Learn the mechanics before the strategies
Everything a newer futures trader needs to follow NQ, ES and GC strategies sensibly: how the contracts work, how to set up and journal the trades, and how big to trade.
1 · How to trade futures
Contracts vs micros, tick and point values, margin, sessions, order types, prop-firm vs personal accounts, and risk basics.
Read →2 · Implementing strategies & stacks
Step by step: charts, alerts, entries and exits, one position at a time, and journaling — with a downloadable journal template.
Read →3 · Position sizing
A guide table and a calculator that uses each strategy's real backtest max drawdown per contract.
Read →Guides
What a backtest does and doesn't tell you (in-sample vs out-of-sample)
What a backtest can and cannot prove: in-sample vs out-of-sample data, selection bias, small samples and fill assumptions, with Stacked Edge's own caveats as worked examples.
Read →How to read NQ key levels before the open
A plain-English guide to the reference levels NQ traders mark before the US open: prior-day highs and lows, overnight range, VWAP, round numbers and calendar risk. Education only.
Read →Downloads
Trade journal template (CSV)
One row per trade; opens in Excel / Google Sheets. Includes slippage-vs-intended-price and rule-followed columns.
Download CSVTrade journal template (Markdown)
Daily header, pre-trade checklist, trade block, end-of-day and weekly review.
Download MarkdownQuick contract reference
| Contract | Symbol | $ per point | Tick size | $ per tick |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-mini Nasdaq-100 | NQ | $20 | 0.25 pt | $5.00 |
| Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 | MNQ | $2 | 0.25 pt | $0.50 |
| E-mini S&P 500 | ES | $50 | 0.25 pt | $12.50 |
| Micro E-mini S&P 500 | MES | $5 | 0.25 pt | $1.25 |
| Gold (100 oz) | GC | $100 | 0.10 pt | $10.00 |
| Micro Gold (10 oz) | MGC | $10 | 0.10 pt | $1.00 |
Specifications are set by the exchange and can change — confirm on the exchange's contract page and with your broker.