but did not close there.

 Displacement (momentum): A candle that moves strongly and closes confidently

beyond a level (not a tiny close with a long wick back).

 Risk-to-reward ratio: If you risk 10 ticks to your stop-loss and aim for 20 ticks profit, that
is 1 to 2 risk-to-reward.

Daily routine (do this every day, step by step)

Step 1 — Pre-market preparation (8–10 minutes)

1. Mark on your charts any major scheduled economic news that can move the market
(especially items near 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time).
As a beginner, do not enter a new trade from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after a
scheduled 10:00 a.m. release.

2. Decide your maximum dollar risk per trade and your maximum daily loss:

o Example for one NQ contract: risk 20 ticks (5 points) = 100 U.S. dollars per trade;
stop trading for the day if you lose 300 U.S. dollars.

o If those numbers feel large, use Micro NQ (same ticks, 1/10th the money).

Step 2 — Create the opening range (9:30–9:45 a.m. Eastern Time)

1. Do not trade during the first 15 minutes. Just watch.

2. At 9:45 a.m., draw:

o a horizontal line at the high of the 9:30–9:45 candle,

o and a horizontal line at the low of that candle.

These two lines are your opening range.
Tip for NQ: If the distance between high and low of the opening range is under 10 points (40
ticks), the market is “tight” and easy to whipsaw. If the distance is over 50 points (200 ticks),
the range is huge and targets may be awkward. I give you rules for both cases below.

Step 3 — Wait for five-minute confirmation (after 9:45 a.m.)

From now on, you look at the 5-minute chart only until you get a signal.

You have two possible signals:

A) Breakout with confirmation (continuation setup)

 A 5-minute candle closes above the opening-range high → potential long (buy) setup.

 A 5-minute candle closes below the opening-range low → potential short (sell) setup.

For a beginner, require quality:

 The candle closes at least 2 ticks beyond the opening-range line and

 The candle’s body is at least half of the candle’s entire height (this avoids weak, “doji-
like” closes).

B) Failure back inside the range (reversal setup)

 Price pokes above the opening-range high (or below the low) but the 5-minute candle
closes back inside the range.

 That is a failed breakout and sets up a trade in the opposite direction (details in the
reversal section).

If you have no five-minute close above or below the opening range by 10:45 a.m., treat the day
as likely range-bound and skip this strategy.

Step 4 — Drop to the one-minute chart for entry

Once you have either continuation or failure on the 5-minute chart, switch to the 1-minute
chart to time the entry with a small, logical stop.

4A) Long entry (after a confirmed close above the range high)

1. Price usually retests the broken line (the old range high). On the 1-minute chart, wait for
price to come back to, or very near, that line.

2. Wait for a bullish confirmation right at that line:

o a one-minute candle that closes above the high of the small pullback candle that
touched the line, or
 o a clear bullish engulfing candle at the line.

3. Enter a buy at that bullish confirmation.

4. Initial stop-loss: place it a few ticks below the lowest price of the 1-minute pullback that
touched the line.

o Beginner rule: 4–8 ticks below that low. If the market is moving fast, use 12–20
ticks.

5. First profit target: at twice the stop distance (risk-to-reward of 1 to 2).

6. Move stop to breakeven as soon as price reaches a profit equal to your initial risk (1 to
1).
If you trade multiple contracts, you may take half off at 1 to 1 and let the rest aim for 1
to 2 or more.

4B) Short entry (after a confirmed close below the range low)

Mirror the long rules:

1. Wait for a retest upward to the broken line (the old range low).

2. Look for a bearish confirmation on the one-minute chart right at that line (a one-minute
candle that closes below the low of the small pullback that touched the line, or a
bearish engulfing).

3. Enter a sell on that confirmation.

4. Initial stop-loss: 4–8 ticks above the one-minute pullback high (12–20 ticks if very
volatile).

5. First profit target: risk-to-reward 1 to 2.

6. Move stop to breakeven at 1 to 1.

The reversal trade (fade a failed breakout)

Use this only when the five-minute chart shows failure:

Signal of failure:
Price moves above the range high (or below the range low) but the five-minute candle closes
back inside the opening range.

How to trade the failure (example for a failed upside break):

 1. Switch to the one-minute chart.

2. Wait for price to retest the same line (the range high) from underneath and stall there.

3. Look for a bearish one-minute confirmation at that line (close below the pullback low,
or bearish engulfing).

4. Enter a sell.

5. Initial stop-loss: a few ticks above the swing high of the failed break.

6. Target: the other side of the opening range (the range low).
If that target is very far, you can still use a fixed 1 to 2 risk-to-reward and then trail.

