The SNIPER FX strategy.

This is the full SNIPER FX strategy, written out chapter by chapter.

It covers how we read the chart, where we look for trades, what has to line up before we enter, and how we manage the position afterwards.

We trade gold (XAUUSD) and combine two approaches:

SMC

Smart Money Concepts

MSNR

Market Structure, Support and Resistance

MSNR tells us where price might react. SMC helps us judge how it is reacting once it gets there.

We don't try to call every move. We follow the same process every time, so it can be tested and improved.

We don't need twenty setups a day.

We need a few good areas, a clear reason to enter, and a stop we've decided on before we click.

Nothing here guarantees a winning trade. Test every model yourself, and only trade money you can afford to lose.

1.1What is Smart Money Concepts?

Smart Money Concepts (SMC) is a way of reading price action through market structure, liquidity, imbalances and key areas.

Instead of relying on indicators, you watch how price behaves at important levels.

The main parts are:

1. Market structure
2. Break of Structure (BOS)
3. Change of Character (CHoCH)
4. Liquidity
5. Liquidity sweeps
6. Order Blocks (OB)
7. Fair Value Gaps (FVG)
8. Supply and demand
9. Premium and discount
10. Displacement
11. Inducement
12. Breaker blocks
13. Mitigation blocks
14. Internal and external structure
15. Multi-timeframe analysis

These give you a reason to expect a reaction. They don't tell you what will happen.

No SMC pattern proves what banks or institutions are doing, and no single pattern guarantees an outcome.

1.2What is MSNR?

MSNR stands for Market Structure, Support and Resistance.

It's about marking the levels where buyers or sellers have stepped in before.

These include:

• Historical support levels
• Historical resistance levels
• Previous swing highs
• Previous swing lows
• Support becoming resistance
• Resistance becoming support
• Consolidation boundaries
• Breakout and retest areas
• Higher-timeframe reaction zones

MSNR shows where price might react.

SMC helps you judge what price is doing when it gets there.

1.3How SMC and MSNR work together

1. Gold comes up into a strong 4H resistance zone.
2. The zone lines up with a bearish order block.
3. There are old highs just above it.
4. Price runs above those highs, then drops back below.
5. The 5M breaks structure to the downside.
6. Strong bearish displacement follows.
7. Price pulls back into the new bearish FVG.
8. That's a possible sell.

The sell idea is backed by:

• Higher-timeframe resistance
• Order-block alignment
• A potential liquidity sweep
• A lower-timeframe structural shift
• Bearish displacement
• A retracement into a defined entry area

The point is that several things line up. Price touching resistance on its own is not a reason to sell.

Everything starts on the higher timeframes.

Higher timeframes give the context. Lower timeframes are for timing the entry.

The timeframes we use:

Daily

Overall market direction and context

4H

Major trading zones

1H

Intermediate structure and zone refinement

15M

Setup development

5M

Entry execution

2.1Daily timeframe

The Daily chart gives the bigger picture.

Before looking for trades, work out the overall structure:

• Is price forming higher highs and higher lows?
• Is price forming lower highs and lower lows?
• Is price consolidating inside a range?
• Are major structural levels being respected or broken?

Mark:

• Previous Daily highs
• Previous Daily lows
• Major Daily support
• Major Daily resistance
• Significant supply zones
• Significant demand zones
• Untested imbalances
• Important swing points
• Potential external liquidity

A bullish Daily doesn't mean every intraday trade has to be a buy.

Counter-trend trades happen, but they need more care.

2.2Four-hour timeframe

The 4H is the main chart for SNIPER FX. This is where we mark our zones.

On the 4H we mark:

• Major swing highs and lows
• Supply and demand zones
• Order blocks
• Fair value gaps
• Historical support and resistance
• Liquidity pools
• Premium and discount areas
• Previous structural breaks
• Potential reversal areas

The aim is to have the zones marked before price gets there.

Say gold is heading into a 4H supply zone that caused a big sell-off before.

If it also lines up with old resistance and has buy-side liquidity just above, it's worth watching.

The zone alone isn't a sell signal. We still need to see how price behaves there.

2.3One-hour timeframe

The 1H refines the 4H picture.

We use it to:

• Confirm intermediate structure
• Identify smaller supply and demand areas
• Refine larger 4H zones
• Locate liquidity
• Identify BOS and CHoCH events
• Assess recent momentum
• Identify nearby profit objectives

A large 4H zone may contain several smaller 1H reaction areas.

The 1H shows which of them matter most.

Don't over-refine. A zone cut down too small leads to stops that are too tight.

2.4Fifteen-minute timeframe

The 15M is where you watch the setup form.

Watch for:

• Liquidity sweeps
• Structural changes
• Displacement
• Order blocks
• Fair value gaps
• Failed breakouts
• Support and resistance retests

By now you should already know which higher-timeframe area you want to trade.

2.5Five-minute timeframe

The 5M is for the entry itself.

