i think this whole ES thing is a crock anyway. liquid markets like es, 10's, cl, bunds etc propbably (imo) arent the best place for a newbie to start. its like bone pointed out with the fools errand of scalping - these markets are the most competitive in the world where the best minds with the best technology slug it out each day. competition is so much more intense, with most money - easily 80-90% there simply for the speculation. can you really make sense of a t&s print with 100x 1 lots printing peppered with a few 10's 50's? if i was starting again or training someone to day trade, id be looking at the ags like wheat, or alternatively some foreign venue like montreal or lme where the majority of the participants are there to hedge a cash position. they trade a lot less volume meaning it's a hell of a lot easier to understand order flows and the others inventory, when theyre looking to buy/sell etc - actual trading with intelligence allowing you toprepare in advance - develop a game plan long before the set-up/zone youre waiting for - going for a good swing with limited risk. thats what a real trading is - not following some stupid oscillators with no real knowledge of what youre doing or why - just knowing 'it worked in the past' because you think youve put some effort in backtesting and optimising the past. if trading were that easy everyone would be rich. guess what..... then you can graduate to the bigger markets and throw 100 lots round in the es. it takes time and thats why most retail are are on a hiding to nothing - too impatient, and trading the wrong markets. capitalisation isnt the issue.