ICT Mentorship 2022: A Complete Guide to the Model

The ICT Mentorship 2022 is arguably the most complete trading model Michael Huddleston (the Inner Circle Trader) has ever taught publicly. It was released as a free YouTube mentorship series. The ICT 2022 model changed how many retail traders, myself included, approach intraday trading. At its core, it’s an algorithm-based strategy built on liquidity analysis, session timing, and price imbalance tools like Fair Value Gaps (FVG), Order Blocks, and Market Structure Shifts (MSS), all designed to achieve a minimum risk-reward ratio of 1:3.

After spending a significant amount of time studying, backtesting, and trading this model, I can say it’s one of the most structured approaches to day trading I’ve come across. In this article, I’ll break down the ICT Mentorship model step by step, from the core concepts you need to understand to the exact execution process during the London and New York sessions. I’ll also cover common mistakes traders make and provide practical tips for backtesting. My goal is to make this post the all-in-one ICT Mentorship 2022 guide for traders of any level.

What Is the ICT Mentorship 2022?

As I’ve already stated, the ICT 2022 Mentorship is a free trading education series published by Michael Huddleston on YouTube throughout 2022. Huddleston, better known as ICT (Inner Circle Trader), has been teaching Smart Money Concepts and institutional trading theory for over a decade now. He’s had multiple mentorship programs over the years, but the 2022 ICT Mentorship is known as the most refined and practical one he’s put out.

So, what makes it different? In previous years, ICT’s content was scattered across hundreds of videos without a clear structure. The ICT Mentorship 2022, on the other hand, is a condensed, step-by-step model you can actually build a trading system around, as I did.

Now, the core philosophy is price and time, not indicators. ICT argues that price alone doesn’t tell the full story. You need to understand when algorithmic price delivery is likely to happen, not just where. 

Here’s the thing — the 2022 ICT Mentorship treats the market as algorithm-driven. Institutional players and market-making algorithms target liquidity at predictable times and price levels, and as retail traders, we’re trying to align with that order flow instead of trading against it. You learn to read where liquidity sits, when it’s likely to get swept, and how price reacts afterward through tools like Fair Value Gaps and Market Structure Shifts.

Core Concepts of the ICT 2022 Model

Before getting into the actual step-by-step execution of the ICT 2022 model, you need to understand the building blocks it’s based on. Most guides skip this part and jump straight into the strategy. But I’ll break down each concept individually.

Fair Value Gap (FVG)

I consider Fair Value Gap (FVG) as the crown jewel of the ICT 2022 model. It’s a three-candle pattern where the middle candle is so large that its body creates a gap between the wicks of the first and third candles. This gap represents a price imbalance, which is an area where one side of the market (buyers or sellers) dominated so aggressively that the price didn’t trade efficiently.

Now, there are two types. A bullish FVG forms after a strong upward move, and the gap sits below the current price. A bearish FVG forms after a strong downward move, with the gap sitting above the current price.

But why does this matter? The price usually retraces back into these gaps to rebalance before continuing in the original direction. In the ICT 2022 mentorship model, the FVG is arguably the primary PD Array zone where you look for trade entries after a Market Structure Shift.

Market Structure Shift (MSS)

Speaking of Market Structure Shift (MSS), it occurs when the price breaks a recent swing high or low with a strong displacement move. This signals that the directional bias has changed. In the context of the ICT 2022 model, this is your confirmation signal that a setup is potentially forming. It tells you that the liquidity sweep has done its job, and the price is now ready to move in the opposite direction.

Now, a lot of traders confuse MSS with a regular Break of Structure (BOS), but they’re not the same thing. A BOS is simply price breaking a swing point, which can happen in a trending market as a continuation signal. An MSS, on the other hand, specifically happens after a liquidity sweep and is accompanied by displacement, which is a large, aggressive candle or series of candles that show clear intent. So, it’s a reversal signal, not a continuation one.

In practice, after you see a liquidity sweep during the London or New York session, you drop to a lower timeframe (5-minute, 3-minute, or even 1-minute) and wait for the MSS to confirm that the move is real. Without this confirmation, I won’t be looking for a trade.

Liquidity Sweep (Liquidity Hunt)

A liquidity sweep, which I mentioned above, is when the price runs above a previous high or below a previous low to trigger the stop losses sitting at those levels. These stops represent resting liquidity that institutional players and algorithms need to fill their large orders.

There are two sides to it. Buy-side liquidity sits above previous highs, where traders have their sell stops and where breakout buyers have their entries. Sell-side liquidity sits below previous lows, where buy stops and breakdown sellers are positioned.

When the price sweeps one of these levels, it’s essentially collecting that liquidity before reversing. This liquidity hunt is actually the first thing that needs to happen before an ICT mentorship 2022 trade setup forms.