We look for:

• A completed liquidity sweep
• A meaningful CHoCH or BOS
• Strong displacement
• A controlled retracement
• A defined entry location
• A logical invalidation point
• Sufficient potential reward relative to risk

The 5M confirms the higher-timeframe idea. It never replaces it.

Market structure is the pattern of highs and lows price makes.

It tells you whether you're in a trend or a range, and when that might be changing.

3.1Bullish market structure

A bullish structure looks like:

• Higher High
• Higher Low
• Higher High
• Higher Low

A higher high is when price goes above the last significant high.

A higher low is when the pullback holds above the last low.

In a bullish market, look for:

• Bullish displacement
• Demand zones
• Breaks above previous highs
• Pullbacks into support
• Bullish continuation opportunities

3.2Bearish market structure

A bearish structure looks like:

• Lower Low
• Lower High
• Lower Low
• Lower High

A lower low is when price breaks below the last significant low.

A lower high is when the rally fails below the last high.

In a bearish market, look for:

• Bearish displacement
• Supply zones
• Breaks below previous lows
• Pullbacks into resistance
• Bearish continuation opportunities

3.3Ranging market structure

Gold doesn't always trend. Sometimes it moves sideways between clear highs and lows.

Signs of a range:

• Equal highs
• Equal lows
• Repeated support reactions
• Repeated resistance reactions
• False breakouts
• Liquidity sweeps

In a range, don't treat every small break as the start of a new trend.

Avoid the middle of a range. Price can go either way from there.

A Break of Structure (BOS) is when price moves past an important swing point.

It usually means the current trend is continuing.

4.1Bullish BOS

A bullish BOS is a break above the previous swing high. For example:

1. Price forms a higher low.
2. Price moves upward.
3. Price breaks above the previous significant high.
4. That points to the uptrend continuing.

4.2Bearish BOS

A bearish BOS is a break below the previous swing low. For example:

1. Price forms a lower high.
2. Price moves downward.
3. Price breaks below the previous significant low.
4. That points to the downtrend continuing.

4.3What makes a strong BOS?

Judge a BOS on:

• The significance of the broken swing
• The strength of the candle close
• Displacement
• Higher-timeframe context
• Follow-through
• The position of the break within the current range

A wick poking past a level is not enough.

At SNIPER FX we want a candle to close beyond the swing, not just wick through it.

Mark your swings the same way every time.

A Change of Character (CHoCH) is the first sign that the short-term trend may be turning.

5.1Bearish CHoCH

1. Price is making higher highs and higher lows.
2. Price approaches a major resistance area.
3. A previous high is swept.
4. Selling pressure appears.
5. Price breaks below a meaningful recent higher low.
6. That can be the first sign of a turn lower.

5.2Bullish CHoCH

1. Price is making lower lows and lower highs.
2. Price approaches a major support area.
3. A previous low is swept.
4. Buying pressure appears.
5. Price breaks above a meaningful recent lower high.
6. That can be the first sign of a turn higher.

5.3When is CHoCH more relevant?

A CHoCH means more when it happens:

• Inside a higher-timeframe zone
• Following a liquidity sweep
• Near significant support or resistance
• With strong displacement
• During an active trading session

A CHoCH on its own doesn't prove a reversal. Always read it against the bigger picture.

Strictly, liquidity means how easily orders can be filled without moving price much.

In SMC it also means the places where stop losses and breakout orders are likely to be sitting.

You can't see those orders on a normal chart, so it's an educated guess.

6.1Buy-side liquidity

Buy-side liquidity tends to sit above:

• Previous swing highs
• Equal highs
• Previous Daily highs
• Previous session highs
• Obvious resistance levels

That's where sellers' stops and breakout buyers' orders build up.

6.2Sell-side liquidity

Sell-side liquidity tends to sit below:

• Previous swing lows
• Equal lows
• Previous Daily lows
• Previous session lows
• Obvious support levels

That's where buyers' stops and breakout sellers' orders build up.

6.3Liquidity sweeps

A sweep is when price runs past a clear high or low, then comes back.

Bearish example

1. Price approaches equal highs.
2. Price moves above those highs.
3. The breakout fails to sustain.
4. Price returns below the previous highs.
5. Bearish displacement develops.
6. Lower-timeframe structure shifts bearish.
7. That can set up a sell.

Bullish example

1. Price approaches equal lows.
2. Price moves below those lows.
3. The breakdown fails to sustain.
4. Price recovers above the previous lows.
5. Bullish displacement develops.
6. Lower-timeframe structure shifts bullish.
7. That can set up a buy.

A sweep doesn't guarantee a reversal. Sometimes price breaks the level and keeps going.

7.1External liquidity

External liquidity sits outside the current range.

Examples include:

• Major range highs
• Major range lows
• Previous Daily highs
• Previous Daily lows
• Significant structural extremes

7.2Internal liquidity

Internal liquidity sits inside the range.

