Three White Soldiers & Three Black CrowsHello, Traders! 😎
In technical analysis, not all candlestick patterns are created equal. While some merely hint at indecision or short-term corrections, others shout with conviction: "Trend reversal is coming…" Two of the most powerful momentum candlestick formations are the Three White Soldiers and the Three Black Crows. When they appear, traders PAY ATTENTION. In this article, we’ll dive deep into: What do these patterns look like? Why do they form? What do they tell us about market psychology? How to trade them?+ Their limitations 👇🏻
What Are Three White Soldiers and Three Black Crows?
These Are Multi-Candle Reversal Patterns That Suggest A Strong Shift In Market Sentiment:
Three White Soldiers. A 🐂bullish reversal pattern that occurs after a downtrend. It consists of three consecutive long-bodied green (or white) candles, each closing higher than the last, and ideally opening within the previous candle’s real body.
Three Black Crows. A 🐻bearish reversal pattern that shows up after an uptrend. It’s made of three consecutive long-bodied red (or black) candles, each closing lower than the last and opening within the previous candle’s real body. They signal not just a change in price, but a shift in power, from sellers to buyers (or vice versa).
Candles With a Message
Unlike most one-candle signals or minor patterns, these sequences tell a real story. They show that one side has taken clear control over the market — not for an hour, not for a single day, but for multiple sessions. And that kind of shift, especially on higher timeframes like daily or weekly charts, is something seasoned traders pay close attention to.
Let’s get into the psychology for a second. Imagine you’re a trader who just watched BTC drop for two weeks. Then out of nowhere, three strong green candles appear, each more bullish than the last. You’re seeing buyers push through resistance levels like they don’t even exist. That’s not just a bounce, that’s confidence. That’s the kind of thing that makes people FOMO back in, or finally close out their shorts. Same with the Black Crows. If the price has been climbing and suddenly sellers start hammering it for three days straight? That’s not retail panic. That’s big money exiting.
Now, How do Traders Trade Them?
Well, a lot of people jump in right after the third candle closes. If you’re going long on the Three White Soldiers, you’re betting that the breakout has legs. Same for shorting the Black Crows.
But, and here’s the trap, not all of these patterns play out. Sometimes, that third candle is the climax, not the beginning. So confirmation matters. Volume should increase. The move should break a recent key level. Indicators like RSI or MACD should support the shift. Otherwise, you might just be catching the end of a move, not the start of one.
Another mistake? Ignoring context. These patterns mean nothing if they’re forming in the middle of chop or during low-volume holiday trading. They work best when they signal the end of exhaustion.
And let’s be honest. Even if the pattern is clean, you still need a plan. Stops should go below the first green candle (for bullish setups) or above the first red one (for bearish setups). If price moves against you, it means momentum never really shifted. That’s your cue to get out fast.
Final Thoughts
Three White Soldiers and Three Black Crows are powerful tools in the hands of a patient trader. Of course, these patterns aren’t perfect. They don’t account for time, so a 3-day move might seem powerful, but if it happens slowly over 12-hour candles, it’s not as strong as the same pattern on a daily chart with volume.
The takeaway? These are patterns worth knowing, not because they’re magic, but because they reflect a real shift in market behavior. When Three White Soldiers or Three Black Crows show up in the right place, at the right time, with the right confirmation… that’s when charts stop being random and start making sense. But remember. They are indicators, not guarantees. The best traders use them in conjunction with other tools and a clear trading plan.
