Dramatic trading concept image showing a trader with glowing eyes realizing high-probability areas on a candlestick chart, with Golden Pocket and FVG zones highlighted.

Trading Between High-Probability Areas: A Step-by-Step ES Futures Recap (August 20, 2025)

Trading isn’t supposed to look simple. If it feels complex, that’s because real trading requires discipline, structure, and patience. Today’s ES September 2025 recap isn’t just about one entry and exit—it’s about showing how a clearly defined daily process guides every decision. By mapping liquidity, fair value gaps (FVGs), and Fibonacci retracements, we positioned ourselves in high-probability areas and executed with consistency.

Morning Preparation: Liquidity & Bias

Start-of-day ES September 2025 futures chart showing one-hour and 15-minute liquidity zones, fair value gaps, and bullish threshold (August 20, 2025).

At the open of the trading day, liquidity zones were marked in red (1-hour) and yellow (15-minute), with FVGs shaded. Bias began bullish until a close below the one-hour level.

Market Open: Bias Flips

ES September 2025 futures chart showing the ~120-point opening drop into a one-hour FVG and swift bias shift (August 20, 2025).

The open flipped everything—price dropped over 120 points straight through support and into the one-hour FVG. The bullish bias was gone, and structure told us to shift bearish.

Waiting for Retracement

ES September 2025 bearish retracement setup with 15-minute FVG and Fibonacci golden pocket levels (61.8%–66%).

Patience is part of the process. With the chart redrawn, we waited for price to retrace into the 15-minute FVG and close to the golden pocket (61.8%–66%) before looking for shorts.

The Break of Structure (Entry Trigger)

ES September 2025 one-minute chart showing Break of Structure entry after retracement into the 15-minute FVG and golden pocket with volume.

On the one-minute chart, price retraced into our zone with volume and gave a clean Break of Structure (BoS). That was the exact entry trigger we were waiting for.

Entry, Stop & TP1

ES September 2025 one-minute chart marking entry, protective stop, and TP1 at the bottom of the opposing 15-minute FVG.

Entry, stop, and TP1 were marked before execution. The opposing 15-minute FVG bottom gave us a 1:2 risk-to-reward trade plan.

Trade Management: TP1 Hit

ES September 2025 chart showing TP1 hit at opposing 15-minute FVG and remainder moved to break-even.

Price hit TP1 almost perfectly. We took profit, moved the rest to break-even, and were later stopped out. Controlled risk, controlled reward.

Transparency: Funded Accounts Proof

Screenshot of five TopStep 150K funded accounts showing execution of the same ES short trade for transparency.

This wasn’t theory. The exact same trade was executed live across five TopStep 150K funded accounts—proof of transparency and consistency.

Aftermath: Golden Pocket Reversal

ES September 2025 chart showing golden pocket retracement near 66% after stop-out, followed by reversal.

After we were out, price pressed almost perfectly into the golden pocket near 66% and then reversed. That’s the point—we don’t predict; we position ourselves where high-probability reactions occur.

Key Takeaway

This entire sequence is proof that trading is not about guessing. It’s about process:

  • Define liquidity and FVGs before the session.
  • Let structure flip your bias—not opinions.
  • Wait for retracements into your predefined zones.
  • Enter only on Break of Structure confirmations.
  • Manage risk with stops and targets, not hope.
  • Maintain transparency with real execution.

Position yourself between high-probability areas. That’s where trading discipline meets consistency.

Dramatic trading concept image showing a trader with glowing eyes realizing high-probability areas on a candlestick chart, with Golden Pocket and FVG zones highlighted.
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