Examples include:

• Smaller swing highs
• Smaller swing lows
• Internal equal highs
• Internal equal lows
• Minor structural turning points

7.3Why this matters

Knowing both helps you pick targets.

Price often works through the smaller internal levels before reaching a major high or low.

It doesn't have to visit every one.

Liquidity is a possible destination, not a promise.

Inducement is a level that tempts traders in early, or tempts them to put their stops in an obvious place.

Say price is heading down into a major demand zone.

A smaller support level forms above that demand zone.

Some traders buy that small support with stops just under it.

Price breaks that support, takes their stops, then reaches the real demand zone.

That small support was the inducement.

Not every small level is inducement.

It's a way of reading price, not proof that anyone planned it.

We use it as extra context, never as an entry signal on its own.

An order block (OB) is the candle, or small group of candles, right before a strong move.

Traders define them slightly differently, so pick one definition and stick to it.

9.1Bullish order block

Our bullish OB: the last bearish candle before a strong move up.

Look for:

• A bearish candle or base
• Strong bullish displacement
• A meaningful structural break
• A clearly identifiable price area
• A subsequent retracement towards that area

9.2Bearish order block

Our bearish OB: the last bullish candle before a strong move down.

Look for:

• A bullish candle or base
• Strong bearish displacement
• A meaningful structural break
• A clearly identifiable price area
• A subsequent retracement towards that area

9.3Order-block confluences

An OB counts for more when it lines up with:

• Higher-timeframe structure
• Historical support or resistance
• A liquidity sweep
• Strong displacement
• A meaningful BOS
• Premium or discount
• An appropriate trading session
• Sufficient distance to the next opposing structure

9.4Order-block freshness

A fresh OB hasn't been revisited since the move away from it.

A tested OB has already been revisited at least once.

Note in your journal whether it was fresh. Whether that actually matters is something to test.

An OB doesn't prove there are unfilled bank orders sitting there.

A fair value gap (FVG) is a three-candle pattern where the wicks of the first and third candles don't overlap, leaving a gap beside the middle candle.

10.1Bullish FVG

A bullish FVG forms when:

1. Candle one establishes a high.
2. Candle two moves strongly upward.
3. Candle three has a low above candle one’s high.
4. The space between candle one’s high and candle three’s low is the bullish FVG.

10.2Bearish FVG

A bearish FVG forms when:

1. Candle one establishes a low.
2. Candle two moves strongly downward.
3. Candle three has a high below candle one’s low.
4. The space between candle one’s low and candle three’s high is the bearish FVG.

• 10.3 How SNIPER FX uses FVGs

We use FVGs to spot:

• Strong displacement
• Potential retracement areas
• Entry refinement
• Momentum
• Overlap with order blocks
• Potential support or resistance

10.4FVG entry example

1. Gold enters a significant 4H resistance zone.
2. Price sweeps a previous high.
3. A bearish CHoCH develops.
4. Strong bearish displacement creates a 5M FVG.
5. Price retraces into the FVG.
6. Check the entry, the stop and how much room there is to the target.

Not every FVG gets filled, and not every one gives a reaction. Read them as part of the bigger structure.

Displacement is a strong, fast move in one direction.

You'll usually see:

• Large candle bodies relative to recent candles
• Strong directional closes
• Limited candle overlap
• Rapid movement away from a level
• Meaningful structural breaks
• The creation of fair value gaps

11.1Bullish displacement

A strong, fast move up.

11.2Bearish displacement

A strong, fast move down.

11.3Why displacement matters

It shows that one side has taken control. For example:

1. Price enters resistance.
2. A liquidity sweep occurs.
3. A strong bearish candle closes beneath a relevant swing low.
4. That tells you far more than a small bearish candle that stays inside the range.
5. Big candles can also come from news or thin markets.
6. Compare the move with the candles around it.

12.1Supply zones

A supply zone is where sellers pushed price down hard before.

Look for them around:

• Bearish order blocks
• Historical resistance
• Breakdown origins
• Consolidation before bearish expansion
• Significant bearish structural breaks

12.2Demand zones

A demand zone is where buyers pushed price up hard before.

Look for them around:

• Bullish order blocks
• Historical support
• Breakout origins
• Consolidation before bullish expansion
• Significant bullish structural breaks

12.3SNIPER FX zone selection

We don't mark every zone on the chart.

We only keep the ones with a clear reason behind them, like this:

• 4H Supply
• Previous Resistance
• Buy-Side Liquidity
• Premium Pricing
• Bearish Structural Confirmation

Together, that makes a sensible sell idea.

More reasons don't automatically mean a higher win rate. Only testing tells you that.

Premium and discount tell you which half of a range price is in.

Take a clear swing high and swing low, then find the midpoint:

Equilibrium = (range high + range low) ÷ 2

The upper half of the range is premium.

The lower half is discount.

13.1Premium

Price is above the midpoint.

