ICT Opening Range Framework

The First Fair Value Gap Inside the Opening Range — A Complete Visual Guide

1. The Opening Range

Understanding the 30-minute price discovery window

Definition

The Opening Range is a time-based construct, not a price pattern. It captures the market's initial price discovery during the first 30 minutes of Regular Trading Hours (RTH).

"this is our opening range it's a time period okay it's a time period that begins at 9:30 and goes up to 10 o'clock that is the real opening range"

What to Track

During this 30-minute window, you build your roadmap for the day:

  • Highest High formed between 9:30–10:00
  • Lowest Low formed between 9:30–10:00
  • The First FVG that forms in this window
Key Insight: Extend these levels through 3:45 PM ET. The algorithm respects them throughout the session.
Opening Range Structure (9:30 - 10:00 ET)
9:30 9:40 9:50 10:00 10:10 OR High — Extend → OR Low — Extend → HIGH LOW 10:00 - OR Locked ← Opening Range (30 min) →
Opening Range Window
OR High
OR Low

2. Opening Range Gap (ORG)

The price differential between settlement and open

Premium Opening Range Gap
Previous Day Current Day (RTH) Settlement Price 50% (Midpoint) 9:30 Opening Tick ORG PREMIUM GAP
Settlement
Opening Tick
50% Midpoint

Construction

The Opening Range Gap measures the price differential between the previous day's settlement and today's opening tick.

"you annotate it and you annotate the first tick opening price that is your opening range Gap"
Type Condition Implication
Premium Opens above settlement Gap up; inefficiency above equilibrium
Discount Opens below settlement Gap down; inefficiency below equilibrium
Immediate Action: At 9:30, annotate the ORG and calculate its midpoint using a fib tool.
"as soon as you get the first ticket 9:30 you want to throw a fib on that just to get the midpoint"
Discount Opening Range Gap
Previous Day Current Day (RTH) Settlement Price 50% (Midpoint) 9:30 Opening Tick ORG DISCOUNT GAP

3. The 70% Midpoint Rule

Statistical probability of gap midpoint being tagged

70%
Probability the ORG midpoint gets tagged between 9:30–10:00
"the midpoint it's a 70% chance that that mid Gap level is going to get hit"
Critical Clarification: This is NOT a win rate. This describes the probability of price reaching the level, not the probability of a profitable trade.
"that doesn't mean that you're going to get a 70% chance of getting an entry that's profitable that never got stopped out that never had draw down"

Confluence Required

The 70% rule is a directional bias tool, not an entry signal. You still need technical confluence for timing.

"there has to be something else in the chart that's technically supporting the idea that it will drop down there and how to time it"
70% Midpoint Tag Scenario
9:30 9:40 9:50 10:00 Settlement Opening Tick 50% MIDPOINT TAG! 70% of days, this midpoint gets tagged

4. The First FVG — The Algorithmic Centerpiece

The focal point for the entire daily range

First FVG Formation in Opening Range
Opening Range Extend through 3:45 PM → FIRST FVG — CENTERPIECE Price returns to FVG hours later → bounce
First FVG
Opening Range
FVG Reaction

Why the First FVG Matters

Of all inefficiencies that form during the day, the first FVG inside the Opening Range holds special significance. The algorithm treats it as a reference point.

"you look for the very first inefficiency the very first fair value Gap that forms in that 30 minutes that's the one that the algorithm is going to like it it's the centerpiece okay it's the focal point for the daily range"

Multi-Directional Utility

Until the market enters a strong trending condition, this FVG can be traded from both sides.

"until we enter a trending day that fair value Gap can be used multiple times for multiple trades both directions"

Multi-Timeframe Scanning

Monitor across multiple timeframes to catch the FVG at its most precise level:

Timeframe Use Case
15 secondPrecision entries
30 secondPrecision entries
45 secondBalance of precision/noise
1-5 minutePrimary analysis

5. Gap Fill Logic & "Rocket Fuel"

Why partial fills are more powerful than complete fills

Partial Fill = Retained Energy

A gap that partially fills but leaves a small portion open retains energy for continuation.

"in a perfect world you want to leave a small portion of it open because every Gap invite the opportunity that it doesn't completely close in or fill in"

Complete Fill = Energy Depleted

When a gap completely fills, the stored inefficiency is resolved. This removes the magnetic draw.

"you don't want to see them completely fill in because that's Rocket Fuel"

Failure to Reach Midpoint = Extreme Strength

If the market is bullish and price fails to retrace to the ORG midpoint, this signals exceptional strength.

