Wyckoff spring and upthrust
A failed range break interpreted within a larger accumulation or distribution framework.
What to look for
- A mature range is defined first
- Price breaches a boundary
- Price returns and shows acceptance inside
Several tests build a clear range. Price then trades below the lower edge, closes back inside, and later closes above the range high.
For an upthrust, price trades above an established range high, closes back inside, then later weakens through the lower part of the range.When the pattern is confirmed
A sign-of-strength or sign-of-weakness rule after re-entry.
Where the idea is wrong
Renewed acceptance outside the range.
The easy mistake
Narrative phase labels can be reassigned after every price move.
A complete wyckoff spring and upthrust example
Define a mature range from repeated boundary contacts before the breach. Show the spring below support and upthrust above resistance as failed-break structures before introducing any broader Wyckoff phase label.
First rule to test
Re-entry close — enter only after a complete candle returns inside the frozen range boundary.
Alternative rule
Boundary test — after re-entry, wait for price to revisit the boundary from inside and reject it before entering.
Place it where the pattern is wrong
Place the example stop one fixed ATR fraction beyond the spring low or upthrust high.
Context, trigger and risk
The pattern handles timing. The other tools decide whether the location makes sense and how far normal price movement can reach.
Provides fixed boundaries and timing for intraday failed-break tests.
Measures the breach and standardises the stop buffer.
Adds a separate range-versus-trend condition without assigning a Wyckoff phase.
First exit to test
Range midpoint — close at the frozen midpoint of the mature range.
Alternative exit
Opposite boundary — close at the far side of the range, using the original boundaries without widening them.
Patterns need a method around them
Open a related strategy to see the wider market filter, entry, stop, exit and no-trade rule.
Range mean reversion
Tests whether qualified boundary excursions revert toward a range midpoint.
- ENTRY
- Enter at the next H1 open after the first qualifying close back inside the frozen range.
- STOP
- Place the stop 0.20 × ATR(14) beyond the excursion extreme and size to 0.50% equity risk, rounded down to 0.01 lot.
- EXIT
- Exit at the frozen range midpoint. If neither stop nor midpoint trades, exit after eight completed H1 bars.
Donchian breakout
A rules-first breakout framework based on new lookback extremes.
- ENTRY
- Enter at the next H4 open after a completed close above the prior 20-bar upper channel for a long or below the lower channel for a short.
- STOP
- Initial stop is 2.0 × ATR(20) from the actual fill. Size to risk 0.50% of equity, rounded down to 0.01 lot; never add to or widen the position.
- EXIT
- Exit at the next H4 open after a completed close through the opposite 10-bar channel. The initial 2 ATR stop remains active until that exit.
Stochastic range rotation
Uses the oscillator to time a price-based range hypothesis rather than define the range.
- ENTRY
- Enter at the next H1 open after the combined price-close and stochastic re-entry signal.
- STOP
- Stop 0.20 × ATR beyond the frozen range boundary. Risk 0.50% equity and round down to 0.01 lot.
- EXIT
- Exit at the frozen midpoint or after eight completed H1 bars, whichever occurs first.
Try it on older charts
Test the failed-break component first before adding phase labels.