In a bearish setup, we prefer to sell in premium.

13.2Discount

Price is below the midpoint.

In a bullish setup, we prefer to buy in discount.

13.3Example

Gold's range runs from 4,000 to 4,100. Equilibrium is 4,050.

Premium doesn't mean expensive and discount doesn't mean cheap. They only describe where price sits in the range you picked.

A flip is when an important level switches roles.

14.1Resistance becomes support

1. Price breaks above resistance.
2. Price comes back to the broken level.
3. Old resistance can now act as support.

14.2Support becomes resistance

1. Price breaks below support.
2. Price comes back to the broken level.
3. Old support can now act as resistance.

14.3What SNIPER FX looks for

• A meaningful historical level
• A decisive structural break
• Displacement beyond the level
• A controlled retracement
• Lower-timeframe confirmation
• A clear invalidation point

Price doesn't always come back, and when it does, the level doesn't always hold.

A breaker block is an order block that failed, and then works from the other side.

15.1Bearish breaker

1. A bullish order block fails.
2. Price breaks below the relevant structure.
3. Price comes back up into the old bullish area.
4. It can now act as resistance.

15.2Bullish breaker

1. A bearish order block fails.
2. Price breaks above the relevant structure.
3. Price comes back down into the old bearish area.
4. It can now act as support.

15.3Breaker confluences

• Higher-timeframe structure
• A meaningful BOS
• Liquidity context
• Displacement
• Historical support or resistance
• A clear retest

Don't trade a breaker on its own, without the bigger picture.

A mitigation block is a failed structure area that price later comes back to.

Educators define it differently.

At SNIPER FX, focus on:

• The original structural context
• The failure of the previous movement
• The new directional shift
• The location of the retest
• The invalidation level

The name doesn't matter much. What matters is that you can spot it the same way every time and test it.

A confluence is one more reason supporting the trade.

The goal isn't to collect as many as you can. It's to see different kinds of evidence pointing the same way.

Category AHigher-timeframe confluences

1. Daily directional structureDoes the proposed trade align with the broader market context?
2. 4H supply or demandIs price entering a meaningful higher-timeframe area?
3. 1H structural alignmentDoes intermediate structure support the proposed direction?
4. Historical MSNRIs there significant support or resistance?
5. Premium or discountIs price appropriately positioned within the relevant range?

Category BLiquidity confluences

6. Buy-side liquidity sweepHas price traded above a meaningful high and returned below it?
7. Sell-side liquidity sweepHas price traded below a meaningful low and recovered above it?
8. Equal highs or equal lowsIs price interacting with an identifiable liquidity area?
9. Previous session extremesHas price interacted with a previous session high or low?
10. Internal or external liquidityDoes the setup make sense within the current trading range?

Category CStructural confluences

11. Break of StructureHas price broken a meaningful swing?
12. Change of CharacterIs there evidence of a possible directional shift?
13. DisplacementHas price moved decisively in the proposed direction?
14. Support and resistance flipHas a meaningful level changed its apparent role?
15. Retest of broken structureHas price returned to a previously broken level?

Category DEntry-location confluences

16. Order BlockDoes the entry align with a clearly defined order block?
17. Fair Value GapIs there a relevant imbalance near the entry?
18. Breaker BlockHas a failed structural area become a potential reaction zone?
19. Supply or DemandIs the entry inside a meaningful higher-timeframe zone?
20. Zone RefinementCan the entry be defined more precisely without creating an unrealistic stop?

Category EExecution confluences

21. Trading SessionIs the setup developing during an appropriate session?
22. News ConditionsIs major economic news likely to introduce exceptional volatility?
23. Risk-to-RewardDoes the trade offer sufficient potential reward relative to its planned risk?
24. InvalidationIs there a clear condition that disproves the setup?
25. Price ConfirmationHas price demonstrated the expected behaviour?

Some confluences are really the same thing counted twice.

Take a setup with:

• A bearish order block
• A bearish FVG
• A supply zone
• A previous bearish candle

All four describe more or less the same candles. That's one reason to sell, not four.

Compare it with this one:

• Significant 4H resistance
• A sweep of a previous Daily high
• A 5M bearish structural shift
• Strong bearish displacement
• Sufficient distance to the next opposing liquidity area

Each of these comes from a different category. That's a much stronger case.

Either way, only backtesting and forward testing show what actually works.

Quality of evidence beats the number of labels on the chart.

The core sequence

1. Higher-timeframe zone
2. Liquidity sweep
3. Change of character
4. Displacement
5. Retracement
6. Entry

This is our main reversal model. It waits for confirmation before entry.

Step 1Establish market context

Start on the Daily and 4H.

Mark:

• Current market structure
• Major supply and demand zones
• Relevant highs and lows
• Important liquidity areas
• The current trading range

Step 2Identify the trading zone

Find a strong higher-timeframe area, for example 4H resistance lined up with a bearish order block and a previous high.

