Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (2024)

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Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (1)

by Rob

February 24, 2017 Updated October 17, 2023

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Technical analysis is a vast universe to say the very least. I mean, just think of all the chart patterns that are out there, and that we stand to encounter quite regularly when trading. From the simplest chart formations, which may include dojis, pin bars, engulfing candles and pivots, to the more complex chart patterns like multi-wave retracements, it takes knowledge and experience to develop pattern recognition skills, and often, it's hard even figuring out where to begin.

Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (2)

Table of Contents

  • Learn About Trend Lines First and Foremost
    • Next, Get Familiar with Continuation Chart Patterns
    • And Finally, Spend Time Learning About Reversal Patterns
  • Conclusion

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Nonetheless, taking a logical, methodical approach to your early trading education is crucial to getting a proper start in trading. So whatever you do, don't jump wildly between chart patterns in a frantic attempt to learn them all right away. Instead, follow this advice and master some of the most relevant chart patterns first. Doing so will create a proper foundation of knowledge upon which you can build a lasting trading career. Here's where to start…

Learn About Trend Lines First and Foremost

Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (8)Because price itself forms the entire basis for technical analysis, perhaps the first vital skill for technical traders to develop is an ability to decipher the direction (and perhaps strength) of a market's prevailing trend. And that can be as simple as drawing and analysing trend lines—and perhaps moving averages—on the chart. Believe it or not, trend lines are chart patterns, too, and because trend lines help feed into other chart patterns, they make a fine first step for new and aspiring traders.To get started with trend lines, simply practice drawing lines connecting a market's highs and/or lows (as shown at right) to get a picture of the prevailing trend, which in this case is clearly and decisively down and within the context of a channel, or flag formation. This might signal to the trader that the best way to trade this particular market or asset is to sell tests of the upper trend line, which acts as key resistance, and buy tests of the lower one, which acts as support.

As it happens, trend lines coupled with our own preferred price pattern, the pin bar reversal, are used under the Lazy Trader methodology to signal high-probability trading opportunities in up, down, and sideways markets.

Next, Get Familiar with Continuation Chart Patterns

Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (9)Continuation patterns often give rise to trading opportunities that are consistent with the market's prevailing trend. And in part, this is why using trend lines to first determine the market's bias is the recommended first step, because continuation (or consolidation) patterns will only apply if traded in that particular direction. The most well-known continuation patterns include various types of triangles, from the symmetrical triangle patterns seen at right (Source: Investopedia), to ascending and descending triangle patterns (not shown). Ascending and descending triangles are asymmetrical in nature, with ascending triangles only occurring for uptrends, and descending triangles only occurring for downtrends.

Meanwhile, the pennant and flag formations seen below are other (similar) continuation chart patterns that belong in this same family. Both can occur in either uptrending or downtrending markets, and while many traders use these chart patterns as a basis for planning and executing trades, pure price action traders like us aim only to recognise their presence and use them to help validate existing, price-action-generated trade ideas.

And Finally, Spend Time Learning About Reversal Patterns

Reversal patterns are used to suggest a potential change in the market's direction. And, because trend reversals carry lower probability and comparatively higher risk, we recommend first working towards a mastery of both trend lines and perhaps continuation patterns before you truly focus your attention here. Afterall, you may well be able to trade successfully using little more than trend lines and pure price action, anyway.

Among the more common chart patterns used to signal potential trend reversals are double tops and double bottoms, the popular head and shoulders pattern (see below), and triple top and triple bottom patterns. Note that the standard head and shoulders pattern (left panel) will signal a top for the given market or asset and a subsequent reversal to the downside, while the inverse head and shoulders pattern (right panel only) is a bottoming formation that would precede a move back to the up side.

Conclusion

For new and aspiring technical traders, there's always a lot to learn, but if you take but one piece of advice from this article, make it this: Being sensible and targeting only one or two prominent chart patterns at a time early on will serve you much better than trying to absorb many different patterns all at once will.

So start with basic trend lines, and perhaps simple formations like pin bars, dojis, inside bars, and the like. Next, begin to study continuation and reversal patterns, but not necessarily so you can trade them. Learn to recognise these common chart patterns to improve and help validate your market analysis, and promote more informed, confident trading for the long term.

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Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader (2024)

FAQs

Which Chart Patterns Should I Learn First? | The Lazy Trader? ›

So start with basic trend lines, and perhaps simple formations like pin bars, dojis, inside bars, and the like. Next, begin to study continuation and reversal patterns, but not necessarily so you can trade them.

