**A+ ICT Entry Checklist - ICT Concepts — Transcript & Summary | SozAI**
Source: https://sozai.app/transcript/a-ict-entry-checklist-ict-concepts-wait-that-includes-an-article/

TTrades walks through his A+ ICT entry checklist: stop raid, market structure shift, discount/premium pullback, and PD arrays (FVG, order block, breaker, OTE) with NASDAQ and ES examples.

## Key Takeaways

- A+ entries require a liquidity raid, a structure shift, and a pullback into discount or premium before entry.
- PD arrays (FVG, order block, breaker block, OTE) can be used individually or combined for higher-confluence entries.
- Entry precision trades off risk-to-reward against the probability of getting filled.
- Multi-timeframe analysis (daily to 5-minute) helps identify the points of interest used for entries.

## What the video covers

- Once a daily bias is set, the presenter uses a checklist to confirm all criteria before taking an entry.
- Step 1: a stop raid, where a low (or high) is taken out before price reverses.
- Step 2: a market structure shift or displacement, where a previous high is broken with aggressive movement.
- Step 3: a pullback into a discount (for longs) or premium (for shorts) of the price range, using the 0.5 equilibrium and the OTE zone.
- Step 4: a PD array such as a fair value gap, order block, breaker block, or the OTE itself, which can be used alone or blended.
- Example 1 on NASDAQ 15-minute: sell-side liquidity raid, shift in structure, then entry at an FVG nested in an order block aligned with the box setup, targeting buy-side liquidity.
- Entry placement is a tradeoff: entering closer to the stop improves risk-to-reward but risks not getting filled.
- Example 2 on the 5-minute chart shows a breaker block with an FVG inside, with entries at the breaker or the FVG depending on how deep price retraces.
- Example 3 on ES 1-minute: a stop raid on a high, shift in structure, then a retracement into an OTE filling a breaker and FVG before continuing lower.
- Example 4 shows the same setup on the 5-minute with an order block entry targeting a new low, stop above the order block high.

## Chapters

1. 00:00 Introduction and Checklist Overview
2. 01:00 Blending PD Array Concepts
3. 01:53 NASDAQ 15-Minute Example and Entry Model
4. 02:43 Choosing Entry Placement and Risk-to-Reward
5. 03:43 Breaker Block and Fair Value Gap Example
6. 04:43 Order Block Entry on the 5-Minute Chart
7. 05:25 ES 1-Minute Stop Raid and OTE Example
8. 05:45 Multi-Timeframe Volume Imbalance Example

Answers

## Questions about this video

What are the four steps of the A+ ICT entry checklist?

The presenter checks for a stop raid (a low or high taken out), a market structure shift or displacement, a pullback into a discount or premium of the range, and finally a PD array such as a fair value gap, order block, breaker block, or OTE. All must be present before entering.

How does the presenter decide where to place an entry?

He balances risk-to-reward against the chance of being filled. Entering closer to the stop improves risk-to-reward but may cause the trade to be missed, so he looks for a middle ground based on what catches his eye.

Can these concepts be used together?

Yes. The presenter says each concept works as an entry model alone, but he often blends one to three, such as placing an entry at a fair value gap nested within an order block that sits inside an OTE.

## Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

00:03

Speaker A

how's it going everyone? This video is going to be over my A+ ICT entry checklist. Once I have a daily bias or direction, I will use this checklist to make sure all requirements are met before I take an entry. Let's take a look into the checklist, and then we will go into some examples with this checklist.

00:22

Speaker A

into the checklist and then we will go into some examples with this checklist I focus on a few things we'll go through them in order the first thing I focus on is a stop raid this just means that a

00:33

Speaker A

I focus on a few things, and we'll go through them in order. The first thing I focus on is a stop raid. This just means that a low was put in before it was raided or broken. The next thing I look for is a market structure shift or displacement. This means that a previous high was broken and aggressively moved over. The next thing I look for is where there is a little bit of flexibility. I generally like to see price move back into a discount of this price range here. The next thing I look for is some sort of PD array, where generally I prefer to have a fair value gap or an order block, but I will also use an OTE in this area, as well as a breaker block.

