Candlestick Chart Patterns: Strongest to Weakest
Browse our library of Japanese Candlestick Chart Patterns, displayed from strongest to weakest, in two columns: Bullish & Bearish Patterns.
Strong candlestick patterns are at least 3 times as likely to resolve in the indicated direction. Reliable patterns at least 2 times as likely. Weak patterns are (only) at least 1.5 times as likely to resolve in the indicated direction. That means 2 out of 5 patterns are likely to fail.
Consolidation Patterns are typically weak candlestick patterns that have close to an even chance of resolving in either direction (i.e. less than 1.5 times as likely to resolve in either direction).
Bullish Candlestick Patterns
Three White Soldiers
Candlestick Pattern: Three White Soldiers
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Strong
Description: Three rising tall white candles, with partial overlap and each close near the high.
Strong - Reversal
Deliberation
Candlestick Pattern: Deliberation
Pattern Type: Continuation
Prevailing Trend: Up
Pattern Strength: Strong
Description: Two rising tall white candles, with partial overlap and each close near the high, followed by a small white candle that opens near the preceding close.
Strong - Continuation
Morning Star
Candlestick Pattern: Morning Star
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Strong
Description: Tall black candle followed by a lower small candle, either white or filled, with a gap between the two bodies. Then a gap up leads to a third, tall white candle that closes above mid-point on the body of the first candle.
Strong - Reversal
Three Line Strike
Candlestick Pattern: Three Line Strike
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Three falling black candles, with lower closes, followed by a tall white candle that opens below (or equal to) the preceding close and closes above the highest open.
Reliable - Reversal
Morning Doji Star
Candlestick Pattern: Morning Doji Star
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Tall black candle followed by a lower Doji candle (where the open and close are nearly equal) with a gap between the two bodies. Then a gap up to the body of a third, white candle that closes above mid-point on the body of the first candle.
Reliable - Reversal
Rising Three Methods
Candlestick Pattern: Rising Three Methods
Pattern Type: Continuation
Prevailing Trend: Up
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Two tall white candles bracketing three shorter candles. The starting white candle is followed by three shorter candles, the first and third are black but the middle candle can be either filled or unfilled. The last of the three short candles must close above the open of the starting white candle. The tall white candle at the end must close above the body of the starting white candle.
Reliable - Continuation
Three Outside Up
Candlestick Pattern: Three Outside Up
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Engulfing white candle (see below) followed by a second white candle with a higher close.
Reliable - Reversal
Engulfing
Candlestick Pattern: Engulfing
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Black candle followed by a taller white body that opens below the preceding body and closes above it.
Reliable - Reversal
Belt Hold
Candlestick Pattern: Belt Hold
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Tall white candle with no lower shadow and a close near the high.
Reliable - Reversal
Abandoned Baby
Candlestick Pattern: Abandoned Baby
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Black candle followed by a lower Doji candle with a gap between the two shadows. Then a white candle where the lower shadow is above the Doji high.
Reliable - Reversal
Separating Lines
Candlestick Pattern: Separating Lines
Pattern Type: Continuation
Prevailing Trend: Up
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Tall black candle followed by a tall white candle that opens at the top of the first candle body.
Reliable - Continuation
Doji Star
Candlestick Pattern: Doji Star
Pattern Type: Continuation
Prevailing Trend: Up
Pattern Strength: Reliable
Description: Tall white candle followed by a short Doji candle with no overlap between the Doji and the body of the first candle.
Reliable - Continuation
Advance Block
Candlestick Pattern: Advance Block
Pattern Type: Continuation
Prevailing Trend: Up
Pattern Strength: Weak
Description: Three white candles with partially overlapping bodies. The bodies grow progressively shorter and the shadows larger, ending with a tall shadow on the third candle.
Weak - Continuation
Three Inside Up
Candlestick Pattern: Three Inside Up
Pattern Type: Reversal
Prevailing Trend: Down
Pattern Strength: Weak
Description: Harami pattern (a tall black candle followed by a smaller white candle where the body is enclosed within the body of the first candle). Followed by a white candle that closes above the body of the first candle.
Weak - Reversal
Hanging Man
Weak - Continuation
Piercing Line
Weak - Reversal
Breakaway
Weak - Reversal
Matching High
Weak - Continuation
Side by Side White Lines
Weak - Continuation
Downside Gap Three Methods
Weak - Reversal
Upside Gap Two Crows
Weak - Continuation
Hammer
Weak - Reversal
Bearish Candlestick Patterns
Three Black Crows
Strong - Reversal
Identical Three Crows
Strong - Reversal
Evening Star
Strong - Reversal
Concealing Baby Swallow
Strong - Continuation
Three Line Strike
Strong - Reversal
Evening Doji Star
Reliable - Reversal
Falling Three Methods
Reliable - Continuation
Three Outside Down
Reliable - Reversal
Engulfing
Reliable - Reversal
Belt Hold
Reliable - Reversal
Abandoned Baby
Reliable - Reversal
Separating Lines
Reliable - Continuation
Doji Star
Reliable - Continuation
Three Inside Down
Weak - Reversal
Inverted Hammer
Weak - Continuation
Dark Cloud Cover
Weak - Reversal
Stick Sandwich
Weak - Continuation
Breakaway
Weak - Reversal
Matching Low
Weak - Continuation
Side by Side White Lines
Weak - Continuation
Upside Gap Three Methods
Weak - Reversal
Unique Three Rivers
Weak - Continuation
Shooting Star
Weak - Reversal
Consolidation: Up-trend
Harami
Harami Cross
Tri-Star
Very Weak Bear Signal
Dragonfly
On Neck Line
In Neck Line
Two Crows
Meeting Line
Kicking
Ladder Top
Upside Tasuki Gap
Consolidation: Down-trend
Harami
Homing Pigeon
Harami Cross
Tri-Star
Weak Reversal Signal
Gravestone
On Neck Line
In Neck Line
Meeting Line
Kicking
Ladder Bottom
Downside Tasuki Gap
Three Stars in the South
Rare
Reversal is highly likely (strong) but very poor target performance negates this. Treat as a consolidation.
