When you hear the name WD Gann, you are not just hearing about a trader. You are hearing about one of the most brilliant minds to ever decode the hidden patterns of financial markets. Gann was more than a technical analyst; he was a mathematician, a master of time cycles, and someone who understood that human behavior leaves predictable footprints on price charts. If you have been wondering how to trade like WD Gann, you are stepping into a journey of deep market understanding that goes far beyond traditional methods.
In this blog, we will walk through Gann’s foundational principles, explore tools like the Square of 9 and Square of 90, and show you how to begin applying his methods in your own trading. If you want a full step-by-step mastery, make sure to check out the Lunar Mastercourse at Gann Academy, where we dive even deeper into Gann’s powerful techniques.
Who was W.D. Gann and why does he matter to traders today?
Born in 1878, William Delbert Gann wasn’t just another trader.He was an architect of a completely new way of seeing the markets – blending geometry, astrology, price-time analysis, and ancient mathematics into a structured method for forecasting market moves.
Gann believed that price, time, and pattern form the three keys to unlocking market behavior.
And he wasn’t just theorizing – his public trades, some documented to be over 90% accurate, left a legacy few have ever matched.
Learning how to trade like W.D. Gann means learning how to see the markets through a multi-dimensional lens, far beyond typical technical analysis.
W.D. Gann’s core trading philosophy
Gann’s approach to trading was based on one simple but profound idea: markets move not only in price but also in time. While most traders obsess over price levels alone, Gann taught that time is equally, if not more, important. He believed that certain time cycles govern when trends start, when they accelerate, and when they reverse. Understanding this balance between price and time was central to his success, and it remains just as relevant today.
Learning how to trade like W.D. Gann starts with embracing this dual lens. Every major high, low, or trend shift you see on a chart is not random; it is part of a larger cycle unfolding in both dimensions. If you can track and measure these movements accurately, you can forecast the next major move with incredible precision.
For traders who want to master Gann’s method properly, the Lunar Mastercourse offers a structured path, starting from basic concepts all the way to live applications.
How did W.D. Gann use the Square of 90?
One of Gann’s most famous tools is the Square of 90, a geometric way to predict market turning points. But how did W.D. Gann use the Square of 90? Quite simply, he divided the circle, which has 360 degrees, into four quadrants of 90 degrees each. He observed that after a significant move, markets often found support, resistance, or trend change points at these 90-degree intervals.
For example, if a stock rallies sharply, it might pause or reverse after a 90-degree move relative to its starting price. Traders who can calculate these angles can position themselves ahead of the crowd, rather than reacting after the fact. Gann applied the Square of 90 both in price and time, measuring not just how far a market had moved in dollars but also how far it had traveled in days.
If you want an easier way to work with Gann’s techniques today, Gann Academy offers many indicators, which helps traders apply these calculations directly on modern platforms without doing the math manually.
How to insert W.D. Gann’s Square of 9 in Excel?
If you are serious about studying Gann’s methods, building your own Square of 9 manually is a great exercise. Many traders ask how to insert W.D. Gann’s Square of 9 in Excel, and the process is relatively simple. You start with the number 1 in the center cell of a spreadsheet, then spiral numbers outward clockwise, increasing by 1 each time.
Once your Square of 9 is built, you can highlight critical angles like 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, and so on. When you plug in a current price into the square, you can project possible future price levels where turning points might occur. It takes a bit of practice, but it gives you a real understanding of how Gann thought.
If you prefer ready-to-go tools, the indicators available at Gann Academy will help you apply the same logic live on your charts, saving time while staying true to Gann’s methods.
How Effective Are W.D. Gann Levels?
Another common question is how effective W.D. Gann levels really are in modern markets. The answer is that they are still highly effective, provided you understand how to use them properly. Human behavior, the real driver of markets, has not changed. Fear, greed, and hope continue to create predictable patterns, and Gann’s methods are designed to map those emotional waves.
Gann levels work best when combined with modern confirmations like price action and volume. When a Gann level aligns with a breakout candle or a volume spike, the probability of a successful trade increases dramatically. It is not about guessing; it is about stacking the odds in your favor.
For those who want to see live examples of how Gann levels are applied in real trading situations, the Lunar Mastercourse covers this in great detail, including case studies of different asset classes.
How to Understand W.D. Gann Trading Strategies
To truly understand W.D. Gann trading strategies, you must appreciate that his work was a blend of price, time, and geometry. He taught traders to measure the distance between highs and lows, to watch for specific time cycles to complete, and to identify when price was “squaring” time.
For instance, Gann believed that a price move that traveled 90 points over 90 days had reached a natural balancing point. Watching for these symmetries helped him predict major turning points before they were obvious to the market.
If you are serious about learning how to understand W.D. Gann trading strategies, it is crucial to practice drawing Gann angles, plotting squares of price and time, and studying historical charts. It is not just theory; it is about consistent, hands-on application.
For traders who want to learn Gann’s method in detail, the Lunar Mastercourse offers an in-depth way to do so, starting from basics all the way to live applications.
How to make profits in commodities using W.D. Gann’s Methods
W.D. Gann had a special focus on commodities, and his book “How to Make Profits in Commodities” remains a classic. If you are looking for a how to make profits in commodities, you will find some text versions online, but reading alone is not enough. To apply Gann’s methods profitably, you need to understand how seasonal patterns, price levels, and time cycles interact.
Gann observed that agricultural commodities, metals, and energy products all follow natural cycles driven by both human activity and planetary influences. He would combine the Square of 9, astrological cycles, and seasonal patterns to find high-probability trades.
Conclusion
Learning how to trade like W.D. Gann is not about chasing a magic formula. It is about training your mind to see the natural order behind market chaos. Gann’s tools, like the Square of 9 and Square of 90, his focus on time cycles, and his belief in geometric structure, all point to one truth: the markets are not random.
If you are ready to dive deeper into Gann’s world and start trading with a real edge, explore the Lunar Mastercourse at Gann Academy. It is the most complete training available today, combining the timeless wisdom of W.D. Gann with practical application for modern traders.
👉 Start your Gann journey with the Lunar Mastercourse here.