00:47

Speaker A

a little bit flexibility I generally like to see price move back into a discount of this price range here the next thing I look for is some sort of PD array where generally I prefer to have a fair value gut

01:00

Speaker A

I know this got a little bit messy, so let me expand it out and show each different one. Each one of these concepts could be used as an entry model by themselves. However, I like to blend one, two, or three of these concepts together for my personal strategy. For example, I will look for a fair value gap in an optimal trade entry, or I'll look for the breaker block setup in an optimal trade entry. There are many different ways to blend these concepts. I just do what catches my eye the most.

01:15

Speaker A

could be used as an entry model by themselves however I like to blend one two or three of these Concepts together for my personal strategy for example I will look for a fair value Gap in an optimal trade entry or I'll look for the

01:29

Speaker A

Let's get into some examples where I will show each one of these individually or blended together. For this first example, we are going to look at NASDAQ on the 15-minute chart and watch the price action as we reach this daily fair value gap fill below. As we let this play out, the first thing we want to notice is that we have sell-side liquidity resting right here. As price moves into that level, you can see we get a nice reaction out of it. However, have we shifted structure yet? No. With this next candle, we have shifted structure, so we have that sell-side liquidity, or stop raid, and our shift in structure.

01:41

Speaker A

for this first example we are going to look at NASDAQ on the 15 minute chart and watch the price action as we reach this daily fair value Gap fill below so as we let this play out the first thing

01:53

Speaker A

Now I'm going to be looking for an entry model. Going through each concept individually, the first one we have is discount and premium. Ideally, with this displacement range, I'm not looking to go long above this 0.5. I'd want to be longing this green section down here. Taking that one step further by using an OTE, I can see that this is our premium up here, where I do not want to be longing, and this narrows down my discount range to my OTE right in here. The next thing I could look for is a fair value gap, which we have a very small one right here, as well as an order block, which would be this down-close candle right here, and then a breaker block would be these up-close candles here before the raid on liquidity. Lastly, for the box setup, I would be looking for price to reach into this area here. As you can see, all these concepts presented themselves.

02:09

Speaker A

structure so we have that sell side liquidity or stop rate our shift in structure now I'm going to be looking for an entry model so going through each concept individually the first one we have is discount and premium so ideally

02:24

Speaker A

How do I choose where I take an entry? This comes down to risk-to-reward and what catches my eye. I know that as I move my entry closer to my stop loss, my risk-to-reward increases. However, the further I go, there is also the possibility that I do not get filled on this trade. So what I try to do is find a balance between risk-to-reward, what catches my eye, and just getting into the trade.

02:39

Speaker A

be longing and this Narrows down my discount range to my OTE right in here the next thing I could look for is a fair value gap which we have a very small one right here as well as an order

02:53

Speaker A

So if I was looking at this trade, what would I do? The first thing I would do is mark out my OTE, and then I am searching for a PD array around this area. What do I see in here? I have a fair value gap, and this is nested within this order block here. This also lines up with the box setup. So for my entry, I would personally be looking to enter the trade right here, with my stop on this low, first partial here, and then looking for buy-side liquidity up here. Letting this play out, that would be my partial, and then depending on if I move my stop to break even, it would have hit buy-side liquidity here.

03:09

Speaker A

you can see all these Concepts presented themselves how do I choose where I take an entry and this comes down to risk to reward in what catches my eye I know that as I move my entry closer to my

03:20

Speaker A

For this next example, I'm looking at this range here. We're at a premium of that range, as well as a premium of this displacement range back down, and we have all these equal lows resting below. Let's dive in. Here we are on the five-minute chart. If you want to pause and see what you see, go ahead and do that. The first thing I notice is that we have our buy-side liquidity resting here that we were taking. We have a move up there, an aggressive move off of that. If we're looking at this structure, we have a high, low, higher high. What I notice here is this breaker block. The next thing I notice is what is within that breaker block, and we have a fair value gap resting right here. So what I'd like to see is price return to this breaker block, and at the most, into this fair value gap.

