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Futures · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minMicro E-mini specs side by side: MES, MNQ, MYM and M2KTick size, tick value, point value, hours and settlement for the four equity-index micro E-mini futures, plus how to turn any price move into dollars.Futures · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minFutures rollover and expiration: contract months, roll week and settlementHow micro E-mini contract months are named, when equity index futures expire and roll, why months trade at different prices, and an expiry-week checklist.
Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minPosition sizing with 1R: turn a stop into a contract countHow to set a fixed risk unit, convert any stop into a contract count for MES or MNQ, round down, include costs, and skip trades that do not fit.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minExpectancy beyond win rate: what a trade rule earns per trade in RHow to calculate expectancy in R, find the breakeven win rate for any target after costs, and see why 20 trades say little about an edge.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minDrawdown math and risk of ruin: why small risk per trade survivesThe arithmetic of drawdowns: recovery gains, what losing streaks do at each risk level, how often streaks happen, and drawdown rules to write down before one.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minA daily loss limit you will actually respect: size it, define it, automate itHow to set a daily loss limit in R and as a percentage of the account, define what counts toward it, add weekly and monthly caps, and stop mechanically.
Setups · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minVWAP explained for futures: calculation, session anchors and two rulesHow VWAP is calculated, why the reset time matters for index futures, anchored VWAP and bands, and two rule-written ways to use it as a reference level.Setups · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minOpening range breakout as rules: a testable ORB card for MESThe opening range breakout written as explicit rules for index futures: range, trigger, entry, stop, 2R target, time exit and the days to stand aside.
Process · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minThe weekly trading review in five questions, measured in RA 30-minute weekly review in five questions: rule adherence, mistake cost by tag, setup expectancy, risk checks and one change, with a filled-in example week.Process · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minA trade journal template: the fields that matter, measured in RA practical trade journal template with the fields that matter, a filled-in example with losses, mistake tags you can count, and about five minutes per trade.
Options · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCovered calls, risk first: what you own, what you sell, what you can loseA covered call keeps nearly all of the stock's downside while capping the upside. Payoff table, breakeven, assignment, rolling, costs and a checklist.Options · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCash-secured puts, risk first: what you agree to buy and what it can costSelling a cash-secured put means promising to buy 100 shares at the strike. Payoff table, breakeven, assignment, gap risk, costs and a pre-trade checklist.
Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minTrading in a TFSA: when the CRA can treat it as a businessActive trading in a TFSA can be taxed as business income. The CRA factors, what a TFSA can hold, options limits, the 1% excess tax and a red-flag self-check.Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCapital gains vs business income: how Canada taxes active tradersWhy the CRA's capital-versus-income line matters for Canadian traders: inclusion rate, loss rules, the factors it weighs, Form T123 and records to keep.Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCanada's superficial loss rule: the 61-day window with worked examplesHow Canada's superficial loss rule works: the 61-day window, identical property, spouses, corporations and TFSAs, ACB adjustments and three worked examples.
Practical guides for self-directed traders.
Rules you can write down, risk you can size, and a review routine you can keep. 15 guides so far, newest first in each topic.
Micro E-mini basics
Contract specs, tick value, margin and trading sessions in plain language.
Futures · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minMicro E-mini specs side by side: MES, MNQ, MYM and M2KTick size, tick value, point value, hours and settlement for the four equity-index micro E-mini futures, plus how to turn any price move into dollars.Futures · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minFutures rollover and expiration: contract months, roll week and settlementHow micro E-mini contract months are named, when equity index futures expire and roll, why months trade at different prices, and an expiry-week checklist.Position sizing with 1R
Turn a stop distance into a contract count, and set a daily loss limit you will respect.
Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minPosition sizing with 1R: turn a stop into a contract countHow to set a fixed risk unit, convert any stop into a contract count for MES or MNQ, round down, include costs, and skip trades that do not fit.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minExpectancy beyond win rate: what a trade rule earns per trade in RHow to calculate expectancy in R, find the breakeven win rate for any target after costs, and see why 20 trades say little about an edge.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minDrawdown math and risk of ruin: why small risk per trade survivesThe arithmetic of drawdowns: recovery gains, what losing streaks do at each risk level, how often streaks happen, and drawdown rules to write down before one.Risk · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minA daily loss limit you will actually respect: size it, define it, automate itHow to set a daily loss limit in R and as a percentage of the account, define what counts toward it, add weekly and monthly caps, and stop mechanically.Opening range & VWAP
Intraday setups written as rules, with the conditions that invalidate them.
Setups · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minVWAP explained for futures: calculation, session anchors and two rulesHow VWAP is calculated, why the reset time matters for index futures, anchored VWAP and bands, and two rule-written ways to use it as a reference level.Setups · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minOpening range breakout as rules: a testable ORB card for MESThe opening range breakout written as explicit rules for index futures: range, trigger, entry, stop, 2R target, time exit and the days to stand aside.Journaling & weekly review
Templates and the questions that make each review useful.
Process · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minThe weekly trading review in five questions, measured in RA 30-minute weekly review in five questions: rule adherence, mistake cost by tag, setup expectancy, risk checks and one change, with a filled-in example week.Process · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minA trade journal template: the fields that matter, measured in RA practical trade journal template with the fields that matter, a filled-in example with losses, mistake tags you can count, and about five minutes per trade.Options income, risk first
Covered calls and cash-secured puts, starting with what can go wrong.
Options · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCovered calls, risk first: what you own, what you sell, what you can loseA covered call keeps nearly all of the stock's downside while capping the upside. Payoff table, breakeven, assignment, rolling, costs and a checklist.Options · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCash-secured puts, risk first: what you agree to buy and what it can costSelling a cash-secured put means promising to buy 100 shares at the strike. Payoff table, breakeven, assignment, gap risk, costs and a pre-trade checklist.Taxes for Canadian traders
Capital vs business income, the superficial-loss rule and record-keeping — general information, not tax advice.
Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minTrading in a TFSA: when the CRA can treat it as a businessActive trading in a TFSA can be taxed as business income. The CRA factors, what a TFSA can hold, options limits, the 1% excess tax and a red-flag self-check.Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCapital gains vs business income: how Canada taxes active tradersWhy the CRA's capital-versus-income line matters for Canadian traders: inclusion rate, loss rules, the factors it weighs, Form T123 and records to keep.Canada · Oct 23, 2026 · 7 minCanada's superficial loss rule: the 61-day window with worked examplesHow Canada's superficial loss rule works: the 61-day window, identical property, spouses, corporations and TFSAs, ACB adjustments and three worked examples.Get an email when new guides and the micro E-mini playbook are published.
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