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Compare the plansDaily workflow · Prepare, trade, review
James Rich Young’s Daily Trading Routine
Explore James’s 13 steps. Choose your timezone, select a step and check off the preparation you complete today.
In his own wordsMy Trading Routine
One trading day. 13 moments.
Step 01 / 13
James’s time · PT4:30 AMYour time...Drag or use arrow keysJames’s time · PT1:30 PMYour time...
Before the openJames’s time · PT4:30 AMYour time...Until open2h
Start the day
James starts at 4:30 AM on the West Coast. The first job is simple: turn on the PC.
- ↳Spin up the trading PC.
- ↳Begin the preparation window, two hours before the open.
Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
Preparation gets its own time before trading begins.
Before the openJames’s time · PT4:45 AMYour time...Until open1h 45m
Build the two gap lists
He builds a Gap Up list and a Gap Down list, with roughly 60 tickers in each. He combines his list with a worksheet shared with two other people who use different scanners.
- ↳Separate gap ups from gap downs.
- ↳Combine the shared lists to catch names another scanner may miss.
- ↳Start with a broad pool, then narrow it.
Watchlist connection
His watchlist video explains the stock universe behind the morning lists, then shows how he sorts and organises the candidates.
Explore this connection ↓Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
The gap lists are candidates for review, not a list of trades to take.
Before the openJames’s time · PT5:00 AMYour time...Until open1h 30m
Refine the ultimate watchlist
James sorts the tickers by favourites and priority, creates thumbnail charts, and checks what is behind each gap.
- ↳Prioritise the names worth a closer look on the daily charts.
- ↳Check news and filter out secondary offerings and ex-dividend gaps.
- ↳Filter out buyouts while reviewing what caused each gap.
Watchlist connection
His watchlist video explains the stock universe behind the morning lists, then shows how he sorts and organises the candidates.
Explore this connection ↓Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
The reason for a gap matters alongside its size.
Before the openJames’s time · PT5:05 AM to 5:35 AMYour time...Until open1h 25m
Organise the thumbnail charts
He spends roughly 30 minutes arranging the remaining watchlist into thumbnail charts he can monitor throughout the day.
- ↳Arrange the remaining names across the chart workspace.
- ↳In the watchlist video, related sectors sit together.
- ↳The December 2023 scanning tutorial distinguishes nearby top watches, remaining gaps and a separate sector-universe scan.
Watchlist connection
His watchlist video explains the stock universe behind the morning lists, then shows how he sorts and organises the candidates.
Explore this connection ↓Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
Grouping related names makes sector moves easier to notice.
Before the openJames’s time · PT~5:35 AMYour time...Until open~55m
Print the daily trading journal
He also prints his daily trading journal during the chart-organisation window. Around 5:35 AM is an approximate placement in this timeline.
- ↳Print the journal for the session.
- ↳Have it ready alongside the prepared charts.
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Our reading of the process
Recording the day is part of the preparation, too.
Before the openJames’s time · PT6:00 AMYour time...Until open30m
Choose the top watches
James goes through the stocks once more before the open to identify his top watches for the day.
- ↳Revisit the remaining watchlist.
- ↳Decide which stocks deserve attention at the open.
- ↳The separate pre-market video shows an example of this kind of review.
Pre-market connection
The separate pre-market video adds a worked example: broader market first, then gap location, liquidity and related stocks.
Explore this connection ↓Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
A gap becomes more useful when you know its chart location and market context.
Before the openJames’s time · PT6:00 AM to 6:25 AMYour time...Until open30m
Prepare the trading setup
In the final preparation window, he gets everything ready for the open. Around 6:25 AM he populates order boxes and sets up or reviews Level 2.
- ↳Prepare the order boxes.
- ↳Set up and review Level 2.
- ↳Be ready before the opening session starts.
Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
The last minutes before the bell are for getting the workspace ready.
Morning sessionJames’s time · PT6:30 AMYour time...Market openOpening bell
Trade the morning session
The market opens at 6:30 AM Pacific. His morning trading session begins.