(For a failed downside break, flip the logic: look to buy back into the range and aim toward the
range high.)

When you must skip the trade

1. No five-minute close above or below the range by 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time → skip
(market likely choppy).

2. News risk: do not open a new trade from 9:58 to 10:02 a.m. Eastern Time on
scheduled-news days.

3. Very narrow opening range: if the opening range height is under 10 points (40 ticks),
you are at high risk of fake breakouts.
Fix: require two five-minute candles to close in the breakout direction or require a
stronger one-minute retest reaction (two consecutive one-minute closes in your
direction) before entering.

4. Very wide opening range: if the opening range height is over 50 points (200 ticks), your
stop and target may become impractical.
Fix: either reduce position size or trade Micro NQ, and only take the entry if your 1-to-2
target is clear of obvious obstacles (yesterday’s high/low, volume-weighted average
price).

5. Weak five-minute break: if the breakout candle closes just one tick beyond the line and
has a long wick back, do not take it. Wait for a clean retest and a strong one-minute
confirmation.

6. Too many tries: after two failed trades total in the session (one on each side of the
range is enough), stop. The day is likely not suitable.
Stop-loss management and profit taking (simple and strict)

 Placing the stop: Use the structure you see on the one-minute chart at the retest.
Longs: a few ticks below the retest swing low.
Shorts: a few ticks above the retest swing high.

 Moving to breakeven: As soon as unrealized profit equals the initial stop distance (1 to
1).

 Taking profit:

o If you trade one contract, exit the entire position at 1 to 2.

o If you trade more than one contract, take half at 1 to 1, move the stop to
breakeven, and aim the rest for 1 to 2 or a nearby obvious level (for example, the
day’s high or low).

 Trailing (optional, only after partial profit): If a fresh one-minute swing forms in your
favor, you may trail your stop just beyond that swing.

Worked example with numbers (NQ)

Assume:

 Opening-range high = 18,345.00

 Opening-range low = 18,325.00 (range height = 20 points = 80 ticks)

At 9:55 a.m., a five-minute candle closes at 18,348.00, which is 12 ticks above the opening-
range high.
That is a valid breakout (close is at least 2 ticks beyond, strong body).

Switch to the one-minute chart:

1. Price pulls back to 18,345.50 (a retest of the line).

2. A one-minute bullish candle then forms and closes at 18,346.75, above the high of the
small pullback.

3. Enter a buy at 18,346.75.

4. Stop-loss: below the retest swing low at 18,345.50 minus 4 ticks = 18,344.50.
 o Risk = 18,346.75 − 18,344.50 = 2.25 points = 9 ticks = 45 U.S. dollars per NQ
contract.

5. Target (1 to 2): add 18 ticks (2 × 9) to the entry → 18,351.25.

6. If price first rises 9 ticks to 18,349.00, move stop to breakeven (18,346.75).

7. If you trade 2 contracts, you can take one off at 18,349.00 and let the second aim for
18,351.25 with stop at breakeven.

(For a short example, mirror the arithmetic: entry below a one-minute bearish confirmation at
the retested range low, stop a few ticks above the one-minute pullback high, target 1 to 2.)

Pros, cons, and how to fix the cons

Pros

 Clear, mechanical rules (draw two lines, wait for a five-minute close, enter on a one-
minute retest).

 Tight, logical stop-losses based on the one-minute swing.

 Works for both continuation and reversal days.

Cons and fixes

1. Choppy days create false breakouts.

Fix: require a quality breakout (close ≥ 2 ticks beyond and a solid candle body). If still
choppy, stand down after two attempts.

2. Weak breakouts with long wicks fail often.

Fix: skip the first attempt and wait for a clean retest + strong one-minute confirmation.

3. News spikes around 10:00 a.m.

Fix: no new entries from 9:58 to 10:02 a.m. on scheduled-news days.

4. Opening range too narrow or too wide.

Fix: for narrow ranges (< 10 points), wait for extra confirmation (two one-minute closes
or two five-minute closes in the direction).
For wide ranges (> 50 points), reduce size, consider Micro NQ, and only take entries
where a 1 to 2 target is realistically reachable.

5. Stops too tight, then you get shaken out.

Fix: if you are repeatedly stopped by 1–3 ticks then price runs, increase your buffer to 8–
12 ticks under/over the retest swing.
One-page checklist (print this)

1. Before the open: mark scheduled news; set your dollar risk per trade and max daily loss.

2. 9:30–9:45 a.m.: do not trade. At 9:45 a.m., draw lines at the high and low of the first 15-
minute candle.

