ES EMINI AM BRIEFING #779

Three Ways to Earn Points — Know Your Path

George opened by reminding the group that the MicrosTrader system has three distinct profit centers — and each one can dominate any given week. Understanding which tool fits your schedule changes everything. Right now, Core Strategy is the star of the show.

• Battle Plan (BP1–BP5): Published daily with key long and short entries. Available to all subscribers. Delivers clean setups at defined price levels — no guesswork. This week’s overnight action showed Battle Plan 1 paying out on both the long and the short.
• Core Strategy: Rule-based, real-time entries for full members. George estimated 50+ points available just from Core Strategy entries yesterday alone. “Off the chain” were his exact words. The Core Strategy and Battle Plan are designed to complement each other.
• Live Zoom: Full members join George each morning for real-time analysis, live trade calls, and direct coaching. George’s stated goal is to marry all three into one unified approach — and last night was a beautiful example of exactly that.

Scott’s Journal — Taking Both the Long and the Short

George spent significant time highlighting Scott’s trade journal from last night — and for good reason. This is exactly the kind of trading the group is built around. Scott read the Battle Plan notes, identified the alternative setups, and executed with precision on both sides of the market in the same session.

• The setup: George’s Battle Plan notes specifically warned: if aggressive on the short side, the loss of the 7536 Strong Level and/or the loss of Battle Plan 1 could represent a short targeting BP2 and BP4 below. Scott read those notes and acted on them.
• The execution: Scott took the short when the level was lost, then reversed and looked for the long at Battle Plan 1 — the exact trade locations the plan identified. Long and short in one session, at the right spots.
• George’s reaction: “Dude, you took the long and the short? Killer. Talk about precision.” He called it the type of journal entry he would personally mark as important — a turning-point trade day.
• What made it great: It wasn’t luck. Scott did the analysis, read the notes, and put himself in the right trade locations. The result followed from the preparation — and ChartBuddy made the journaling fast enough that there was no excuse not to document it.

Bounce Power — Why the Third Touch Has Lower Odds

One of the most important concepts from this session: bounce power diminishes with each visit to a level. George used the bouncing ball analogy to explain it clearly — and applied it directly to Battle Plan 1 to explain why he was not excited about another long from the same area.

• First bounce: Beautiful. Strong, clean reaction off the front edge of BP1. Maximum bounce power available — price moved sharply in the expected direction.
• Second bounce: Also worked, but the move was smaller. Less energy. Less follow-through. The level absorbed some of the buying pressure on the first touch.
• Third touch: George gave it “much lower odds.” Each visit to a level uses up the stored energy. Like a bouncing ball — first bounce tallest, second bounce less, and it keeps decreasing.
• Why it matters for your trading: George specifically noted that BP1 “really stole a lot of bounce power” with those two overnight touches. That’s why he said he would not be interested in trading the front edge again — and why he required price to explore the deeper part of the mapping if he was going to engage.

Don’t Diddle in the Middle — No Level, No Trade

If there is one rule that echoed through this entire session, it is this one. Price spent most of the morning pinned at the multi-day Point of Control — and George made the right response crystal clear: wait. Yesterday’s tip of the day said it all: “Don’t diddle in the middle. Rarely a high probability trade location.” This is the foundation of how to trade ES micro futures with discipline.

• What “the middle” means: The multi-day POC (Point of Control) is the price node with the heaviest volume over multiple sessions. It acts as a magnet — price tends to balance around it, chopping back and forth without committing to a direction. Forcing entries here produces the worst results.
• What George does in the middle: He sits on his hands. “We are not at an edge. That is the several-day POC. It is the antithesis of an edge.” He admitted he traded too often in the middle the prior session and committed to not repeating it this morning.
• What an edge looks like: The Battle Plan levels — BP1, BP2, BP3, BP4. Those are the high-probability trade locations where buyers or sellers are expected to step in with force. The whole point of the Battle Plan is to identify those edges before the session opens.
• The rule in practice: Even when the speculative short looked tempting near the Strong Level mid-session, George sized down to a one-point stop and treated it as the counter it was — not a conviction trade. No level, no size.

