8 Strongest Candlestick Patterns

The most reliable Japanese Candlestick chart patterns — three bullish and five bearish patterns — are rated as STRONG. Strong candlestick patterns are at least 3 times as likely to resolve in the indicated direction (greater than or equal to 75% probability).

There are more candlestick patterns on the pages below:

  1. Bullish and Bearish Reversal Patterns, where an up-trend or down-trend is expected to reverse direction;
  2. Bullish and Bearish Continuation Patterns, where the trend is likely to continue in its original direction; and
  3. Consolidations, where future trend direction remains uncertain.

Bullish Candlestick Patterns

Three White Soldiers

Strong bullish reversal in a downtrend

Three White Soldiers Candlestick Pattern - Bullish Reversal

Three rising tall white candles, with partial overlap and each close near the high.

Deliberation

Strong bullish continuation in an uptrend

Deliberation Candlestick Pattern - Bullish Continuation

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.

Morning Star

Strong bullish reversal in a downtrend

Morning Star Candlestick Pattern - Bullish Reversal

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.

Bearish Candlestick Patterns

Three Black Crows

Strong bearish reversal in an uptrend

Three Black Crows Candlestick Pattern - Bearish Reversal

Three falling tall black candles, with partial overlap (between the candlestick bodies) and each close near the low.

Identical Three Crows

Strong bearish reversal in an uptrend

Identical Three Crows Candlestick Pattern - Bearish Reversal

Three identical falling black candles with no overlap (between the bodies) and each close near the low.

Evening Star

Strong bearish reversal in an uptrend

Evening Star Candlestick Candlestick Pattern - Bearish Reversal

Tall white candle followed by a higher small candle, either filled or unfilled, with a gap between the two bodies. Then a gap down leads to a third, tall black candle that closes below mid-point on the body of the first candle.

Concealing Baby Swallow

Strong bearish continuation in a downtrend

Concealing Baby Swallow Candlestick Candlestick Pattern - Bearish Continuation

This rare pattern consists four black candles. Two consecutive tall black candles with no shadows gap down to a third tall black candle with a tall upper shadow (that overlaps the preceding body) and no lower shadow. This is followed by a fourth black candle which completely engulfs the previous candle (including the shadow).

Three Line Strike

Strong bearish reversal in an uptrend

Three Line Strike Candlestick Pattern - Bearish Reversal

Three rising white candles, with higher closes, followed by a tall black candle that opens above (or equal to) the preceding close and closes below the bodies of the preceding three candles.