The New Day Opening Gap (NDOG) is an ICT concept that marks the gap between the previous day’s closing price and the current day’s opening price.
This gap gives you insight into how Smart Money is likely to deliver price during the new trading day.
It’s a simple but powerful tool to set a bias and find high-probability trade setups.
1. Why is NDOG Important in ICT?
The NDOG shows where the market opened relative to the previous day’s close.
If the market opens above the previous close, it often signals bullish delivery.
If it opens below, it can signal bearish delivery.
But don’t treat it as a buy/sell signal alone. Combine it with other ICT tools like Fair Value Gaps, Order Blocks, and Liquidity Pools for better accuracy.
2. How to Mark the NDOG in ICT
To mark the NDOG:
- Go to the 00:00 (midnight) candle on your chart using the New York session time.
- Note the closing price of the last candle from the previous day (23:59 NY time).
- Note the opening price of the new day (00:00 NY time).
- Draw two horizontal lines to mark the gap.
The area between these two lines is your NDOG zone.
3. Example 1 – Bullish NDOG in ICT
Let’s say on EUR/USD:
- The market closed yesterday at 1.0950.
- The new day opened at 1.0965.
This creates a bullish NDOG, showing price opened 15 pips higher than the previous close.
Smart Money may deliver price upward from that point.
Possible strategy: Wait for price to retrace into the NDOG, then look for a bullish Fair Value Gap or bullish Order Block. Enter long from there.
4. Example 2 – Bearish NDOG in ICT
On GBP/USD:
- The market closed at 1.2700 yesterday.
- Today, it opened at 1.2682.
That creates a bearish NDOG, as price opened lower than the previous close.
It may signal bearish delivery for the day.
Possible strategy: Wait for a retracement into the NDOG zone, then look for a bearish FVG or a bearish Order Block to go short.
5. Things to Remember While Using ICT NDOG
- NDOG is most useful in New York session, especially when used with ICT Killzones like New York Open.
- NDOGs are not always filled. Sometimes price bounces off them and continues in the direction of delivery.
- It works best when the gap aligns with your higher-timeframe bias.
6. NDOG as a Magnet in ICT
Many traders observe that price is attracted to the NDOG—especially if it hasn’t been tested yet.
So even if the market opens far from it, there’s often a move back to fill or touch the gap, especially early in the session.
That’s why NDOGs often act like a price magnet during the trading day.
7. Conclusion
The New Day Opening Gap (NDOG) is a simple but powerful concept in ICT.
It helps you:
- Read daily bias
- Forecast Smart Money delivery
- Identify key intraday support/resistance
By learning to mark and trade around the NDOG, you can improve your entry accuracy and overall confidence in trading.
Would you like a chart illustration of a real NDOG setup? I can create one for you.
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