03:31

Speaker A

what catches my eye and just getting into the trade so if I was looking at this trade what would I do the first thing I would do is Mark out my OTE and then I am searching for a PD array

03:42

Speaker A

Looking at it, if I was just going to take the breaker block entry, it would look something like this. However, if I was going to narrow that down to the fair value gap, it would look something like this. Letting this play out, and if I was too partial and reached for those lows I talked about earlier, it would look something like this, and you can see we go and reach those lows. Just to review the checklist, we have a stop right here, a market structure shift here, a return to a premium with PD arrays before moving away.

03:57

Speaker A

enter the trade right here My Stop on this low first partial here and then looking for buy side liquidity up here so letting this play out that would be my partial and then depending on if I move my stop to break

04:17

Speaker A

For the next example, we are going to be looking at ES on the one-minute chart. If you notice, we have a high resting right here. You can see we break this high, we close back in, and currently the body is respecting this level here. This is our stop raid, here is our shift in structure. What am I looking for now? I'm looking for a PD array in an OTE or in a premium. Whenever this low is put in, I'm going to mark out the Fib. What do I have in this area right here? Well, I have a breaker block and a fair value gap. Letting this play out, price reaches up, fills that fair value gap, reaches up into an OTE before continuing lower, and my risk would look something like this.

04:31

Speaker A

so let's dive into here so here we are on the five minute chart and if you want to pause and see what you see go ahead and do that first thing I notice is we have our buy side liquidity resting here that we were

04:43

Speaker A

Now, if we go to the five-minute and look at the exact same example, it is the same setup but looks a little bit different. If you notice here, we have this high that was created by the move up. We get an aggressive displacement down. This is our shift in structure. Then, marking out our OTE, we reach back up into an OTE. What PD array do we have in this area? We have an order block right here, and with that, my entry would be on this order block, targeting a new low, with my stop above the order block high.

04:57

Speaker A

notice is what is within that breaker block and we have a fair value Gap resting right here so what I'd like to see is price return to this breaker block and at the most into this fair value Gap so looking at

05:11

Speaker A

For this next example, we have NASDAQ on the one-minute chart. If you notice, we did go a tick below this low, but I do not count that personally. What happens next? We get this displacement up. Does this meet my criteria? No. I prefer to have a stop raid prior to the displacement, so I am not counting this as a displacement move up. See, price tends to be supporting there, then it drops lower, so I'm watching this low now. What happens? We get a move below this range and then back into the range. So aggressive down, aggressive up, this is the deviation from the range, and so accumulation and manipulation. I want to see distribution, so ideally I'm looking for a retest of this manipulation, to then be reaching for the other side here before going higher. Let's see what happens. If you notice, how these candles are not closing below this old low... there we go, we move higher. Take partials and let's see what happens. We have all this liquidity resting above, and there we go. Although we did not shift structure prior to this entry, this is a box setup entry. I wanted to throw it in here just to show that without a lower-timeframe liquidity raid prior to a move, I am not interested in it.

05:29

Speaker A

and if I was too partial and reach for those lows I talked about earlier it would look something like this and you can see we go and reach those lows and just to review the checklist we have a stop right here in Market structure

05:45

Speaker A

For this last example, I'm going to go from the daily down to the five-minute. If you notice here, the point of interest is this volume imbalance on ES. Going down to the hourly chart, we can see that there was a stop right here, a displacement move up, marking out that displacement move with a Fib. We are now reaching back into an equilibrium on the hourly. Going down to the 15-minute chart, here's that equilibrium. Here is sell-side liquidity...

