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ICT Starter Guide — free

Read the market.
Then study the setup.

A quick introduction to ICT (Inner Circle Trader) concepts and Monitron’s context-first approach.

Learn the language. Build the process.

01

The language of price

Market structure

The pattern of swing highs and lows. Higher highs and higher lows suggest an uptrend; lower highs and lower lows suggest a downtrend. Sideways price forms a range.

Liquidity

In ICT chart language, areas where orders may cluster, often above obvious highs and below obvious lows. These are inferred areas of interest; a chart does not show every resting order.

Liquidity sweep

Price trades beyond a visible high or low, potentially triggering orders. A sweep alone does not confirm a reversal: price can keep going.

Draw on liquidity (DOL)

An area you think price may move towards, such as a previous session high or low. It is a working hypothesis, not a guaranteed destination.

Fair value gap (FVG)

A three-candle pattern where the first and third candles’ wick ranges do not overlap after a strong move. Price may revisit this area; a touch is not an entry signal.

02

Accumulation → Manipulation → Distribution

AMD, also called Power of Three, is a way to interpret a possible price sequence:

liquidity sweptpossible draw on liquidity1 — Accumulation2 — Manipulation3 — Distribution

Illustrative bullish sequence, not a trade signal. A bearish version reverses the direction.

Understand the sequence

1

Accumulation

Range forms

Price consolidates around an opening area, forming a range with visible highs and lows.

2

Manipulation

Move below the range

A move beyond the range takes liquidity against the later expansion. This is why chasing the first breakout can be misleading.

3

Distribution

Expansion higher

Price expands away towards an objective. In the bullish illustration, price sweeps below the range before expanding higher.

These labels describe a model, not proof of anyone’s intent. Not every range follows it, and a sweep can continue rather than reverse.

Turn these concepts into a structured process

The Monitron Trading Academy covers all of the above in depth across 35 lessons — beginner fundamentals, psychology, the full confluence toolkit and advanced framework — with chart exercises on every lesson.

Explore Monitron Academy →

A paid one-time purchase. Educational content only — no signals, no trade recommendations.

Educational only. Trading can lose money; patterns and stops do not guarantee outcomes. Nothing on this page is financial advice, a recommendation, or an invitation to trade any specific instrument. See our Risk Disclaimer.