Is The Tradeskill real money?

No. The Tradeskill is 100% paper trading. Your account is funded with virtual cash only. You can never lose or withdraw real money, and it is not a broker.

How much does The Tradeskill cost?

It is completely free. There is no subscription and no hidden fees. You sign up with an email and get $20,000 in virtual cash to start practising.

How realistic is the market data?

The Tradeskill uses real, live market prices for crypto and US stocks. Simulated orders fill against those prices with realistic spreads and slippage, so the experience closely mirrors live trading.

Which assets can I trade on The Tradeskill?

30 major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, BNB, XRP and Dogecoin, with live 24/7 pricing; 25 top US stocks and ETFs, including Apple, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Tesla, SPY and QQQ, during US market hours; plus major forex pairs and gold.

Is The Tradeskill good for beginners?

Yes. It is built for learning to trade. Guided steps, an automatic trade journal and AI feedback help you understand orders, risk and strategy with no real money at stake.

Elliott Wave Rules: The Three Rules That Invalidate a Count

What it means

Most of Elliott Wave is guidelines, but three rules are strict for an impulse: wave 2 never retraces more than 100% of wave 1; wave 3 is never the shortest of waves 1, 3 and 5; and wave 4 never enters the price territory of wave 1.

If a rule is broken, the count is wrong and must be changed.

Why traders use it

The rules are the most practical part of the theory because they turn a subjective count into a clear "I am wrong here" level, which is exactly what a stop needs.

Chart examples

A valid impulse and its rule levels

Wave 2 stays above the start of wave 1, and wave 4 stays above the top of wave 1. Both lines are invalidation levels.

Wave 4 overlaps wave 1: count invalid

The fourth leg drops into the price territory of wave 1, so this cannot be a normal impulse; the count must change.Schematic diagrams drawn to explain the idea; they are not market data.

How to identify it objectively

1Rule 1: mark the start of wave 1; wave 2 must stay above it (in an uptrend).
2Rule 2: measure waves 1, 3 and 5; wave 3 must not be the shortest.
3Rule 3: mark the top of wave 1; wave 4 must stay above it.
4Treat each rule level as an invalidation price for the count.

Bullish use

1A long based on a wave 3 count uses the start of wave 1 as the invalidation.
2A long based on a wave 5 count uses the top of wave 1 (rule 3) as the invalidation.

Bearish use

1In a downtrend the same rules apply upside down.
2A break of a rule level is a reason to drop the count, not to "adjust" it to fit.

What confirms it

All three rules hold on closing prices.
The same count works on the timeframe above.

What invalidates it

Any rule broken.
A count that is changed repeatedly to avoid a broken rule.

How a hypothetical setup is built

Entry

Long during wave 4 only if price holds above the top of wave 1.

Stop

Below the top of wave 1: if wave 4 overlaps it, the impulse count is invalid.

Target

A new high in wave 5.

A hypothetical illustration of how the concept is turned into a plan, not a recommendation. Practise it on a paper account first.

Historical testing

Not tested on The Tradeskill. The rules are definitions, not signals; they are useful mainly for placing stops.

Limitations: when it fails

Diagonal patterns are an accepted exception where wave 4 may overlap wave 1, which weakens rule 3 in practice.
Wicks versus closes must be decided in advance.
The rules tell you when a count is wrong, not when it is right.

Knowledge check

Pick an answer to see the explanation. Nothing is saved.

1. Wave 2 retraces below the start of wave 1. What does this mean?

2. Which wave can never be the shortest of 1, 3 and 5?

3. Why are the rules useful for risk?

Practise it risk-free

Open the free chart, use replay to go back in time and look for this concept candle by candle with $20,000 in virtual money.