- ↳Monitor the prepared top watches.
- ↳Watch how the opening action develops.
Pre-market connection
The separate pre-market video adds a worked example: broader market first, then gap location, liquidity and related stocks.
Explore this connection ↓Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
Preparation supplies the watches. The opening action supplies new information.
Morning sessionJames’s time · PT9:00 AMYour time...After open2h 30m
Take a lunch break
Around 9:00 AM, James takes what he calls his lunch break. It is still morning on the West Coast.
- ↳Step away for a break between sessions.
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Our reading of the process
The day has a pause between the morning focus and the afternoon search.
Afternoon sessionJames’s time · PT10:00 AMYour time...After open3h 30m
Scan the broader universe
At 10:00 AM he starts what he considers his afternoon session, with heavy scanning beyond the morning gap list.
- ↳Go back through the broader stock universe.
- ↳Look beyond the names selected before the open.
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Our reading of the process
The morning list is a starting point. The afternoon search widens the field.
Afternoon sessionJames’s time · PT10:30 AMYour time...After open4h
Trade the afternoon session
The main afternoon trading session begins around 10:30 AM, after the broader scanning window.
- ↳Monitor the opportunities found in the broader scan.
- ↳Continue watching the chart workspace for setups.
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Our reading of the process
A second preparation window leads into the second trading session.
Review & resetJames’s time · PT1:00 PMYour time...After open6h 30m
Update the tracking sheet
At 1:00 PM, James records the day’s P&L and trading performance statistics.
- ↳Enter today’s P&L.
- ↳Update the performance and statistics tracking sheet.
Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
The session leaves a record that can be reviewed over time.
Review & resetJames’s time · PT1:30 PMYour time...After open7h
Review the gaps and shut down
Around 1:30 PM he reviews what the day’s gappers eventually did, a step he especially emphasises for traders starting out, then shuts down the PC.
- ↳Check how each gapper and its setups played out.
- ↳Review what worked and what did not.
- ↳Notice which patterns are performing well, then finish the day.
Your checklistScheduled for later
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Our reading of the process
Review includes the gap list, so it can teach more than the trades taken alone.
1 of 13
Before the open · From candidates to watches
Interactive example What is James looking at?
One symbol, several views. Follow a fictional watch to its daily chart, larger context and quotes. Start with morning gaps, or inspect a carryover, scalp candidate or name from the wider sector universe.
Combined review windows from the earlier premarket walkthrough. See the source notes below for the historical physical monitor roles. All examples share a 6:15 AM Pacific snapshot.
Fictional stocks and prices
- 01Build the raw gap lists
Scanner + shared worksheet. Gap ups and gap downs are candidates for review.
- 02Filter news and review charts
Remove offerings, ex-dividend moves and buyouts from the main gap watches. Assess the remaining charts.
- 03Choose the favourites
Put the best watches on thumbnail charts, then recheck them near the open.
Market first
James starts his walkthrough with QQQ before reviewing individual gappers. Read the market’s direction and nearby levels first.
Downtrend, counter-rally, then a gap below support
PremarketPM $29.44Indicative quote
20 SMA200 SMA··· Prior high / low $30.07● Premarket $29.44
PremarketPM $29.44Indicative quote
PremarketPM $29.44Indicative quote
PremarketPM $29.44Indicative quote
- Premarket
- 29.44
- Prior close
- 32.00
- Spread
- 0.03
- Sample PM volume
- 1,300,000
| Bid size | Bid | Ask | Ask size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 | 29.43 | 29.46 | 400 |
| 300 | 29.42 | 29.47 | 300 |
| 400 | 29.41 | 29.48 | 200 |
Why this window?
Daily chart: the main decision
Where is the premarket price relative to yesterday, the recent trend, support and resistance? James reviews the candidates one by one here. A large percentage move alone does not make a useful gap.
After reviewing the charts and quotes, why would you watch DUNE, and when would you revisit it?
