Capitalizing on momentum in the first 30–60 minutes of the market open.
The stock pulls back slightly, holding above its VWAP, forming a tight flag pattern. The Level 2 shows heavy bidding support.
For ten minutes, the stock did nothing. It grinded sideways. The old Leo would have sold, bored, looking for action elsewhere. But the Playbook had a specific drill for this: the playbook pdf mike bellafiore 2021
Just as an NFL quarterback doesn't invent a new throw on game day, a professional trader shouldn't invent a new strategy while staring at a live chart. Bellafiore argues that you must build a "library" of setups. The 2021 iteration of The Playbook focuses specifically on:
The demand for the book was so high that it became scarce, with some used copies selling for exorbitant prices. In response, the book was in new formats, making it widely accessible again. An announcement on the SMB Training blog stated: "The PlayBook is now BACK IN STOCK... The book is now available in paperback and e-book. Order now before they sell out again". Capitalizing on momentum in the first 30–60 minutes
Even as markets evolve, the human elements of fear and greed—along with the need for structured, repeatable strategies—never change. In 2026, as in previous years, the most successful traders are those with the discipline to stick to their edge.
Organize your setups using tools like Notion, Microsoft OneNote, or Evernote. For ten minutes, the stock did nothing
When you have a Playbook, the anxiety dissolves. You are not betting on a prediction; you are executing a process. If a Play has a 60% win rate and a 2:1 reward-to-risk ratio, a single loss means nothing. It is just the cost of doing business. Bellafiore teaches traders to detach from the outcome of any single trade and focus on the execution of the Play.
What is the broader market doing? Are we in a high-volatility regime or a sideways grind?
Most trading books fall into two categories: academic textbooks full of complex equations, or motivational fluff about "thinking like a billionaire." The Playbook by Mike Bellafiore is neither.
Where will you take partial profits to lock in gains?