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15 lessons

Elementary School

Start here. Learn what a futures contract is, how the markets work, the order types you'll use every day, and the risk rules that keep you in the game.

Core Basics
What a futures contract actually is and how it pays.
What Is a Futures Contract?
The agreement, the underlying, and why traders use them.
6 min read
Reading a Contract Spec Sheet
Symbol, size, tick, point value, hours, expirations.
7 min read
Ticks, Points & Dollar Value
How a 1-tick move in ES, NQ, CL and GC translates to P&L.
5 min read
Margin vs Leverage
Initial margin, maintenance margin, and effective leverage.
6 min read
Going Long vs Going Short
Why futures let you sell first — and what that really means.
4 min read
Market Mechanics
The exchange, the clock, and the contract lifecycle.
The Exchange & the CME
Who runs the market and how trades actually clear.
6 min read
Trading Hours & Sessions
RTH, ETH, the open, the close, and the dead zones.
5 min read
Settlement: Cash vs Physical
What actually happens when a contract settles.
5 min read
Expirations & Rollover
Front month, back month, and how to roll without slippage.
6 min read
Platform & Order Types
The buttons you'll click thousands of times.
Market, Limit & Stop Orders
When each order type helps you — and when it hurts.
6 min read
Reading the DOM
Bids, offers, size, and what order flow really tells you.
7 min read
Choosing a Futures Broker
Commissions, margin, platform, data fees — what matters.
6 min read
Risk Fundamentals
The non-negotiables that keep your account alive.
Position Sizing
How many contracts to trade — based on math, not feel.
7 min read
R-Multiples & Expectancy
Thinking in R, and why a 40% win rate can still print.
6 min read
Risk Per Trade & Daily Loss Limits
The 1% rule, daily stops, and surviving a bad streak.
5 min read