Mark the zone before price arrives.

Step 3Wait for price to enter the zone

Don't chase. Let price come to the zone.

Step 4Observe the liquidity event

For a potential sell:

Look for price to run above a high and fail to hold above it.

For a potential buy:

Look for price to run below a low and recover.

Step 5Wait for CHoCH

Move to the 15M or 5M chart.

For sells:

Look for a break below the last short-term higher low.

For buys:

Look for a break above the last short-term lower high.

Step 6Confirm displacement

After the CHoCH, look for a strong move in the new direction.

Step 7Identify the retracement area

Mark where price may pull back to:

• FVG
• Order Block
• Broken Structure
• Support/Resistance Flip

Step 8Plan the entry

Before entering, write down:

• Entry price
• Stop-loss level
• Position size
• Maximum monetary risk
• First profit objective
• Final profit objective
• Conditions that cancel the setup

Step 9Execute only if conditions remain valid

1. If price invalidates the structure before entry, cancel the setup.
2. If price runs without pulling back, let it go.
3. A missed trade costs nothing. A forced trade usually does.

Example: XAUUSD bearish reversal

Market context

1. Gold approaches a significant 4H supply zone.
2. The area aligns with historical resistance.
3. Price is trading in premium.
4. Buy-side liquidity exists above a previous swing high.

1. Price approaches the resistance zone.
2. Price sweeps the previous high.
3. The breakout fails and price returns beneath the high.
4. A bearish CHoCH forms on the lower timeframe.
5. Strong bearish displacement develops.
6. A bearish FVG or order block is identified.
7. Price retraces towards the potential entry area.
8. Check the entry, the stop and how much room there is to the target.
9. Sell at market if every required condition is still in place.
10. Manage the trade using the risk and exit rules you set before entry.

Invalidation

The idea is wrong if price breaks the invalidation point you marked, or any of your cancel conditions happens.

A bearish reaction is not the same as a full reversal.

Example: XAUUSD bullish reversal

Market context

1. Gold approaches a significant 4H demand zone.
2. The area aligns with historical support.
3. Price is trading in discount.
4. Sell-side liquidity exists beneath a previous swing low.

1. Price enters the higher-timeframe demand zone.
2. Sell-side liquidity is swept.
3. Price recovers above the previous low.
4. A bullish CHoCH develops.
5. Strong bullish displacement appears.
6. A bullish FVG or order block is identified.
7. Price retraces towards the entry area.
8. Check the risk-to-reward and the invalidation point.
9. Buy at market if every required condition is still in place.
10. Manage it towards the targets you set before entry.

Important

Don't buy just because price has dropped a lot. A big fall doesn't mean it has to bounce.

Not every trade is a reversal. Some are continuation trades.

22.1Bullish continuation

1. Higher-timeframe structure is bullish.
2. Price consolidates beneath resistance.
3. A meaningful bullish BOS occurs.
4. Price retraces towards the broken level.
5. The level starts holding as support.
6. Lower-timeframe bullish confirmation develops.
7. Enter at market with your stop and size already set.

22.2Bearish continuation

1. Higher-timeframe structure is bearish.
2. Price consolidates above support.
3. A meaningful bearish BOS occurs.
4. Price retraces towards the broken level.
5. The level starts holding as resistance.
6. Lower-timeframe bearish confirmation develops.
7. Enter at market with your stop and size already set.

Key principle

Don't buy after a big bullish candle, or sell after a big bearish one, without checking where your stop goes and how much room is left.

Some higher-timeframe areas are too big to boil down to one small entry. So we mark a wider zone and trade the reactions inside it.

SNIPER FX zones on gold are 100 or 150 pips wide.

The concept

1. Price enters the higher-timeframe zone.
2. A reaction develops.
3. The position is managed by the rules set in advance.
4. If price then pushes deeper into the zone, a new setup can form.

23.1Reaction trades

A reaction trade aims for a short move away from the zone.

It isn't trying to catch the whole reversal.

23.2Reversal trades

A reversal trade aims for a bigger move, backed by a change in structure.

23.3Zone shifting

We only shift a zone higher or lower after the first trade has been closed in profit or moved to breakeven.

The new zone still needs its own valid setup.

It is never a way of re-entering again and again against a strong trend.

A breakeven trade before it doesn't make the next entry any safer.

How SNIPER FX zones work

Adapting the zone

There are two ways to time the entry. Both are market entries.

24.1Aggressive entry

An aggressive entry is taken in the higher-timeframe zone before the full lower-timeframe confirmation has formed.

Potential advantages

• Earlier entry
• Potentially more favourable entry price
• Possible access to the initial reaction

Disadvantages

• Less confirmation
• Greater exposure to failed zones
• More uncertainty about the turning point

24.2Confirmation entry

A confirmation entry waits for more evidence:

• Liquidity Sweep

CHoCH

• Displacement
• Retracement

Potential advantages

• Clearer evidence of structural change
• More defined execution criteria
• Easier to review consistently

Disadvantages

• Later entry
• Potentially less favourable price
• Some moves occur without a retracement

Learn the confirmation entry first. Aggressive entries come later.