Order Blocks and Breaker Blocks

While the FVG is the most common entry zone in the ICT 2022 model, it’s not the only one. Order Blocks and Breaker Blocks serve as alternative PD Array entry zones.

An Order Block is essentially the last opposing candle before a strong displacement move. For example, the last bearish candle before a bullish displacement is a bullish Order Block. Price often returns to this zone before continuing in the direction of the displacement.

A Breaker Block, on the other hand, is a failed Order Block. When an Order Block gets broken through, it flips into a Breaker and can act as a support or resistance zone on the retest. I personally find FVGs to be more reliable for entries in the 2022 model, but Order Blocks and Breakers can offer additional confluence when they overlap with an FVG.

Premium and Discount Zones

The last concept you need is premium and discount zones. These help you determine whether your entry is at a favorable price level. The idea comes from the Fibonacci retracement tool, but ICT simplifies it (while also claiming it as a totally different concept from Fibonacci).

Now, to see the premium and discount zones, mark the range between a recent swing high and swing low on your chart. The premium zone is the upper half (above the 50% level). This is where you want to sell. The discount zone is the lower half (below 50%), which is where you want to buy. The 50% level itself is often called the equilibrium.

So in a bullish setup, you’d want your FVG or Order Block entry to be sitting in the discount zone. In a bearish setup, you want your entry in the premium zone. While I brought this last, this is a very important filter that can save you lots of money.

London Session Trading Strategy

The London killzone is the first session of the day where you can use the ICT 2022 model. If you’ve read our guide on ICT Killzones, you know that the London Kill Zone runs from 2:00 to 5:00 AM New York time. I take most of my trades during this session (especially as I reside in Europe), and in my experience, it produces the cleanest setups.

Now, here’s the step-by-step process I exactly repeat for every trade:

1. Mark the range: Before London opens, draw the high and low of price action from the New York midnight open (12:00 AM) to the London open (3:00 AM). The two sides of this range are your liquidity pools.
2. Wait for the sweep: After London opens, watch for the price to take out either the high or low of that range. This is the liquidity sweep, and it should align with your daily bias.
3. Confirm with MSS: Drop to the 5-minute or 3-minute chart and wait for a Market Structure Shift in the opposite direction of the sweep.
4. Find your entry PD Array: Spot the nearest FVG, Order Block, or Breaker Block in the premium or discount zone after the MSS.
5. Execute: Enter when the price retraces to the PD Array. I place my Stop loss beyond the sweep high/low, and my take profit targets the opposite end of the range for a minimum 1:3 R:R.

New York Session Trading Strategy

The New York session opens at 8:00 AM New York time, and the NY AM Kill Zone for indices runs from 8:30 to 11:00 AM. How I trade this session depends entirely on what happened during London. There are two scenarios, and I’ll walk you through both.

Scenario 1: London Already Swept Liquidity

This is the setup I see more often. If the price already swept the range high or low during the London session and moved away with a clear MSS, then New York typically provides a retracement before continuing in the same direction as London’s move.

Here’s how I trade it:

1. Identify London’s move: Note which side of the range got swept and where the price is heading.
2. Draw Fibonacci: Pull the Fibonacci retracement from the London session swing low to swing high (or high to low for bearish). You’re looking for the Optimal Trade Entry (OTE) zone, which sits between the 62% and 79% retracement levels.
3. Wait for the NY retrace: As New York opens, the price often pulls back toward the London range. Be patient and let it reach the OTE zone.
4. Confirm on the 1-minute or 3-minute: Look for a small MSS or reaction at the OTE level before entering in the direction of London’s price delivery.
5. Execute: Stop loss goes beyond the OTE zone, and my target is the continuation of London’s move. This is typically the next liquidity level, like the previous day’s high or low.

This scenario is basically a continuation trade. It works well because New York’s opening volatility creates the retracement you need for a discounted entry.

Scenario 2: London Was Range-Bound

Sometimes, London doesn’t sweep anything. The price just chops around in a tight range. When this happens, New York becomes our primary session for the ICT 2022 mentorship setup.

The process is pretty much similar to how you’d trade the London session:

1. Mark the range: Use the high and low from the NY midnight open to the NY session open. Since London didn’t do much, this range should still have untouched liquidity on both sides.
2. Wait for the sweep: After New York opens (especially around 8:30 AM when major economic data drops), watch for the price to take a side.
3. Confirm with MSS: Drop to the lower timeframe and wait for the structure shift.
4. Enter on the PD Array: Find your FVG or Order Block in the right zone and execute.

One thing worth mentioning is that the 8:30 AM time stamp is particularly important because that’s when most US economic news releases happen. If you’re not careful, the volatility from a news release can stop you out before the real move begins. I personally wait for the initial spike to settle before looking for my confirmation, especially on news-heavy days like CPI or NFP days.