Watch purpose · Choose any that applyWhen to revisitPurpose labels and revisit times stay independent. Labelling a watch does not add it to either time group.
At the open
No watches selected
For later
No watches selected
Historical workflow · December 2023
Three scanning screens. Three different jobs.
These roles describe the scanning tutorial. The monitor archive keeps each physical desk edition tied to its own sources.
- 01 · 5 × 10 · 50 charts
Top watches nearby
The closest scanning display holds favourite gaps, carryover names and scalp watches. A top watch is not necessarily a new gap today.
- 02 · 8 × 7 · 56 charts
The remaining gaps
The next display holds the rest of the gap list. These names may become interesting later if they develop a setup.
- 03 · 8 × 7 · 56 charts
The sector universe
The third display cycles through saved sector and industry lists. It can reveal missed gaps and stocks moving without a morning gap.
An interesting thumbnail moves to the main multiple-timeframe charts for closer review. It can return to the scanning pool if there is no trade.
How this relates to his physical monitors +
The premarket video combines chart windows into a recording layout. This original example explains their roles; it does not reproduce a broker interface or one physical display.
2022: two center screens
The center-right display holds daily, weekly and monthly charts, the gaps watchlist, news and quote data. Intraday charts and execution sit on the center-left. The outer pair holds thumbnail charts.
Inspect the 2022 context screen ↗2024: four LGs and one Ark
Four portrait LGs return on the main desk, with a landscape Ark retained for scanning on the left. The December 2023 tutorial explains three scanning jobs, but does not establish the 2024 grid counts or a precise assignment to every LG.
Inspect the 2024 scanning Ark ↗2026: two BenQ stacks
The left pair holds thumbnails. The upper right has six linked watch charts above stock and QQQ timeframe rows. Level 2, orders and news sit on the lower right. The older review video does not establish where daily, weekly and monthly review windows sit in 2026.
Inspect the 2026 chart screen ↗The charts use Quant Lab’s price generator. Weekly and monthly bars aggregate the same 520 dated sessions by calendar week and month; the illustrative calendar omits exchange holidays. Daily averages use complete trailing windows. Hourly bars reconstruct the last three daily sessions, followed by a fictional premarket snapshot at 6:15 AM Pacific. Symbols, news, quotes and shortlist choices are teaching examples.
Without thinkorswim, can you do this?
Yes, but the scanning workspace is a real obstacle. thinkorswim sets a high bar: its scanners, watchlists and Flexible Grid are a key ingredient in James’s workflow. Without that access, you have to recreate the speed and breadth of his visual review.
The nearest scanning display holds top watches, including favourite gaps, carryovers and scalps. Another keeps the remaining gaps visible, while a third cycles through the wider sector universe. An interesting name moves to his main charts for a closer look.
The closest scanning display holds favourite gaps, carryover names and scalp watches. A top watch is not necessarily a new gap today.
A wall of chartsSee the scanning challenge
50 charts: his 5 × 10 priority grid. The closest scanning display holds favourite gaps, carryovers and scalp watches. His other two scanning displays have different jobs.
Scan timeframe44 candles · Last 44m of the sample session
James starts with 1m thumbnails, then switches to 2m, 5m and 15m as the day progresses to keep the charts readable. Try the intervals to see more of the same sample session.
20 SMA200 SMASynthetic top watches nearby · Example average periods
Favourite gap watches
T011m
T021m
T031m
T041m
T051m
T061m
T071m
T081m
T091m
F011m
F021m
F031m
F041m
F051m
F061m
F071m
Carryover watches
F081m
E011m
E021m
E031m
E041m
E051m
E061m
E071m
E081m
I011m
I021m
I031m
I041m
I051m
I061m
I071m
I081m
Scalp watches
I091m
C011m
C021m
C031m
C041m
C051m
C061m
C071m
C081m
H011m
H021m
H031m
H041m
H051m
H061m
H071m
H081m
50 charts at a glance. In TradingView Ultimate, that is at least 4 tabs of 16 charts. A connection limit is different from a layout limit.
