Fresh vs Tested Zones
The freshness concept
When a zone forms, assume the full pool of unfilled orders is intact. Every time price revisits and bounces, some of those orders are consumed. After enough revisits the pool is depleted — the zone has no more fuel.
Freshness score: 3 / 1.5 / 0
The Trade Score system assigns exact points: Fresh (never revisited since forming) = 3 points. Tested once (one prior revisit with a bounce) = 1.5 points. Tested twice = 0 points. A zone that has been tested twice has likely consumed most of its pending orders and should be treated as exhausted.
Fresh zones and the first-touch rule
The first touch of a fresh demand or supply zone is statistically the strongest reaction. Once price breaks through a zone cleanly, the zone is broken — do not keep using it.
Broken zones flip roles
When a demand zone is decisively broken (price closes below the distal line), it often becomes resistance going forward — the former buyers are now trapped and will sell on a return to break even. This role-reversal is useful context.
Practice checklist
- Check whether price has touched the zone since it formed
- Assign freshness: 0 touches = 3 pts, 1 touch = 1.5 pts, 2 touches = 0 pts
- Mark a zone broken once price closes clearly beyond its distal line
- Note whether a broken demand zone has flipped to resistance
Mistakes to avoid
- Reusing a zone that has already been tested twice — it has scored 0 on freshness
- Treating a third or fourth test as equal to a first touch
- Forgetting to check the freshness score before grading a setup