Test both separately.

Put the stop where the trade idea is proven wrong, not at a random number.

25.1Sell positions

Common places:

• Above the relevant swing high
• Above the liquidity sweep high
• Above the higher-timeframe supply zone
• Above the structure that must remain intact

25.2Buy positions

Common places:

• Below the relevant swing low
• Below the liquidity sweep low
• Below the higher-timeframe demand zone
• Below the structure that must remain intact

25.3Zone-based stops

1. On SNIPER FX zones, the stop goes 50 pips beyond the end of the zone.
2. That buffer is set for our zones. It isn't right for every setup.
3. Brokers count gold pips differently. We count a $1 move as 10 pips.
4. Always check the actual price distance and your broker's contract details.

A sensible stop allows for:

• Market structure
• Normal volatility
• Spread
• Slippage
• Execution conditions
• The broker’s quotation format

Never move your stop further away because price is getting close to it.

If the stop is hit, the idea was wrong. Take the loss.

Even a good strategy has losing streaks.

Risk management makes sure a run of losses doesn't wreck your account.

26.1Maximum risk per setup

Our ceiling is 1% of your account per setup, counting every entry in it.

That's a maximum, not a target. You don't have to risk 1% every time.

Example

• Account equity: £10,000
• Maximum planned setup risk: 1%
• Maximum loss budget: £100

If you split the position into several entries, all of them together must lose no more than £100 at the stop.

Slippage and gaps can still make the loss slightly bigger.

26.2Position sizing

Work out position size from:

• Account equity
• Maximum risk percentage
• Entry price
• Stop-loss price
• Instrument contract specification
• Account currency
• Broker tick value

Formula

Use your own broker's XAUUSD contract details.

Lot sizes and pip values are not the same at every broker.

Layering means splitting one planned position into a few smaller entries.

All of them belong to the same setup and are planned before the first one is taken. Each is taken at market when price reaches its level.

Example risk allocation

Entry 1

0.30%

Entry 2

0.30%

Entry 3

0.40%

Total Risk

1.00%

Work out each layer's risk from its own distance to the stop. Splitting the lot size evenly is not the same thing.

Layering rules

1. Establish the maximum combined risk before entry.
2. Calculate each layer’s potential loss.
3. Account for existing open positions.
4. Do not increase total risk because price moves against the first entry.
5. Do not add layers outside the original plan.
6. Layering is not averaging down without a plan.
7. Recalculate exposure whenever positions are opened, closed or modified.
8. Consider correlated positions when assessing total account risk.

Layering doesn't remove risk. More entries means a bigger loss if you don't control the total.

Layering example from the VIP chat

Moving the stop to breakeven is part of how we manage trades.

Do it too early and normal pullbacks will close you out.

28.1When might breakeven be considered?

When to consider it:

1. Price reaches a predefined profit multiple.
2. Price reaches the first structural objective.
3. A meaningful BOS develops in the trade direction.
4. Price moves beyond a significant liquidity level.
5. A predetermined partial-profit target is achieved.

28.2Example

1. A sell moves away from resistance in your favour.
2. Price breaks a significant 5M low.
3. Now decide whether the structure supports moving the stop.

28.3Important rule

Breakeven should be a rule you've tested, not a reaction to seeing profit.

A stop at your entry price can still close at a small loss after spread, commission or slippage.

Taking partials means closing part of the position before the final target.

Common partial targets:

• Previous swing highs
• Previous swing lows
• Opposing liquidity
• Support and resistance
• Higher-timeframe zones
• Fixed risk multiples

Example management structure

TP1

First opposing structural level.

TP2

Next significant liquidity area.

Runner

Remaining position managed towards a larger higher-timeframe objective.

This is an example, not a proven best way to exit.

Partials lock in profit and cut your exposure.

The trade-off: you have less on if price keeps running.

Use your own trading data to decide how much to close and where.

We often leave part of a winning trade open to catch a bigger move.

You don't need to call the exact top or bottom to get paid on the bigger move.

Potential runner management methods

• Trailing behind meaningful structural highs or lows
• Using a predefined higher-timeframe target
• Reducing exposure at opposing zones
• Exiting after a confirmed opposing structural shift

A runner is still an open trade.

Unless you have a guaranteed stop, gaps and slippage can close it at a worse price than planned.

Profit on a runner isn't yours until it's closed.

The session affects how much gold moves and how well orders fill.

The three sessions:

• Asian Session
• London Session
• New York Session

31.1SNIPER FX session preference

We take new entries in London and New York, not in the Asian session.

That's our preference. Asian setups can work, we just don't trade them.

31.2London session

Volume picks up as Europe opens.

31.3New York session

Often the most volatile session, especially around US data.