Technology · Financials · Energy · Industrials · Consumer · HealthcareSynthetic charts illustrating this scanning role. Select a candidate in the linked review above to inspect its daily, weekly, monthly and hourly context.ProRealTime
100 charts per workspaceIts Premium desktop version is an option for a large chart workspace. Chart limits differ across its web and desktop versions, so check the edition.
Compare the platforms ↗ChartDeck
Build around your workflowAI coding tools make custom solutions more approachable. Our ChartDeck is a local macOS workstation for IBKR with multiple charts, watchlists and visual thumbnail scanning.
Explore ChartDeck ↗Platform limits checked 9 October 2026. TradingView’s chart and connection limits rechecked 19 October 2026.
The work behind the schedule.
The routine gives the sequence. These videos help explain the preparation inside it.
How To Create A Gap Scanner For Beginners
Where the gap lists come from
His watchlist video explains the stock universe behind the morning lists, then shows how he sorts and organises the candidates.
- 01
Universe
He starts in Finviz with average volume above 500,000 and price above $1, removes ETFs in Excel, and refreshes the symbols roughly quarterly.
- 02
Gap lists
In Thinkorswim, he sorts that universe by mark percent change and separates moves greater than 2% up or down. He also checks Market Chameleon for other movers.
- 03
Workspace
The selected names become thumbnail charts, grouped by related sectors so he can watch them through the session.
Source contextThese are the settings and tools described in his watchlist video. The Finviz export in his example requires an Elite membership.
Pre-Market Gaps | How I Trade The Open
How he narrows the opening focus
The separate pre-market video adds a worked example: broader market first, then gap location, liquidity and related stocks.
- 01
Market
He begins with QQQ to frame the broader market before reviewing individual gap downs and gap ups.
- 02
Location
Netflix has the dramatic earnings gap, but lands at major monthly support. Disney and Paramount draw his attention because they clear recent support more cleanly.
- 03
Selection
He weighs volume and related names, skipping many ADRs or thin stocks. His review after the open includes mixed outcomes and an opportunity he missed.
Source contextThis is one historical session. Its connection to the 6:00 AM review is our editorial reading, not a confirmed minute-by-minute match.
Test your understanding
More than knowing the times.
The routine, the gap scanner and the pre-market read. 16 questions, including how he revisits the lists.
Try the routine quiz ↗4 chapters · About 7 minutes
The Rich Young Trading Floor
Meet on the trading floor.
Join the Discord for free. Routine reminders and morning gap feeds are being set up; member discussion is planned.
Reminders and community
Discord server openKeep the routine in reach.
Set up a morning gap scan or a routine reminder in ChatGPT, or join The Rich Young Trading Floor for free. Automated Discord reminders and morning gap feeds are still in setup.
A fresh scan for your morning chart review.
- StockAnalysis, TradingView and StockSetups
- Up to 80 stocks, targeting 40 in each direction
- Gaps of at least +2% or at most -2%
- Price above $1 and 30-session average volume above 500,000
- Copy the scan prompt into a ChatGPT chat with fresh web access. Run it once and check the sources, dates and coverage.
- When the result works for you, copy the scheduling prompt below into the same chat.
- Check the saved instructions, timezone and next run in Scheduled. You can edit, pause or delete it there.
The scan follows the gap-list step at 4:45 AM Pacific. It checks for market holidays and reports missing data rather than recycling a list.
The 80-stock cap and 30-session average are choices for this prompt. James’s historical routine remains the reference for the preparation sequence.
ChatGPT scheduled task guide ↗In the Discord
Free to follow
Reading channels for gap lists and routine prompts.
Paid to participate
Join the Discord ↗Automated delivery is in setup.Member discussion and trade reviews. Membership is not open yet.
Create US market gap lists
James’s time · PT4:45 AMYour timeYour selected timezone
2. Schedule the scan
After reviewing a successful test, paste this into the same chat.