"what happens if it doesn't go down here and touch the midpoint of the Gap means it's really really bullish"
Trading Implication: When price leaves a small portion of the gap unfilled, expect stronger continuation moves. Complete fills often lead to reversals or consolidation.
Gap Fill Scenarios
Partial Fill ✓ "Rocket Fuel" Retained 50% Strong Move FUEL REMAINING Complete Fill ✗ Energy Depleted Gap Closed Choppy/Weak Price Action
Fuel Remaining
Depleted Gap
Quadrant Analysis for Scaling
Opening Tick (100%) 75% Level 50% Midpoint 25% Level Settlement (0%) Partial #1 Partial #2 Gap Close (Risk) Q4 75-100% Q3 50-75% Q2 25-50% Q1 0-25%
"I'll have a runner that would hopefully probe any movement below the mid point of the Gap to see if I can get down to the lower quadrant and then all of a sudden you'll see that's where where my other partial was taken"

6. Buy-Side / Sell-Side Delivery

Understanding how pre-market creates imbalance that RTH must reprice

Liquidity Imbalance from Electronic Session
Pre-Market Regular Trading Hours (RTH) Settlement OPENING RANGE GAP BUY-SIDE DELIVERED SELL-SIDE MISSING ✗ FAST DELIVERY 1-2 candles to fill when sell-side missing

Pre-Market Creates Imbalance

If price traded through the ORG during the electronic session, it delivered one side of liquidity but not the other.

"since we passed up through it here it's lacking sell side"

RTH Must Reprice

Regardless of what happened in pre-market, the Regular Trading Hours session must reprice the inefficiency.

"it doesn't matter that we traded here in Electronic Training or pre-session it doesn't matter always give the opportunity for the day session which is 9:30 to 4:15 to repic into this area both sides since there's no trading between the settlement price and this candle's low there's no buying and selling booked at all zero"

Expected Price Behavior

When price moves to fill a gap that's missing sell-side delivery, expect fast, impulsive movement, not slow drift.

"I would expect it to be quick and sudden to fill the Gap"
Key Insight: Slow, lethargic price action into a gap suggests the imbalance may not be genuine. Fast, impulsive moves confirm the algorithm is repricing the inefficiency.

7. Entry Framework

Trading the First FVG with conditional logic

Conditional Logic (If/Then Statements)

Trading the first FVG requires conditional thinking, not prediction.

"these are if and then statements okay when we were trading here I said okay we're at the top of the opening range Gap once it trades above it forces if we trade below here it will be a full a full Gap closure"

Identify the First FVG

Mark the first FVG formed between 9:30–10:00 across multiple timeframes

Wait for Displacement

Price must trade through the FVG first, showing initial momentum

Wait for Retrace

Price returns back into the FVG zone

Enter on Retrace

Enter with targets at ORG quadrants or full gap closure

"how would we use that fair value Gap if that narrative and logic is in play wait for to trade down below it then trade back up into it"
Entry Framework: Trade Through → Retrace → Entry
FIRST FVG ORG High Gap Closure Target 1. TRADE THRU ENTRY 2. RETRACE TARGET 3. GAP CLOSURE
Displacement
Retrace
Entry Zone
Narrative Confirmation: When price breaks back below the ORG high after rallying above it, the target becomes clear.
"if that's your fair value Gap and we went back below the opening range Gap High soon as we do that that is indicative of what seeking that where the sell side is and if it's going to go there it's going to be a full Gap closure"

8. Practical Application Checklists

Step-by-step execution guide

Pre-Market Preparation (Before 9:30)

  • Mark previous day's settlement price (RTH close)
  • Identify relevant daily/weekly PD arrays
  • Note rejection blocks and liquidity pools
  • Establish higher timeframe bias (weekly/daily DOL)

At 9:30 ET — Immediate Actions

  • Mark the opening tick immediately
  • Calculate and annotate the ORG midpoint
  • Label the ORG as Premium or Discount
  • Begin monitoring for the first FVG

At 10:00 ET — Lock the Framework

  • Lock in the Opening Range High and Low
  • Apply quadrants to the Opening Range
  • Extend Opening Range levels through 3:45 PM
  • Confirm the first FVG is marked and extended

During the Session

  • Monitor for price interaction with the first FVG
  • Apply if/then logic based on ORG level breaks
  • Look for Turtle Soup patterns at rejection blocks
  • Scale partials at quadrant levels
  • Watch for fast delivery when liquidity is missing
Concept Key Quote
Opening Range Time "begins at 9:30 and goes up to 10 o'clock that is the real opening range"
First FVG Importance "that's the one that the algorithm is going to like it it's the centerpiece"
70% Probability "the midpoint it's a 70% chance that that mid Gap level is going to get hit"
Not Win Rate "that doesn't mean that you're going to get a 70% chance of getting an entry that's profitable"
Rocket Fuel "you don't want to see them completely fill in because that's Rocket Fuel"
Fast Delivery "I would expect it to be quick and sudden to fill the Gap"
RTH Repricing "always give the opportunity for the day session which is 9:30 to 4:15 to repic into this area"
Entry Logic "wait for to trade down below it then trade back up into it"