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The pre-trade checklist

5 questions before every entry.

7 min · Beginner

What you'll learn

• Apply five yes-or-no questions before every entry
• Calculate position size and reward-to-risk as part of the checklist
• Reject trades that fail any single question, including your own state

Key takeaways

• Five questions before every entry: level, confirmation, invalidation and size, 2R target, and state.
• Answer with numbers, not checkmarks, so the math is real.
• One no means no trade, even when the chart looks good.
• Your own state is part of the setup; cooldowns and daily limits are checklist items.

Glossary

• Pre-trade checklist — Five yes-or-no questions answered with numbers before every entry; one no cancels the trade.
• Invalidation — The specific price or candle close that proves the trade idea wrong and sets your stop.
• Trader state — Whether you are inside your limits and calm enough to follow your plan.

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