Day Trading Cheat Sheet
Rules, setups, and strategies for trading intraday with discipline. Session timing, entry frameworks, and risk controls in one reference.
🎓 Get the Full Day Trading Course📏 Core Rules
Risk, discipline, and process
🎯 Setups
Repeatable A+ entry patterns
🌍 Sessions
When volume actually shows up
🧠 Mindset
Process over any single trade
Non-Negotiable Day Trading Rules
| Rule | Guideline | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Risk per trade | 1-2% of account | Survive a losing streak without blowing the account |
| Max daily loss | 3-5% of account | Stops revenge trading after a bad session |
| Max trades per day | 5-15 setups | Forces selectivity over overtrading |
| Minimum risk/reward | 1:1.5 or better | Keeps a sub-50% win rate profitable |
| Trade the plan | Pre-defined entry, stop, target | Removes in-the-moment emotional decisions |
| Journal every trade | Screenshot + reasoning | Turns experience into measurable edge |
🎯 5 Core Day Trading Setups
Opening Range Breakout
Setup:
• Mark the first 15-30 min range after session open
• Enter on a break with volume expansion
Best For:
• London/NY open momentum
• Trending news days
Invalidation:
• Close back inside the opening range
Trend Pullback (S&D Zone)
Identify H1/H4 trend direction
Wait for price to pull back into a fresh zone
Enter on rejection confirmation
Pin bar, engulfing, or No Supply/No Demand bar
Stop beyond the zone
Target the prior swing high/low or opposing zone
📊 VWAP, Momentum & Reversal Setups
VWAP Bounce
Best for: Range-bound intraday sessions
Entry: First touch of VWAP with rejection
Stop: Beyond the VWAP rejection wick
Target: Session high/low
Works best when price is respecting VWAP as fair value
Momentum Breakout
Best for: News-driven or high volatility sessions
Entry: Break of consolidation with wide-range bar
Stop: Below the consolidation low
Target: Measured move / next liquidity pool
Confirm with rising volume, not just price movement
Reversal at Extreme
Best for: Overextended moves into major S&D zones
Entry: Rejection candle at a fresh zone
Stop: Beyond the zone extreme
Target: Opposing zone or mean reversion level
Counter-trend, so size down and demand strong confluence
🌍 Best Session Windows (GMT)
Highest Opportunity Windows
London Open:
07:00-10:00 GMT — strongest directional moves of the day
London/NY Overlap:
12:00-16:00 GMT — highest liquidity and volatility
NY Open:
13:00-15:00 GMT — news-driven continuation or reversal
Sessions to Avoid
Asian Lull:
21:00-06:00 GMT — thin volume, choppy price action on majors
Pre-News Chop:
30-60 min before high-impact news — spreads widen, avoid new entries
⚖️ Risk Management by Setup
🚀 ORB
Position Size: 1-1.5% per trade
Stop: Opposite side of the range
Win Rate Needed: 45%+
Risk/Reward: 1:2 to 1:3
📐 Trend Pullback
Position Size: 1-2% per trade
Stop: Beyond the zone
Win Rate Needed: 50%+
Risk/Reward: 1:2 to 1:4
📍 VWAP Bounce
Position Size: 1% per trade
Stop: Beyond rejection wick
Win Rate Needed: 55%+
Risk/Reward: 1:1.5 to 1:2.5
🔄 Reversal
Position Size: 0.5-1% per trade
Stop: Beyond the zone extreme
Win Rate Needed: 40%+
Risk/Reward: 1:3 to 1:5
📋 Quick Day Trading Decision Guide
Strong open, clear direction
🚀 Trade the Opening Range Breakout.
Clear H4 trend, pullback forming
📐 Look for a Trend Pullback into a zone.
Choppy, range-bound session
📍 Fade extremes with the VWAP Bounce.
Overextended into a major zone
🔄 Watch for a Reversal at Extreme.
🔗 Related Resources
⏱️ Forex Timeframe Cheat Sheet
Find the right timeframe for your trading style.
📊 Volume Spread Analysis Guide
Read what volume and spread are telling you.
📦 Supply & Demand Cheat Sheet
Master zone identification and confluence.
📐 Wyckoff Method Guide
Accumulation, distribution, and the composite operator.
🔢 Psychological Levels Guide
Round number magnets and how price reacts.
🎯 Set and Forget Guide
Higher timeframe setups for part-time traders.
📉 MACD Trading Guide
Momentum, divergence, and crossover signals.
➕ Doji Candlestick Guide
Spot indecision bars and reversal setups.