Counter Trade Management — Microwave, Not Oven

With bulls in control, any short is a counter trade. George demonstrated how to handle that all session — and the results showed exactly why the rules exist. Counter trades need to be fast, small, and disciplined. Bulls control. Shorts are counter. Small, if at all.

• What a counter trade is: When the dominant trend is bullish, shorts are counter-trend — they go against the overall market bias. You can still take them, but you treat them like a microwave trade, not an oven trade. Quick in, quick out.
• Sizing down: George used one-point stop losses on his counter entries. He explicitly said he was not willing to risk much working against the trend. When he added a contract on the push up and it didn’t work, he took a scratch. No ego, no doubling down.
• The 50% rule: For counter trades, exiting at 50% of the expected move is often best practice. George referenced this multiple times. If you expect a 10-point move on a counter short, take your exit at 5. Don’t hold for the full target the way you would a trend trade.
• The Three-Contract System: George’s core position management framework for ES futures. Enter with multiple contracts, peel the first at a defined target — typically 4 points — move your stop to protect profits on the remainder, and hold a runner. Two contracts peeled at 4 points each gives you 8 points locked in, with your worst-case floor now above zero.
• George’s morning: He entered short last night at 63.75, carried a runner through the overnight session, managed adds and scratches throughout the morning, and ended the session up 30 points — Green Over Greed secured.

The News Gift — Why You Always Hold a Lotto Runner

At 9:13 AM CT, a US-Iran ceasefire deal was announced. ES exploded to new all-time highs. Anyone who had taken the Battle Plan 1 long overnight and held a single lotto runner just had a beautiful day. This is exactly why the lotto runner strategy exists — you do not know when the gift is coming, but it comes.

• What a lotto runner is: After peeling your initial contracts at defined profit targets, you leave one contract on with a trail or wide stop. Your other contracts already covered the cost of the trade — so the runner is essentially free. When a news event or breakout fires, the lotto runner captures the full move.
• Today’s example: BP1 was the overnight long. Price bounced twice, retraced, and George had already noted lotto runner holders should still be in. When the Iran deal hit, ES ran to new all-time highs. George’s recommendation: lock 40–50 points, move the stop to protect the gain.
• The news itself: A 60-day ceasefire extension between the US and Iran was reported — President Trump’s final approval still pending at time of broadcast. Oil sold off on the headline, which typically supports equity futures. The move was sharp and immediate, rewarding only those already in the trade.
• The lesson is not about the news: You cannot predict a ceasefire announcement. What you can do is get into the right trade at the right level… and hold the runner so you are still there when it happens. “Every now and then you’re given a gift like that.”

ChartBuddy vs. Battle Plan Buddy — Know Which Tool Is Yours

George released a new video and page this morning breaking down the difference between the two main tools available to MicrosTrader members. If you have been unclear on which one applies to you, this settles it.

• Battle Plan Buddy: For Battle Plan subscribers. Shows the active Battle Plan levels directly on your chart. The tool flashes red when a news event is approaching and displays a countdown. Click the bell icon to see upcoming events. Click the level number to show or hide notes. Download it if you are a Battle Plan member.
• ChartBuddy: For full members. More comprehensive — integrates with the Core Strategy and supports the full journaling workflow. George recommends ChartBuddy for full members, though either tool works. Scott’s comment this morning: “ChartBuddy has made journaling and logging my trades so much easier. The chart is clean, only takes a few minutes. I no longer have an excuse not to document my trade.”
• The journaling connection: Both tools are designed to make documentation fast and frictionless. Journaling is how you identify patterns, track improvement, and hold yourself accountable. No more excuses.

COMMON QUESTIONS FOR ES FUTURES TRADERS

What is “bounce power” and why does it decrease with each touch of a level?

A: Bounce power refers to the momentum strength available at a key price level each time it is tested. Think of it like a bouncing ball — the first bounce is the tallest, the second is lower, and each subsequent bounce is weaker. When price visits a Battle Plan level and bounces, that touch “borrows” some of the stored buying or selling energy at that zone. A second bounce off the same level will typically produce a smaller move, and a third touch carries even lower odds of a strong reaction. This is why George was reluctant to trade the front edge of Battle Plan 1 again after two overnight bounces.