3. Wait for a five-minute candle to close above the range high (for a long) or below the
range low (for a short).

o Close must be ≥ 2 ticks beyond the line and have a solid body.

4. Go to the one-minute chart: wait for a retest of the broken line and a strong
confirmation candle at that line.

5. Enter.

o Stop-loss: a few ticks beyond the one-minute retest swing.

o Move to breakeven at 1 to 1 profit.

o Target: 1 to 2 risk-to-reward (or the opposite side of the opening range on

reversal trades).

6. If two trades fail, stop for the day.

7. Avoid starting new trades around 10:00 a.m. scheduled news.

Love this question. Short answer: you can’t engineer a true 99% win-rate (markets don’t
allow it), but you can stack the MBoxWave tools around your 15-minute Opening Range
 Breakout (ORB) to (a) filter out most false breaks, (b) align with trend direction +
strength, and (c) place tighter, more logical stops. Below is a precise, beginner-friendly
rule set you can copy into your playbook.

What each MBoxWave tool tells you (in plain English)

 MGannSwing — plots swing waves (higher-high/higher-low vs lower-high/lower-low)

and shows trend direction without you guessing; swing logic is fractal and timeframe-
agnostic. Use it to decide if you’re allowed to take a breakout in that direction.
mboxwave.com

 MCumulativeDelta — shows who is winning overall (buyers vs sellers) and flips around
the zero line; use it to avoid trading against the dominant side and to spot divergences
on a breakout. TradingView

 MBidAskOscillator — separates volume at bid vs ask so you can see aggression (who is
hitting bids or lifting offers). Wide bid/ask gap = one side dominating; very low readings
= no supply / no demand zones you can often fade or avoid. mboxwave.com

 MPace / XPace — measure tape speed (velocity of trades). XPace is a cleaned-up

histogram view that emphasizes meaningful pace and filters noise. Use it to confirm
momentum on breakouts and to avoid slow, fake pushes. mboxwave.com+1

 XKontrol — shows who is in control (buyers vs sellers) via visual dots/sizing; pair with
XPace so you’re not buying when sellers are still in control. mboxwave.com

 MAutoFloorCeiling — auto-maps support/resistance using Wyckoff-style

wave/volume/price logic; superb for entry location, tight stops, and targets. (Tip:
periods like 5/8/13/21 are common.) mboxwave.com+1

 Wave Indicators work best together — they’re designed to combine supply/demand,

S/R, delta, and tape-pace signals. mboxwave.com

ORB upgrade: add these hard rules (NQ)

You’ll still draw your 15-minute opening range (9:30–9:45 ET) and require a 5-minute
close outside the range for a valid breakout attempt. Now bolt on the filters below.

1) Regime & direction filter (trend permission)

Timeframe: 5-minute MGannSwing

 Longs allowed only if: last confirmed swing is up (higher-high/higher-low) and price is
not in an immediate MGannSwing downswing pullback.

 Shorts allowed only if: last confirmed swing is down (lower-low/lower-high).

Why: You want the ORB to go with the current wave, not against it. mboxwave.com

2) Dominance filter (who’s winning?)

Timeframe: 5-minute MCumulativeDelta

 Longs require: MCumulativeDelta is > 0 or has just crossed up through 0 within the last
3–5 bars.

 Shorts require: MCumulativeDelta is < 0 or has just crossed down through 0 within the
last 3–5 bars.

 Disqualifier: if price is breaking out up but MCumulativeDelta is falling or negative, skip

the long (and vice-versa).

Why: trade with the side that’s accumulating. TradingView

3) Aggression filter (avoid no-demand/no-supply breaks)

Timeframe: 1- to 5-minute MBidAskOscillator

 Longs require: Ask line clearly above Bid line (visible gap).

 Shorts require: Bid line clearly above Ask line.

 Disqualifier: when both lines are muted/flat (no demand/no supply), do not trade the
breakout.

Why: you need real initiative flow, not passive prints. mboxwave.com

4) Momentum (pace) filter

Timeframe: XPace (or MPace if XPace unavailable)

 Longs require: XPace green histogram rising vs its last 10–20 bars; avoid if XPace is
flat/contracting.

 Shorts require: XPace red histogram rising.

 Flip-signal: if XPace flips color against your direction on the breakout bar, skip.

Why: genuine breakouts show increasing tape speed. mboxwave.com+1

5) Structure & proximity filter (don’t break into a wall)

 Timeframe: 5-minute MAutoFloorCeiling

 Entry only if: the distance from the OR boundary to the next opposite AutoFloor/Ceiling
level is ≥ your 1:2 target.