06:02

Speaker A

you can see we break this High we close back in and currently the body is respecting this level here is our stop raid here is our shift and structure what am I looking for now I'm looking for a PD

06:19

Speaker A

array in an OTE or in a premium whenever this low is put in if that is our low going to Mark out the FIB and what do I have in this area right here well I have a breaker block

06:33

Speaker A

and a fair value Gap so letting this play out price reaches up fills that fair value Gap reaches up into an OTE before continuing lower and my risk would look something like this now if we go to the five minute and look

06:54

Speaker A

at the exact same example it is the same setup but looks a little bit different so if you notice here we have this high or this high that was rated by the move up we get an aggressive displacement down this is our

07:07

Speaker A

fifth instructor and then marking out our OTE we reach back up into an OTE what PD array do we have in this area well we have an order block right here and with that my entry would be on this

07:18

Speaker A

order block targeting a new low and my stop on the order block High for this next example we have NASDAQ on the one minute chart if you notice we did go a tick below this low but I do

07:31

Speaker A

not count that personally but what happens we get this placement up does this meet my criteria no I prefer to have a stop rate prior to the displacement so I am not counting this as a displacement move up

07:47

Speaker A

see price tends to be supporting there then it drops lower so I'm working out this low now what happens we get a move below this range and then back into the range so aggress it down aggressive up this is the deviation from

08:06

Speaker A

the range and so accumulation manipulation I want to see distribution so ideally I'm looking for a retest of this manipulation to then be reaching for the other side here before going higher so let's see what happens if you notice how these candles are not

08:30

Speaker A

closing below this old blow there we go you move higher take partials and let's see what happens we have all this liquidity resting above and there we go and although we did not shift structure prior to this entry this

08:49

Speaker A

is a box setup entry and I wanted to throw it in here just to show that without a lower time frame liquidity rate prior to a move I am not interested in it for this last example I'm going to

09:00

Speaker A

go from the daily down to the five minute so if you notice here the point of interest is this volume imbalance on ES going down to the hourly chart we can see that there was a stop right here a

09:11

Speaker A

displacement move up marking out that displacement move with a fib we are now reaching back into an equilibrium on the hourly going down to the 15 minute chart here's that equilibrium here is sell side liquidity let's see what happens

09:28

Speaker A

get an aggressive move Below sell side into the point of Interest and we get displacement back up if you notice we do have a fair value Gap right here however does that meet all my criteria it does not because it is in a

09:43

Speaker A

premium of the range so from here I will go down to the five minute I'm going to get rid of the point of Interest so we can see better we have a fair value Gap right here and if we get rid of the area that is in

09:55

Speaker A

a premium looks like this and from here we have order block fair value Gap so I would be looking to enter here putting my stop on this order block low partial or move my stop to break even your target the initial highs from the

10:12

Speaker A

morning and from there let runners run so letting this play out there's the entry gets respected and then we displace higher just to review everything and look for a stop grade a shift in structure a return to equilibrium or OTE some sort of PD

10:35

Speaker A

array that catches my eye and then manage my risk in order to have solid wrist reward I hope you found this video beneficial if you did please consider liking and subscribing I hope you have a great rest of your day see ya

Topics: ICT entry checklist fair value gap order block breaker block optimal trade entry liquidity raid market structure shift NASDAQ ES futures

Study this video

- [Flashcards from this video](https://sozai.app/tools/ai-flashcard-generator/?from=transcript&id=87063)
- [Quiz on this video](https://sozai.app/tools/quiz-generator/?from=transcript&id=87063)

Free, made by AI from this transcript. No signup.


---
This is the markdown twin of https://sozai.app/transcript/a-ict-entry-checklist-ict-concepts-wait-that-includes-an-article/ — the same content, without the markup.
Published by SozAI (https://sozai.app). Reuse and quotation are allowed with attribution and a link back.
Machine-readable index: https://sozai.app/llms.txt · data API: https://sozai.app/api/