Trading Evolution
Free Course

Free ICT trading course

A structured path through the concepts taught by Michael J. Huddleston, known as the Inner Circle Trader, explained from scratch with original diagrams, exercises and the free NinjaTrader indicators that apply them.

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ICT (Inner Circle Trader)

ICT concepts describe price as moving from one pool of resting orders to the next, leaving traces such as fair value gaps and order blocks along the way. They are a reading framework, not a guaranteed method: there is no independent audited evidence that they are profitable, so this course teaches each idea with its rules, its invalidations and its limits.

Trading Evolution is not affiliated with Michael J. Huddleston. The explanations here are original; they describe publicly discussed concepts and distinguish his own terminology from later community labels.

ICT Foundations

Ten lessons, from what ICT is to a complete entry framework: market structure, liquidity, sweeps, displacement, fair value gaps, order blocks, premium and discount, optimal trade entry and kill zones.

Module 1 · Reading the chart the ICT way

ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 1 of 10 · Beginner · 9 min readWhat Is ICT Trading? Michael J. Huddleston and the ICT FrameworkExplain what ICT means, where its vocabulary comes from and how its core concepts connect, before studying each one.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 2 of 10 · Beginner · 10 min readMarket Structure in ICT: Swing Highs, Swing Lows and Breaks of StructureIdentify swing highs and swing lows objectively, read a trend from them and recognise a break of structure.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 3 of 10 · Beginner · 10 min readBuy-Side and Sell-Side Liquidity in ICT: Where Stops RestLocate the pools of buy-side and sell-side liquidity on a chart and explain why price is drawn towards them.Read →

Module 2 · How price is delivered

ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 4 of 10 · Intermediate · 10 min readLiquidity Sweeps and Stop Runs: Reading a Failed BreakoutTell a liquidity sweep apart from a breakout using closes, follow-through and timing.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 5 of 10 · Intermediate · 10 min readDisplacement and Market Structure Shift (MSS) in ICTRecognise displacement and use it to confirm a market structure shift after a liquidity sweep.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 6 of 10 · Intermediate · 11 min readFair Value Gap (FVG): Definition, Consequent Encroachment and RulesDraw a fair value gap exactly, measure its consequent encroachment and decide whether it is worth trading.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 7 of 10 · Intermediate · 10 min readOrder Blocks in ICT: Definition, Mean Threshold and ValidationMark a valid order block from its displacement and decide where to enter and where it is invalidated.Read →

Module 3 · Where and when to enter

ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 8 of 10 · Intermediate · 9 min readPremium, Discount and Equilibrium: The ICT Dealing RangeDraw a dealing range, find its equilibrium and decide whether a setup sits in premium or discount.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 9 of 10 · Advanced · 11 min readOptimal Trade Entry (OTE): The 62–79% Retracement ZoneDraw the OTE zone on a displacement leg, combine it with an entry pattern and size the position from the stop.Read →ICT (Inner Circle Trader) · Lesson 10 of 10 · Intermediate · 10 min readICT Kill Zones and Trading Sessions in New York TimePlace the ICT kill zones on your chart in New York time and explain why time matters in the framework.Read →

Free NinjaTrader 8 indicators for these concepts

  • ICT 2022 Mentorship ModelFree NinjaTrader 8 indicator for the ICT 2022 Mentorship Model: liquidity sweep, MSS with displacement, Fair Value Gap entry, stop and target.
  • ICT Silver BulletFree Silver Bullet indicator for NinjaTrader 8: 03:00, 10:00 and 14:00 New York windows, liquidity sweep, MSS and FVG entry. Settings and installation guide.
  • ICT OTE (Optimal Trade Entry)Free OTE indicator for NinjaTrader 8: the 62-79% retracement (70.5% sweet spot) of a displacement leg, FVG or order block confluence, -0.27 / -0.62 extensions.
  • ICT Killzones & Daily ProfilesFree ICT Killzones indicator for NinjaTrader 8: Asia, London, New York and CBDR sessions, key opens, Asian range projections and ICT daily range profiles.
  • ICT Power of 3 (AMD)Free Power of 3 indicator for NinjaTrader 8: accumulation (Asian range), manipulation (Judas swing) and distribution around the New York midnight open.
  • ICT Judas SwingFree Judas Swing indicator for NinjaTrader 8: the false move at the London (NY midnight) and New York (08:30) opens, MSS and entry on the return FVG. Settings.
  • ICT Turtle SoupFree Turtle Soup indicator for NinjaTrader 8: fades raids on obvious liquidity (previous day, sessions, equal highs / lows), Raid or Reclaim mode.
  • ICT Unicorn ModelFree Unicorn indicator for NinjaTrader 8: a breaker block and a Fair Value Gap overlapping after a liquidity sweep and an MSS with displacement. Settings.
  • ICT SMT DivergenceFree SMT Divergence indicator for NinjaTrader 8: compares NQ/ES, EURUSD/GBPUSD or EURUSD/DXY, detects the ICT divergence, then offers the entry after an MSS.
  • Market Maker Models (MMBM / MMSM)Free NinjaTrader 8 indicator for the ICT Market Maker Models (MMBM / MMSM): original consolidation, Smart Money Reversal and mirror return.

Frequently asked questions

Is this ICT course really free?

Yes. Every lesson is public, with no sign-up and no paywall. The NinjaTrader indicators linked from the lessons are free as well.

Do I need to know ICT already?

No. The course starts with what ICT is and how to read market structure, and each lesson lists what to read first.

Is ICT trading profitable?

Nobody can promise that. ICT gives names and rules to price behaviour that you can observe and test. Whether a set of rules works for you can only be measured with a backtest, a forward test on a simulation account and a trading journal.

Written with the help of AI tools, then checked against the sources listed and our methodology. Report an error and we will correct it. Methodology · Editorial policy · Report an error

Educational content. These indicators are not investment advice and guarantee no result. Futures trading involves a risk of loss that can exceed the initial investment. Terms of use · Disclaimers