Key Timeframes for the ICT 2022 Model

The ICT mentorship 2022 model uses a top-down technique across multiple timeframes. You start with the higher timeframes for direction and work your way down to the lower ones for execution. Here’s how I break it down:

I personally use the 15-minute chart to map out where liquidity sits before the session opens. Then I switch to the 5-minute or 3-minute for execution. Trading on the 1-minute is possible, but it’s a demanding challenge and you need fast decision-making and a lot of screen time. While I do it myself, I’d only recommend it once you’re comfortable with the model on higher execution timeframes first.

Best Markets and Pairs for the ICT 2022 Model

The ICT 2022 model works across most liquid markets, but some instruments are better suited to it than others. Michael Huddleston himself primarily trades and teaches on Nasdaq 100 (NQ) and S&P 500 (ES) futures, and there’s a good reason for that. These indices are heavily driven by algorithmic activity, which aligns perfectly with the liquidity-based logic behind the model.

Yet, the strategy also works well on major USD forex pairs like EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and XAU/USD (Gold). As the model revolves around the London and New York sessions, pairs that have the US Dollar on one side naturally see their highest volume and cleanest price action during these windows.

I personally trade both forex and indices using this model. For forex, I focus on the London Kill Zone, and for indices, I trade during the New York AM session. If you’re just starting out with the ICT 2022 mentorship model, I’d suggest picking one instrument and one session.

Common Mistakes When Trading the ICT 2022 Model

I’ve spent a lot of time with the ICT mentorship 2022 model and made most of these mistakes myself. Here are the most common errors I see traders make with the ICT 2022 model:

• Trading against the daily bias: This is the number one killer. If your daily bias says bearish and you’re taking longs because the 5-minute chart just looks bullish, you’re fighting the bigger picture.
• Entering before MSS confirmation: A liquidity sweep alone is not a trade signal. I’ve seen losing traders jump in the moment price sweeps a high or low without waiting for the structure shift on the lower timeframe. 
• Confusing a sweep with a breakout: Not every break of a high or low is a sweep. If price pushes through a level and holds above it, it’s a valid breakout, not a liquidity hunt.
• Overtrading during NY lunch: The period from 12:00 to 2:00 PM New York time is a dead zone. Price tends to consolidate, chop around, and fake out in both directions. I avoid this window entirely, and I’d recommend you do the same.
• Using tight stops on 1-minute entries: The 1-minute timeframe gives you precision, but it also gives you noise. If your stop loss is 2 pips behind your entry, even a valid setup can stop you out on a wick.

If you can eliminate even half of these mistakes, your results with the ICT 2022 model will improve significantly. That’s what happened during my journey.

ICT Mentorship 2022 vs ICT 2024 Model

A common question I get is whether traders should study the ICT 2022 Mentorship or jump straight to the 2024 model. My honest opinion is to start with the 2022 model.

The 2022 model gives you a complete, self-contained intraday strategy. It’s structured and easy to follow. The 2024 mentorship builds on the same foundation but introduces additional layers like more advanced time-based concepts, refined Silver Bullet entries, and deeper macro analysis.

If you haven’t mastered the 2022 model yet, the 2024 content will likely overwhelm you. Get consistent with the basics first, then layer on the advanced material.

Tips for Backtesting the ICT 2022 Strategy

Before you risk real money on this model, you need to backtest it, and I mean properly. Here’s how to do it:

• Use TradingView’s replay mode: It lets you simulate live market conditions bar by bar.
• Focus on one session at a time: Don’t try to backtest both London and New York simultaneously. Pick one, get 50+ samples, and analyze your results before moving to the other.
• Log every trade with screenshots: Mark your range, the sweep, the MSS, your entry, stop loss, and take profit on the chart. Screenshot it. You’ll be surprised how much you learn by reviewing these later.
• Track your win rate over 50+ trades minimum: Anything less than 50 samples is statistically meaningless. You need enough data to know if the model works or not.

Conclusion

In this article, I’ve covered the ICT Mentorship 2022 model from the ground up, including the core concepts like FVG, MSS, and liquidity sweeps. I also explained the step-by-step execution during the London and New York sessions, and the common mistakes you should avoid. It’s a structured and repeatable approach to intraday trading, but only if you put in the work to actually learn it properly.

No strategy works without discipline and screen time. I’d strongly recommend you backtest this model for at least 50 trades on TradingView’s replay mode before going anywhere near a live account.

If you have any questions about the ICT 2022 model, feel free to drop them in the comment section below. Good luck with your trading.

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About the Author

Edris Derakhshi

My name is Edris, and I am the founder of TradingRage, which is a trading and investment content creation agency. I began my trading journey from 2018 and have been a funded forex and crypto trader and asset manager for the last few years. I’ve also been planning content, managing technical and content SEO, and writing online content about finance and the financial markets, as it is my true passion. I’ve written numerous articles, landing pages, and market analyses (for popular websites like Finestel, CryptoQuant and CryptoPotato).