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EP20 Free trading lesson · Real trade case

Breaking Down a USDJPY Trade Set-up: a Sniper Trade with 600%+ Profit from $20

A look back at a real USDJPY trade on 29 Aug 2025: how the D1 → H4 → H1 → M5 analysis led to a buy plan with TP 147.420 and SL 146.670, and the risks you must know before trading sniper-style.

By 1TRADER7 min readUpdated 16 Oct 2026
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Note: This article reviews a real trade for education only. It is not a trading signal or investment advice. Past profits do not guarantee future results, and sniper-style trading risks losing your entire account.

Quick summary before you read

  • A breakdown of a real USDJPY trade on 29 Aug 2025: buy right away, TP 147.420, SL 146.670, risk/reward about 2.47
  • Multi-timeframe: D1 uptrend → H4 sideways near an H4 orderblock → H1 pullback testing an H1 orderblock next to the H4 OB → M5 buy when RSI nears oversold
  • Trade history: total profit $139.10 on a $20.34 deposit, about 684%, from several buy orders
  • Sniper trading can pay off big but risks the whole account if the plan is wrong; beginners should risk 1–2% per trade

Previous lessons: EP1 Trends · EP2 Sideways markets · EP3 Trend reversals · EP4 Speed line · EP5 Demand & supply zones · EP6 FVG · EP7 Divergence · EP8 FIBO · EP9 Money management · EP10 Free backtesting · EP11 Stochastic · EP12 Bollinger Bands · EP13 Starting capital · EP14 Sniper (All-in) · EP15 Free TradingView · EP16 Zone indicator · EP17 RSI · EP18 Divergence indicator · EP19 Multi-timeframe

01Trade set-up

The USDJPY trade set-up used that day

This article takes an interesting real trade and explains how the chart was read that day to arrive at the trade set-up. The case is USDJPY on 29 August 2025, which made over 600% on an account of about $20.

A trade set-up is a plan made before you enter: which side to trade, the entry price, where to put the TP and SL, and the reasons from your analysis. It is not clicking in on a feeling.
Pair
USDJPY · daily plan for 29 Aug 2025 at 02:58 GMT
Side
Buy right away at about 146.886
TP
147.420 (0.534 or 53.4 pips from entry, near the H1 supply zone)
SL
146.670 (0.216 or 21.6 pips from entry, a safe SL)
Risk/reward
53.4 ÷ 21.6 ≈ 2.47, a reward of almost 2.5 times the risk
USDJPY trade set-up for 29 Aug 2025: buy right away, TP 147.420, SL 146.670, risk/reward 2.47
USDJPY plan, 29 Aug 2025: buy right away, TP 147.420, SL 146.670 · tap to enlarge
146.886 EntryApproximate entry price
53.4 pipsDistance to TP 147.420
21.6 pipsDistance to SL 146.670
2.47 RRThe plan’s risk/reward
USDJPY H1 chart after the plan: price broke the downtrend line and rose to the TP 147.420 area
The chart afterwards: price broke the H1 downtrend line and rose to the TP 147.420 area · tap to enlarge
02Multi-timeframe

Multi-timeframe analysis for the trade set-up

Use the same idea as EP19 Multi-timeframe: check 2 things on every timeframe, the trend and support and resistance, working from the higher timeframe down.

Step 1 D1: uptrend

1
Uptrend – shown by the dark green trendline through the lows since April 2025; price is still above the line
2
Support and resistance not yet clear – price is ranging around 146–149, so move down to H4
USDJPY D1 chart in an uptrend: a green trendline through the lows, price ranging near 147
D1: uptrend along the green trendline, price in a range · tap to enlarge

Step 2 H4: sideways near the H4 orderblock

1
A large sideways range – price swings inside the black box at about 146.2–148.8
2
H4 orderblock support – the light-blue zone near the bottom of the range; price came down close to it, so buys started to carry more weight
USDJPY H4 chart with price in a large sideways range and a light-blue H4 orderblock support near the bottom
H4: a large sideways range with H4 orderblock support (light blue) near the bottom · tap to enlarge