What is the most accurate chart pattern to trade? ›

Head and Shoulders Pattern: The head and shoulders pattern is considered one of the most reliable chart patterns and is used to identify possible trend reversals.

What is the most successful day trading pattern? ›

The head and shoulder pattern is among the most popular and reliable trading patterns. Perhaps it's the most reliable day trading pattern. It is easily recognizable and gives a reversal signal. This means that if it appears after a downtrend, the price will reverse and trend upwards.

What is the easiest pattern to trade? ›

What are the best day trading patterns for beginners? The easiest to learn patterns are the falling wedge, rising wedge, bull flag breakout, and cup and handles. The cool thing about trading patterns is that they happen repeatedly, and you can fall in love with or even marry them.

What patterns do day traders look for? ›

The best chart patterns for day trading include the triangle, flag, pennant, wedge, and bullish hammer chart patterns.

What chart do most day traders use? ›

A day trader could trade off of 15-minute charts, use 60-minute charts to define the primary trend and a five-minute chart (or even a tick chart) to define the short-term trend.

What is the most profitable pattern in stocks? ›

The 3 Most Common and Profitable Chart Patterns
  • Cups: Cup-with-Handle and Cup-without-Handle.
  • Double Bottom.
  • Flat Base.

How much money do day traders with $10,000 accounts make per day on average? ›

With a $10,000 account, a good day might bring in a five percent gain, which is $500. However, day traders also need to consider fixed costs such as commissions charged by brokers. These commissions can eat into profits, and day traders need to earn enough to overcome these fees [2].

What strategy do most day traders use? ›

Common day trading strategies include Momentum, Breakout, Range, Reversal, Gap, Trend Following, Mean Reversion, Scalping, News, Pattern, Support and Resistance, Fibonacci, Volume Spread Analysis (VSA), Event-Driven, Arbitrage, and Statistical Arbitrage, each with its own set of rules and indicators for entering and ...

Has anyone ever gotten rich from day trading? ›

In summary, if you want to make a living from day trading, your odds are probably around 4% with adequate capital and investing multiple hours every day honing your method over six months or more (once you have a method to even work on).

What should I trade as a beginner? ›

As a beginner, focus on a maximum of one to two stocks during a session. Tracking and finding prospects is easier with just a few stocks. It's now common to trade fractional shares. That lets you specify smaller dollar amounts that you wish to invest.

Which type of trading is most profitable for beginners? ›

The defining feature of day trading is that traders do not hold positions overnight; instead, they seek to profit from short-term price movements occurring during the trading session.It can be considered one of the most profitable trading methods available to investors.

What is the simplest most profitable trading strategy? ›

One of the simplest and most widely known fundamental strategies is value investing. This strategy involves identifying undervalued assets based on their intrinsic value and holding onto them until the market recognizes their true worth.

What time frame is best for chart patterns? ›

Several traders claim that the 5-minute and 15-minute time frames are the most preferred chart time frames for intraday trading. Many software also provides system-based 1-minute and 30-minute charts. However, they are either too slow or too volatile.

How realistic is it to be a day trader? ›

High probability of losses.

A study of 1,600 day traders over the course of two years found that 97% of individuals who day traded for more than 300 days lost money. Succeeding in day trading takes more than diligence and education, but a significant amount of luck.

How many trades should a day trader make a day? ›

A day trader might make 100 to a few hundred trades in a day, depending on the strategy and how frequently attractive opportunities appear. With so many trades, it's important that day traders keep costs low — our online broker comparison tool can help narrow the options.

Which trading strategy is most accurate? ›

Trend trading strategy. This strategy describes when a trader uses technical analysis to define a trend, and only enters trades in the direction of the pre-determined trend. The above is a famous trading motto and one of the most accurate in the markets.

Which chart style is best for trading? ›

Bar Data charts are commonly used in trading and technical analysis. They aggregate data over specific periods, which may not necessarily be based on time. In this category, we include candlestick and Heikin-Ashi charts due to their shared characteristics related to bar data representation.

Which trading indicator has the highest accuracy? ›

Which is one of the most accurate trading indicators? The most accurate for trading is the Relative Strength Index. It is considered one of the best momentum indicators for intraday trading. It helps investors identify the shares which are bought and sold in the market.

What is the most accurate bullish pattern? ›

The bullish engulfing pattern and the ascending triangle pattern are considered among the most favorable candlestick patterns. As with other forms of technical analysis, it is important to look for bullish confirmation and understand that there are no guaranteed results.

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