How I trade pre-market gappers

Pre-market gaps are some of the highest-probability setups if you wait for confirmation. Here's my exact playbook: **1. Filter the universe** I only look at stocks gapping >5% with >100k pre-market volume. Below that, the move is usually fake. **2. Identify the catalyst** Earnings beat? Analyst upgrade? Sector momentum? News-driven gaps hold better than pure momentum gaps. **3. Wait for the first 5-min candle** I never enter at the open. Let the algos exhaust themselves. Look for a tight consolidation in the first 5 minutes — that's your base. **4. Entry trigger** Break above the first 5-min high on increased volume. Stop below the 5-min low. Target is the next pre-market level. I usually risk 0.5% of account per setup. Win rate is around 55-60% with a 2:1 average R/R. This is the bread and butter for me. Anything fancier is just noise.