Step 3 H1: a downtrend pulling back into the orderblock

1
Short-term downtrend – price falls along the red trendline, a pullback within the H4 range
2
Testing the H1 orderblock – the green zone right next to the H4 orderblock. With support from two timeframes stacked together, the decision was to set up a buy right away
3
Target – TP 147.420 sits in the H1 supply zone (pink), where price may be sold back down
USDJPY H1 chart in a downtrend along the red trendline, price testing the H1 orderblock next to the H4 orderblock, with an H1 supply zone above
H1: price tests the H1 orderblock (green) next to the H4 orderblock (light blue) · tap to enlarge

Step 4 M5: buy when RSI nears oversold

1
Wait for RSI near oversold – the buy entries are the red boxes where RSI dropped near 30, first at 00:05 GMT and again at 08:35 GMT
2
Why M5 – a better entry price and a tight SL, while the TP still comes from the higher timeframe. See how to use RSI in EP17
USDJPY M5 chart with two buy entries when RSI fell near oversold at 00:05 and 08:35 GMT on 29 Aug 2025
M5: the red boxes are the buy entries when RSI fell near oversold · tap to enlarge
USDJPY H1 chart after the buy: price bounced from the H1 orderblock and broke the downtrend line towards the H1 supply zone
H1 after the buy: price bounced from the H1 orderblock and broke the downtrend line towards the H1 supply zone · tap to enlarge
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Looking at H1 alone, you would only see a downtrend and might sell at support. Across all timeframes, the H1 drop is just a pullback into support stacked from two timeframes, in the same direction as D1, which gives buys the edge here.

03Result

Results from the real trade history

Deposit
$20.34
Total profit
$139.10 ≈ 684% of the deposit
Orders
Several buys of 0.01 and 0.02 lots, entries 146.770–146.838
Close
About 147.107–147.115, before TP 147.420
Afterwards
Withdrew $99, leaving a balance of $60.44
MT5 trade history for USDJPY on 29 Aug 2025: several buy orders, total profit $139.10 from a $20.34 deposit, over 600%
MT5 history: profit $139.10 from a $20.34 deposit (≈ 684%) · tap to enlarge

Checking the numbers: a 0.02-lot buy from 146.770 closed at 147.109 made 33.9 pips, or $4.61, which matches a USDJPY pip value of about $6.8 per pip per lot (1,000 yen ÷ 147). So the $139.10 total came from many orders combined, not a single trade.

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The times in the history (28 Aug 23:45 and 29 Aug 00:05) are server time, GMT, matching the first entry on the M5 chart. The close at about 147.109 came before the TP at 147.420, even though price later reached the TP area.

04Risk

The risks of sniper trading to know before you copy it

A sniper trade means waiting for the most confident moment, then opening a position that is large compared with your account. Returns can reach hundreds of percent, but the risk is just as high. Read the full idea in EP14 Sniper (All-in).

Worked example

If price hits the SL

Say you buy at 146.800 with SL 146.670, a 13-pip distance

0.02 lot × $6.8 × 13 pips ≈ $1.77 per order (approximate pip value)

With 11 orders of 0.02 lot (0.22 lot in total)

Total loss ≈ $19.5, almost the whole $20
Compared with 2% risk

$20 account risks $0.40

13-pip SL, using the formula from EP9

$0.40 ÷ (13 × $6.8) ≈ 0.0045 lot (below 0.01)

A standard account’s minimum is 0.01 lot, so you risk more than 2% from the first trade

Options: a cent account / more capital
What the trade history doesn’t show
1
One mistake can wipe out almost everything – the 684% here came from large position sizes; if price had hit the SL, the result would have been just as big the other way
2
You may be stopped out before the SL – margin is small compared with the position size, so a sharp swing around news can close the orders before the SL
3
No system wins every time – a good plan improves your odds but guarantees nothing; always allow for losing trades
If you do trade sniper-style
1
Only use plans that pass multi-timeframe checks – the main trend and support/resistance on several timeframes must agree
2
Set an amount you can afford to lose in full – use money you can truly lose, and don’t top up to chase losses
3
Withdraw part of the profit – as in this case, where $99 was withdrawn after the win to lock in the return
05Checklist