31.4London–New York overlap

When London and New York are both open, gold is at its busiest.

Busier doesn't mean better setups.

Session rule

A setup still has to meet every rule.

Don't enter just because a session has opened.

We trade the chart, but big US data releases move gold hard.

Important events

CPI

Consumer Price Index

US inflation. It moves interest-rate expectations, and gold with them.

NFP

Non-Farm Payrolls

US jobs data, usually the first Friday of the month. It moves the dollar, yields and gold.

FOMC

Federal Open Market Committee

Fed rate decisions and press conferences. They can reprice everything in minutes.

PCE inflation

The inflation measure the Fed watches most closely.

Interest-rate decisions

Higher rates make holding gold less attractive, so rate expectations matter.

32.1SNIPER FX news approach

Don't open new trades just before big news. Let the first spike settle.

Then look again at:

• Higher-timeframe structure
• Liquidity events
• New support and resistance
• Displacement
• Retest opportunities
• Spreads
• Execution conditions

32.2Post-news trading

1. A sweep after the news, followed by a CHoCH, can set up a trade.
2. The first move can also just keep going.
3. There's no reliable post-news pattern.

Answer these before every trade.

Market context

• Have I analysed the Daily chart?
• Have I analysed the 4H chart?
• Have I identified the relevant 1H structure?
• Is the market trending or ranging?
• Do I understand the higher-timeframe directional context?

Trading zone

• Have I identified a meaningful supply or demand area?
• Does the area align with MSNR?
• Is there a relevant order block or FVG?
• Is the zone clearly defined?
• Do I know where the zone becomes invalid?

Liquidity

• Have I identified nearby buy-side and sell-side liquidity?
• Has a relevant liquidity sweep occurred, if required by my model?
• Am I entering before or after the liquidity event?
• Is there enough room to the next opposing liquidity area?

Market structure

• Has the relevant BOS or CHoCH occurred?
• Was the structural break meaningful?
• Did the break close beyond the predefined swing?
• Was displacement present?
• Has price confirmed the proposed direction?

Entry

• Am I using a defined entry model?
• Has price reached the planned entry area?
• Is the entry based on confirmation rather than emotion?
• Is my stop placed at a logical invalidation point?
• Does the available reward justify the risk?

Risk management

• Have I calculated the correct position size?
• Is the combined setup risk within my limit?
• Have I accounted for all planned layers?
• Do I know my first profit target?
• Do I know my breakeven conditions?
• Do I know when the setup must be cancelled?

Execution conditions

• Is this an appropriate trading session?
• Have I checked the economic calendar?
• Are spreads and market conditions acceptable?
• Am I avoiding revenge trading?
• Would I still take this setup if my previous trade had been a loss?

If the required conditions for your model aren't there, there's no trade.

Rule 1Structure before everything

Read the higher-timeframe structure before you look for an entry.

Rule 2Trade from meaningful areas

Trade from marked support, resistance, supply and demand, not from the middle of nowhere.

Rule 3Understand liquidity

Know where the stops and breakout orders are likely to be.

Rule 4Wait for your entry model

A good zone is not an entry signal.

Rule 5Prioritise quality confluences

Structure, location, liquidity and timing should all agree.

Rule 6Define risk before entering

Know your stop, your size and your maximum loss before you enter.

Rule 7Manage the trade according to plan

Partials, breakeven and exits follow the rules you set beforehand.

Rule 8Never force the market

Missing a trade is part of trading.

Some sessions give you nothing. That's fine.

Mistake 1Entering from every order block

Not every order block is significant.

Mistake 2Treating every wick as a liquidity sweep

A wick through a level isn't a reversal on its own.

Mistake 3Ignoring higher-timeframe structure

A small 5M pattern can fail against a strong 4H movement.

Mistake 4Trading every CHoCH

Lots of CHoCHs fail, especially in a range.

Mistake 5Entering before price reaches the planned zone

You get a worse price and no clear stop.

Mistake 6Moving stops further away

It turns a planned loss into a bigger one.

Mistake 7Adding unlimited layers

All entries together must stay inside the setup's risk.

Mistake 8Moving to breakeven emotionally

Moving the stop too early gets you taken out of good trades.

Mistake 9Trading immediately before major news

Spreads widen and price can jump in seconds.

Mistake 10Assuming every reaction will become a reversal

A bounce isn't a trend change.

Mistake 11Chasing missed entries

If you missed it, you missed it. Wait for the next one.

Mistake 12Failing to record results

Without records you can't know whether your trading actually works.

Keep a journal of every trade.

Information to record

• Date of execution
• Instrument traded
• Trading session
• Buy or sell direction
• Daily directional context
• 4H trading zone
• 1H structure
• Entry model
• Liquidity event
• BOS or CHoCH confirmation
• Displacement
• Entry price
• Stop-loss price
• Position size
• Risk percentage
• Profit objectives
• Realised result
• R-multiple
• Before-and-after screenshots
• Execution notes
• Lessons learned

36.1Win rate

The percentage of trades that close in profit.

