Three White Soldiers and Three Black Crows

Three white soldiers and three black crows are three candle patterns that show a decisive shift in control. Three white soldiers are three consecutive long green candles, each closing higher than the last, often appearing after a decline. Three black crows are three consecutive long red candles, each closing lower, often appearing after a rise. They signal strong, sustained pressure from one side.

The rules#

What the patterns mean#

Three white soldiers show buyers pushing price higher for three periods in a row without meaningful pullbacks, a sign of strong, broad demand. Three black crows show the same for sellers. After a downtrend or a long consolidation, soldiers can mark the start of a new uptrend; crows after an uptrend can mark the start of a decline.

When the pattern means exhaustion#

Context changes the message:

• After an already long trend, three large candles can be a final burst of buying or selling rather than a fresh start. Very long candles far from moving averages often lead to pullbacks.
• Shrinking bodies or growing wicks on the third candle suggest the push is fading, sometimes called an "advance block" for soldiers.
• Into major resistance or support, the pattern's momentum may run out at the level.

Trading the patterns#

Because the pattern is already three strong candles, entering at the close often means buying an extended price with a distant stop. Common approaches:

1. Wait for a pullback after the pattern, towards the second candle's body or a broken level, then enter in the pattern's direction.
2. Use the pattern as trend confirmation rather than an entry signal, and switch to a pullback strategy. See Impulse and Correction.
3. Stop placement: below the first soldier's low (aggressive traders use the second or third candle's low), or above the first crow's high.
4. Check reward: if the next resistance is close, the move may already be largely done.

Confirming with volume#

Volume rising across the three candles supports the pattern: more participants joined each day. Falling volume while the candles keep rising suggests fewer buyers are pushing price higher, which weakens the signal. See Volume Analysis Basics.

Common mistakes#

• Chasing the third candle at the extreme of the move.
• Treating any three green candles as the pattern; size and closes near the highs matter.
• Ignoring where the pattern forms; late in a trend, it can warn of exhaustion.

Frequently asked questions#

What are three white soldiers?#

Three consecutive long green candles that each open within the previous body and close higher near their highs, signalling strong buying pressure.

What are three black crows?#

The bearish counterpart: three consecutive long red candles, each closing lower near its low, signalling strong selling.

Should I buy after three white soldiers?#

Many traders wait for a pullback rather than buying the third candle's close, because price is often extended and the stop would be far away.

Next, learn two candle patterns that close past the midpoint: the Piercing Pattern and Dark Cloud Cover and dark cloud cover.