Winning In The Futures Markets By George Angell Pdf
George Angell’s Winning in the Futures Market is a foundational guide that bridges the gap between novice trading basics and advanced professional strategies. The book is well-regarded for its insider perspective on how professional "pit traders" operate and for introducing specific technical systems. Core Trading Concepts
The LSS 3-Day Cycle: This proprietary system, adapted from George Taylor’s "Book Method," identifies a repeating pattern of Buy, Sell, and Short Sell days. It focuses on locating support and resistance based on whether the market is pushed lower to attract buyers or higher to attract sellers.
Technical Analysis Methods: Angell covers charting techniques, Gann methods for identifying market tops and bottoms, and the use of contrary opinion trading.
Trading as a Business: He emphasizes shifting from a "hobbyist" mindset to a professional one, which includes maintaining discipline and never "paper trading" because it lacks the real psychological pressure of live capital. The Professional Mindset
Position Sizing: Successful traders vary their commitment based on confidence, "loading the boat" when a high-probability trade aligns with their system.
Risk Management: Angell advocates for establishing a clear trading plan and understanding margin requirements, suggesting roughly $20,000 in margin for every one-lot traded to ensure staying power.
Market Psychology: The book explores pitfalls like the "Trading Animal Syndrome" and the "Pain Principle," teaching traders how to cope with failure and remain flexible rather than trading on rigid opinions. Content Structure
Part 1: Understanding Markets: Covers the basics of how orders are filled in the pits and the roles of major players.
Part 2: Strategy & Systems: Details day trading approaches, hedging, and the mechanics of technical indicators.
Part 3: Psychology & Discipline: Focuses on the mental attributes required to sustain long-term success.
George Angell's book Winning in the Futures Market: A Money-Making Guide to Trading, Hedging and Speculating winning in the futures markets by george angell pdf
(revised edition) provides a foundational look at futures trading, blending basic mechanics with advanced technical strategies. Amazon.com Key Core Concepts The LSS Day-Trading System:
This is Angell’s proprietary strategy, specifically focused on the 3-day cycle and the S&P Stock Index Options market. It identifies "buying" and "selling" days based on price action and market symmetry. Technical Tools:
The book covers specialized technical analysis methods, including Gann techniques
for picking market tops and bottoms, charting techniques, and contrary opinion trading. Market Fundamentals:
For novice traders, it explains the essentials of futures contracts, margin requirements, order placement, and how to work with brokers. Strategic Insights:
Angell emphasizes that because the futures market is a "zero-sum game" where a tiny minority earns the majority of the profits, specialized knowledge—like understanding pit trader actions—is critical to success. Availability and Resources While full-text PDFs are sometimes hosted on platforms like or archived on Internet Archive , you can also find summaries and physical copies: Winning in the Futures Market: Angell, George - Amazon.com
George Angell’s Winning in the Futures Market is a comprehensive guide to mastering the psychological and technical complexities of trading, hedging, and speculating in futures. First published in the late 1980s, the book serves as both an educational primer for novices and a strategic manual for experienced traders. Core Trading Methodology The cornerstone of Angell's approach is the proprietary LSS Day Trading System
, which is based on the "Book Method" originally developed by George Douglas Taylor. LSS 3-Day Cycle
: This model identifies market patterns across a repeating three-day sequence: "L" Day (Buy)
: Markets are typically driven lower, creating opportunities to buy at support levels. "S" Day (Sell) George Angell’s Winning in the Futures Market is
: Prices often trade near previous highs, allowing traders to sell or exit positions. "SS" Day (Sell Short)
: Markets frequently open at extreme highs, offering short-selling opportunities that can be covered lower by day's end. Price Action & Support/Resistance
: The system relies on calculating support and resistance based on recent price movements rather than lagging indicators. Key Strategic Concepts
Angell emphasizes that survival is the first rule of the futures market. His strategies focus on minimizing risk through structured planning: Trading Psychology
: He highlights that "doing the hard thing"—following a mechanical system 100% of the time—is what separates winners from losers. Contrary Opinion Trading
: Learn how to bet against the crowd by identifying when market sentiment has reached an irrational extreme. Gann Methods
: The book incorporates techniques from W.D. Gann for identifying market tops, bottoms, and time-based symmetry. Money Management
: Chapters are dedicated to protecting capital, such as trading smaller sizes after a large win or loss to avoid emotional compounding. Practical Resources PDF Access
: Digital versions and summaries are often found on platforms like Internet Archive Author Credentials
: George Angell spent a decade as a floor trader and has written eight books on the subject, including the well-known Sniper Trading Google Books or a comparison with other systems like Gann analysis Read once for high-level themes and rule sets
AI responses may include mistakes. For financial advice, consult a professional. Learn more LSS 3 Day Cycle Method George Angell | PDF - Scribd
George Angell’s Winning in the Futures Markets remains a seminal guide, offering timeless technical and psychological insights for traders navigating high-leverage environments. The book, frequently sought in PDF format for its foundational strategies, highlights the power of intraday dynamics, market geometry, and the renowned LSS (Long/Short/Stop) system.
How to use the PDF effectively
- Read once for high-level themes and rule sets.
- Re-read and extract concrete rules into a one-page trading plan.
- Backtest or paper-trade the rules for at least 3–6 months.
- Keep a trade journal and compare real trades to the PDF’s examples.
- Iterate your plan based on objective results, not emotion.
1. The 3-Day Cycle
Angell identified a repetitive rhythm in the futures markets. He claimed that market trends often move in three-day waves: an up day, a down day, and a wild "trend day." The system attempts to predict the direction of the third day based on the specific behavior of the first two.
Who should read it
- Traders who want a practical, disciplined approach to futures trading.
- Those transitioning from demo trading to live markets and needing robust risk rules.
- Readers who prefer actionable rules and examples over heavy academic theory.
The Core Strategies: The "Day Trading System" (LSS)
The centerpiece of Angell’s methodology is his "LSS" (Lucky Second System) or what many refer to as the Day Trading System. This is the primary reason traders hunt for the PDF. Here is how it works in principle:
The "Lunch Break Reversal" (LB Reversal)
Another gem hidden in the George Angell text that PDF seekers crave is the Lunch Break Reversal.
Futures markets often go quiet between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM EST (the traditional lunch hour). Angell observed that when the volume dries up, algorithms and floor traders often trap novice traders. His strategy was simple: If the market makes a low during the lunch hour but fails to close below that low by 1:30 PM, go long. Conversely, if it makes a high and fails to hold it, go short.
This pattern plays on the "shakeout"—a sudden spike that stops out weak hands before reversing in the true direction.
Psychological Frameworks: Angell vs. Douglas
While Mark Douglas ("Trading in the Zone") focused on general cognitive biases, Angell focused on the physical reality of the pit (or the screen). In his PDF, he discusses the concept of the "Professional vs. The Amateur."
- The Amateur wants to buy the low and sell the high. (Emotional)
- The Professional waits for confirmation. (Mechanical)
Angell taught that the market structure itself contains traps. A sudden surge to a new daily high, he argued, is often a "sucker rally" designed to lure in latecomers before the professionals sell short.