Zone Strength: Normal, Strong, Very Strong
Why strength ratings exist
Not all zones are equal. A zone produced by a massive, gapped move is fundamentally different from one with a modest single-candle departure. Rating strength helps you rank zones when multiple setups compete for attention.
Normal strength
The leg-out is a single exciting candle — one large body candle that closes above all base candles. This shows clear imbalance but not an extreme one. Most zones fall into the Normal category.
Strong zone
Two conditions qualify as Strong: (1) Two or more exciting candles in the leg-out — the departure is sustained and powerful; or (2) The leg-out is a gap — price opens beyond the base range with no candles in between, meaning buyers/sellers were so urgently imbalanced they couldn't wait for the market to open at the base level.
Very Strong zone (rarest)
The entire zone formation consists only of base candles — there is no exciting leg-in. Price accumulated/distributed in pure indecision candles, then gapped or made a massive exciting departure. The absence of excitement in the build-up means the imbalance was hidden and massive — the most explosive zones form this way.
Base candle count also feeds into strength
For the Trade Score, base size matters: 1–3 base candles scores 2 points (tight concentration), 4–5 candles scores 1 point, more than 5 candles scores 0. Combine this with leg-out quality to get a full picture.
Practice checklist
- Count the exciting candles in the leg-out: 1 = Normal, 2+ or gap = Strong
- Check for a gap-out: gap departure = Strong automatically
- Check if the entire zone is only base candles = Very Strong
- Count base candles for scoring: 1–3 = 2 pts, 4–5 = 1 pt, >5 = 0 pts
Mistakes to avoid
- Rating a zone strong just because it is recent — recency and strength are independent
- Ignoring a sloppy, overlapping leg-out which signals low imbalance
- Confusing base candle count (affects score) with leg-out quality (affects strength rating)