The opening range is the high and low of the first 15 minutes of regular trading. Simple definition, inconsistent execution. Most traders who struggle with opening range trading do not have a bad strategy — they have no fixed routine for when and how they draw the lines.
07:45 — Pre-market scan
Before the London open, review your watchlist for overnight gaps, scheduled news, and prior-day context. Note the gap type (see our gap classification guide) and write down your directional bias — or "no bias" if the gap is common and small.
08:00 — Market open, hands off
When the market opens, do not draw lines yet. Watch the first three five-minute candles form. Your only job is to observe volume and whether price is accepting or rejecting the gap direction. Mark nothing on the chart.
08:15 — Draw the range
At exactly 08:15, mark the highest high and lowest low of the session so far. These are your 15-minute opening range boundaries. Use a distinct colour and label them with the date. Do not adjust them for the rest of the morning unless you are running a 30-minute range strategy in parallel.
08:15–08:30 — Wait for confirmation
A breakout above or below the range is not a trade signal on its own. Wait for a five-minute close outside the range with volume at least 1.3× the average of the three opening candles. Without volume confirmation, treat the move as a probe.
08:30 onward — Manage or stand aside
If you took a trade, set your stop at the opposite side of the range or at a level defined in your written plan. If no valid breakout occurred, your morning may be done — and that is acceptable. Forcing trades outside the range defeats the purpose of having one.
Why consistency matters
We see traders move their range lines at 08:12, 08:18, and 08:22 on the same morning, then wonder why backtesting their strategy produces unreliable results. The range is only useful if the boundaries are drawn at the same time every day.
Practice this routine for twenty sessions before changing any rule. Our Opening Range Workshop includes a live demonstration during the London open so you can see the sequence in real market conditions.