What does “don’t diddle in the middle” mean?

A: It means avoid taking trades when price is in the middle of a range — specifically near the multi-day Point of Control (POC), which is the price level with the highest volume over multiple sessions. The POC acts as a magnet, pulling price back repeatedly and producing choppy, back-and-forth action with no clear edge. The high-probability trade locations are at the edges — the Battle Plan levels where buyers or sellers are expected to step in with force. Trading in the middle produces mid-range results: small frustrating losses that add up before the real move ever comes.

What is the Three-Contract System?

A: The Three-Contract System is George’s core position management framework for ES and MES futures. You enter with multiple contracts at a defined trade location. As price moves in your favor, you peel off the first contract at an early target — typically 4 points — locking in initial profit. You then move your stop on the remaining contracts to protect against a full loss, effectively making your worst case a small win or breakeven. You continue peeling contracts at subsequent targets while holding a final “lotto runner” all the way. The system allows you to lock in real money on the way up while keeping exposure in the trade for a potential large move.

What is a lotto runner and when should you hold one?

A: A lotto runner is the final contract held after all initial profit targets have been taken. Once you have peeled your other contracts and secured profit, the runner has essentially no cost — you are playing with house money. The purpose is to keep you in the trade if a large unexpected move develops, such as a news catalyst or breakout. Today’s session was a perfect example: traders who entered Battle Plan 1 overnight and held a lotto runner through the morning captured the move to new all-time highs when the US-Iran ceasefire announcement hit. You always hold the runner because you never know when the gift arrives.

What is a counter trade and how should it be managed?

A: A counter trade goes against the dominant market trend. When bulls are in control — as they have been recently — any short is a counter trade. Counter trades require different management than trend trades: smaller size, tighter stops, and faster exits. The rule is to treat them like a microwave trade, not an oven trade — quick in, quick out. Exit at 50% of the expected move rather than holding for a full target. George summarized it as “Bulls control. Shorts are counter. Small, if at all.” If a counter trade does not work immediately, get out immediately — never add to a losing counter.

What is the 50% rule for counter trades?

A: When you are trading counter-trend, the 50% rule means you exit at roughly half of your expected target move. If you are short in a bull trend and expecting a 10-point move down, take your profit at 5 points. This rule acknowledges that counter trades have lower probability of reaching their full targets — the dominant trend is working against you. Taking 50% locks in real money and gets you out before the trend reasserts itself. George referenced this multiple times throughout today’s session as he managed his short positions.

What is the difference between ChartBuddy and Battle Plan Buddy?

A: Battle Plan Buddy is designed for Battle Plan subscribers. It displays the daily Battle Plan levels directly on your chart, flashes red when a news event is approaching, and allows you to toggle notes on and off by clicking the level number. ChartBuddy is for full members and is more comprehensive — it integrates with the Core Strategy, supports the journaling workflow, and provides a cleaner chart interface for documenting trades. George recommends ChartBuddy for full members but notes that either tool works. If you are a Battle Plan subscriber only, download Battle Plan Buddy.

What are single prints and why do they act as targets?

A: Single prints are price levels that were traded through quickly in one direction with very little volume — they represent an area that the market “skipped” rather than balanced at. Because these levels were never fully tested, they tend to act as magnets that price wants to revisit and fill in. George mentioned that the session was developing a set of single prints below, making those lower levels a natural target. Traders use single prints to identify where price is likely to return, which helps set realistic downside targets on short trades.

Why did the US-Iran news move ES futures so sharply this morning?

A: A report of a 60-day US-Iran ceasefire extension hit at approximately 9:13 AM CT. Geopolitical de-escalation typically reduces the perceived risk premium embedded in oil prices, which sold off on the headline. Lower oil prices tend to be positive for equity futures like ES because they reduce input costs across the economy and ease inflation concerns. The move to new all-time highs was swift and rewarded traders who were already positioned long from Battle Plan 1. As George noted, the ceasefire was still awaiting President Trump’s final approval at time of broadcast.