36.2Average winner

The average profit on your winning trades.

36.3Average loser

The average loss on your losing trades.

36.4Risk-to-reward

What you stand to make compared with what you risk.

36.5Expectancy

What you can expect to make or lose per trade on average, based on your past results.

Formula

Example

Win Rate

45%

Average Winner

2R

Loss Rate

55%

Average Loser

1R

Expectancy:

Made-up numbers to show the maths. These are not SNIPER FX results.

Use real results, including spreads, commission and slippage.

Phase 1Pre-market analysis

1. Open the Daily chart.
2. Identify the current structural direction.
3. Mark major Daily highs and lows.
4. Move to the 4H chart.
5. Identify the strongest relevant supply and demand zones.
6. Mark significant MSNR levels.
7. Identify potential liquidity areas.
8. Move to the 1H chart.
9. Refine the relevant zones.
10. Check the economic calendar.
11. Define bullish and bearish scenarios.
12. Establish conditions that would invalidate each scenario.

Phase 2Waiting for price

1. No entries outside the plan.
2. Let price come to your areas.
3. Monitor the relevant session.
4. Reassess if market structure changes.

Phase 3Entry confirmation

1. Observe the initial reaction.
2. Identify any relevant liquidity sweep.
3. Move to the 15M and 5M charts.
4. Wait for the required structural confirmation.
5. Assess displacement.
6. Identify the retracement area.
7. Calculate risk.
8. Check the nearest opposing target.
9. Execute only if the model remains valid.

Phase 4Trade management

1. Maintain the predefined invalidation level.
2. Monitor progress towards structural objectives.
3. Manage partial profits according to the plan.
4. Apply breakeven rules when their conditions are met.
5. Manage any remaining position towards the planned target.
6. Avoid unplanned additional exposure.

Phase 5Post-trade review

1. Record the result.
2. Save chart screenshots.
3. Identify which conditions were satisfied.
4. Evaluate whether execution followed the plan.
5. Record any mistakes.
6. Update the performance journal.
7. Review patterns across a meaningful sample of trades.

Step 1Analyse

Daily4H1H

Read the bigger picture.

Step 2Identify

SupplyDemandMSNRLiquidity

Find the areas where a trade could set up.

Step 3Wait

Let price reach your area.

Step 4Confirm

Liquidity SweepCHoCH/BOSDisplacement

Check price is doing what the setup needs.

Step 5Refine

Order BlockFVGStructural Retest

Find the entry area.

Step 6Calculate

EntryStop LossPosition SizeTarget

Know the risk before you enter.

Step 7Execute

Enter at market only when every condition is met.

Step 8Manage

Partial ProfitsBreakeven RulesFinal Target

Follow the plan.

Step 9Review

JournalAnalyseImprove

Use your real results to improve.

Knowing the concepts isn't the same as having rules anyone can follow.

These are the parts that need an exact definition, so every member marks the chart the same way.

39.1Swing points

Define the exact criteria for identifying valid swing highs and lows.

39.2Break of structure

Define whether confirmation requires a candle close and how displacement is measured.

39.3Change of character

Define which structural swing must be broken.

39.4Liquidity sweep

Define the minimum conditions for a qualifying sweep.

39.5Order block

Define which candle boundaries are used to mark the area.

39.6Fair value gap

Define the minimum acceptable size and conditions for validity.

39.7Zone selection

Define how competing 4H and 1H zones are ranked.

39.8Entry trigger

Market orders only. We never use buy limit or sell limit orders. Define the exact confirmation that has to appear before the market entry.

39.9Stop-loss buffer

Define whether stops use structure-based or volatility-adjusted distances.

39.10Layering

Define the maximum number of entries and the risk allocation.

39.11Breakeven

Define the exact trigger for moving the stop.

39.12Partial profits

Define the percentage closed at each objective.

39.13Session filter

Define the permitted entry times.

39.14News filter

Define the exclusion window around major announcements.

39.15Daily risk limit

Define the maximum daily loss and the conditions for stopping.

39.16Setup cancellation

Define when a setup is cancelled before entry. As we never leave pending orders, a cancelled setup simply means no trade.

Two traders can know the same SMC concepts and still take completely different trades.

Clear rules mean two people looking at the same chart reach the same decision.

We don't need twenty setups a day.

We need the few that meet our rules, and the discipline to wait for them.

We read the higher-timeframe structure, mark support, resistance, supply, demand and liquidity, and wait for the lower timeframe to confirm.

We mark our areas before price gets there.

We check that price is doing what the idea needs.

We define our risk before entering.

We manage the trade by the rules we set beforehand.

And sometimes the right trade is no trade.

We aren't trying to predict every move. We want a process we can repeat, measure and improve.

Plan with precision. Execute with discipline.
Precision over frequency.