 If a level sits right beyond the OR: pass on the trade or wait for a retest above/below
that level and take the first pullback there.

Why: avoid buying into resistance / selling into support. Use levels for tight stops &
targets. mboxwave.com

6) Quality of the breakout bar

Timeframe: 5-minute price bar

 Must close ≥ 2 ticks beyond the OR line and the bar’s body ≥ 50% of its range (no skinny
doji with long wick).

 If it barely closes outside and wicks back, wait for retest + 1-minute confirmation or
skip.

Why: filter out weak pushes.

Entry, stop, target (with the new filters)

Long (continuation) — step-by-step

1. 5-minute close above OR and pass filters 1–6.

2. Drop to 1-minute: wait for a retest of the OR high or nearest MAutoFloorCeiling level
just above it.

3. Confirmation:

o 1-minute bullish close above the pullback bar’s high and

o MBidAskOsc: Ask > Bid (gap visible), not in no-demand state, and

o XPace green rising or at least not falling. mboxwave.com+1

4. Enter long on that 1-minute confirmation.

5. Initial stop (tight but logical):

o A few ticks below the 1-minute pullback low or

 o A few ticks below the nearest MAutoFloorCeiling support used for the retest
(choose the closer structurally meaningful one). mboxwave.com

6. Targets:

o Base: 1:2 risk-to-reward; if the next AutoCeiling is before 1:2, target that level.

o Optional: scale ½ at 1:1, move stop to breakeven, let ½ run to next AutoCeiling or
HOD.

(Shorts: mirror every condition—MGannSwing down, MCumDelta < 0, MBid>Ask, XPace

red rising, don’t break into AutoFloor, etc.)

The reversal module (fade failed ORB)

Use when the 5-minute breakout closes back inside the OR.
Only take it if filters invert:

 For a failed upside break, you now want: MGannSwing leaning down or turning,
MCumDelta ≤ 0 / falling, MBidAskOsc Bid > Ask, XPace red increasing, ideally with an
AutoCeiling above to lean on. Enter on a 1-minute retest failure at the OR high; stop a
few ticks above the failure swing; first target = OR low / next AutoFloor.
mboxwave.com+3mboxwave.com+3mboxwave.com+3TradingView

How this reduces false breakouts & lets you use smaller stops

 False breaks often happen when direction, dominance, aggression, and pace don’t
agree. These filters force alignment. (MBoxWave explicitly designs its indicators to work
together on supply/demand/pace. ) mboxwave.com

 The 1-minute retest at AutoFloor/Ceiling gives you a nearby structural line to hide a
stop behind (tighter than a random fixed tick stop). mboxwave.com

 If MBidAskOsc shows no demand/supply, you either don’t enter or you fade the move
on failure (reversal module). mboxwave.com

 XPace rising confirms real momentum; if it stalls/flips, tighten or skip. mboxwave.com

Optional upgrades (use if you want even more selectivity)

 Two-timeframe agreement: require 15-minute MGannSwing and 5-minute
MGannSwing to point the same way for continuation trades. mboxwave.com

 Delta divergence veto: if price makes a new high on the breakout but
MCumulativeDelta doesn’t (lower high), veto the long. TradingView

 Effort/Result confluence: pair Effort/Result Pullback with MCumulativeDelta +

AutoFloorCeiling to time pullback entries within the trend. mboxwave.com

 Parameter hygiene: for AutoFloorCeiling, try Fibonacci-style periods (e.g., 8/13/21) to

balance signal count vs quality. mboxwave.com

Quick checklist you can tape to the monitor (NQ ORB)

1. OR built (9:30–9:45). Wait for a 5-minute close outside.

2. MGannSwing agrees with direction (trend permission). mboxwave.com

3. MCumulativeDelta on 5-min: on the same side of zero (or just crossed that way).
TradingView

4. MBidAskOsc shows aggression (no “no demand/no supply”). mboxwave.com

5. XPace/MPace shows rising pace in your direction. mboxwave.com+1

6. MAutoFloorCeiling: not breaking into a nearby opposite level; use it for retest, stop, and
target. mboxwave.com

7. Drop to 1-minute: retest + confirmation → enter; stop just beyond the retest swing or
AutoFloor/Ceiling; base target 1:2.

8. If the breakout fails back inside and filters invert, run the reversal back across the OR.

Reality check on “99%”

No filter stack will give you 99%. What this stack does is raise expectancy by cutting
poor-quality breakouts and letting you risk fewer ticks at high-quality locations (retests
at AutoFloor/Ceiling with aggression + pace behind you). That’s how you reduce stop
size without playing roulette.