Checklist for building your own trade set-up

Follow this order every time
1
D1: read the main trend – uptrend means focus on buys, downtrend on sells; use trends and trendlines
2
H4: find key zones – a sideways range, support and resistance, or an orderblock that price is approaching
3
H1: find overlapping zones – an H1 orderblock or demand/supply zone that overlaps the H4 zone; the more they overlap, the more weight it carries
4
Write the plan before entering – side, entry, TP and SL, with a risk/reward of at least 1:2
5
M5: wait for the entry signal – such as RSI near oversold for buys or near overbought for sells, at your planned zone
6
Size the lot and check the news – size the lot from the SL distance as in EP9, and check the economic calendar before entering
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Practise trade set-ups on past charts with the free backtesting sites (EP10). Record every plan, wins and losses, to see which plans really work before you use real money.

06Summary

Summary: the factors on each timeframe in this case

TimeframeWhat we saw that dayFactor usedEffect on the plan
D1Uptrend along the green trendlineSupport and resistance not yet clearFocus on buys
H4Large sideways range 146.2–148.8H4 orderblock near the bottomBuys start to carry more weight
H1Downtrend pulling back into the zoneH1 orderblock next to the H4 orderblockBuy set-up with TP 147.420 and SL 146.670
M5Price pulling back inside the zoneRSI falling near oversoldBuy entries at 00:05 and 08:35 GMT

This case shows that a good trade set-up comes from reading the trend and support and resistance on every timeframe, then using a lower timeframe for the entry. The 600% profit came from sniper-sized positions, which is a separate decision; always start from a risk per trade you can accept.

07FAQ

FAQ about trade set-ups and sniper trading

What is a trade set-up?

A trade set-up is a plan made before you enter a trade. It covers the side (buy or sell), the entry, the take profit and the stop loss, with reasons from your analysis such as the trend and support and resistance on several timeframes. Once price meets the conditions, you look for the entry on a lower timeframe.

Why buy when H1 was in a downtrend?

Because the higher D1 timeframe was in an uptrend, H4 was ranging sideways and price had come down near the H4 orderblock support. The H1 drop was a pullback testing the H1 orderblock next to the H4 orderblock. Support from two timeframes stacked together, in the direction of the D1 trend, gave buys the edge.

What is an orderblock, and how is it different from a demand zone?

An orderblock is the last candle before price moves away strongly, treated as a zone with pending buy or sell orders. A demand zone usually covers the whole area where price paused before breaking up. An orderblock is therefore narrower and lets you place the stop loss closer. Read more in EP5 Demand and supply zones.

How is the 600%+ profit calculated?

From the trade history showing a total profit of $139.10 against a deposit of $20.34, about 684%. The profit came from several buy orders combined, not a single order, and applies to this case only; it doesn’t mean it can be repeated every time.

Why did the history close at about 147.109 instead of the 147.420 TP?

The orders were closed at about 147.107–147.115, before the planned TP, although the chart later reached the TP area. Closing before the TP is fine if you have clear rules, such as price nearing a supply zone or big news coming up, but set those rules in advance and apply them the same way every time.

Is sniper trading suitable for beginners?

Not really. Sniper trading means opening positions that are large compared with your account. If the plan is wrong and price hits the stop loss, you can lose almost everything in one go. Beginners should start by risking 1–2% per trade and read about the risks of this style in EP14 Sniper (All-in).

How does M5 RSI help with the entry?

Once the higher timeframes have set up a buy plan, use M5 RSI to wait for price to pull back until RSI nears the oversold area around 30, then buy for a better price and a tighter stop loss. Don’t trade M5 RSI on its own without a plan from the higher timeframes.

See all lessons in the free Forex and gold trading course

Risk warning: Trading Forex, gold and CFDs carries a high level of risk and you may lose all your money, especially with positions that are large compared with your account. 1TRADER provides information and education to support your own decisions only. The trade case in this article is for education; past results do not guarantee future results. Read the full risk disclosure.