A breaker is a single up-closing candle, or a set of consecutive up candles, right before price sweeps a low and reverses.
How to identify a breaker
The flip is what makes it a breaker: its low is swept, price closes back above its high, and the zone turns into support. Play the three-beat sequence through.
FIG P.6.9.1·The +BB / −BB pattern
A breaker is a candle, or a set of candles, never a fixed number. This lesson walks through various examples.
Candles in breakertap to pick, or ↻ Replay to walk all
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A candle, or a set of candles
A breaker is a single up-closing candle, or a set of consecutive up candles, right before price sweeps a low and reverses. The box wraps whatever set printed, never a fixed number, and once price closes back above its high, the zone flips to support.
Play all: a candle prints at a swing → price sweeps the liquidity beyond it → then reclaims by closing back through → box the breaker, however many candles it is. Toggle Bullish / Bearish, or try the Quiz to tap the breaker.
The three key levels
A breaker carries three reference levels: the far wick, the close, and the mean threshold. Tap through them.
FIG P.6.9.2·The three key levels
Candles in breakerone candle: 50% of its body
The levels appear one at a time, tap any level (or a pill) to revisit it.
The mean threshold: 50% of the body. The best breakers won't let price trade back through it.
Tap a level (or a pill) to highlight the far wick · close · mean threshold. A close beyond the far wick ends the breaker. When the breaker is several candles the mean threshold is one level: the 50% of its body. Toggle Bullish / Bearish, or try the Quiz to spot each level.
High- vs low-probability breakers
As with an order block, the shape changes which level it works from. Toggle between the two.
FIG P.6.9.3·High- vs low-probability breakers
Candles in breakerone candle, or pick a set
Big body, small wicks · the 50% is the level
A large-bodied breaker with small wicks is the strong one. Its key level is the mean threshold, the 50% of the body, and the strongest breakers hold there.
On the way back price meets the close first. The strongest breakers let it trade into the body but hold the mean threshold (50% of the body) rather than trading back through it.
Toggle High- / Low-probability to morph the breaker and see the level it works from. The mean threshold (50% of the body) is the level the strongest breakers hold. Bullish / Bearish, or try the Quiz.
Anatomy of a breaker block
Walk the full cycle, from the swing to the run.
FIG P.6.9.4·Anatomy of a breaker block
Breaker candlesa candle, or a set of candles, same breaker
Swing low, then swing high
A swing low forms, then price rallies to a swing high. The last up candle before the turn is the breaker, here a single candle, but it can be a set of consecutive candles.
Step the phases: swing → sweep the liquidity and break of structure → the three levels (far wick · close · mean threshold) → the retest holds the 50% → price plays out. Toggle Bullish / Bearish, or try the Quiz on the real examples.
Into a draw
A breaker is strongest sitting in front of a draw. Play it through.
FIG P.6.9.5·A breaker into a draw
Price is trending toward a draw
A draw rests up top, and resting liquidity sits below (the amber level). Watch a breaker form between them and send price up into the draw.
Read the sweep-and-reclaim.One sequence confirms a breaker: the liquidity beyond it is swept, then price closes back through and its polarity flips, support on a bullish breaker, resistance on a bearish one. That flip in front of the draw is the whole signal.
Play all: the draw up top → a breaker forms (a set of candles) → it's swept and reclaimed → price expands into the draw. Toggle Bullish / Bearish, or try the Quiz.
Quiz · 6 questions
Check your understanding
Question 1
A breaker block is…
Question 2
A bullish breaker forms from…
Question 3
A bearish breaker forms from…
Question 4
The correct way to read a breaker is…
Question 5
What ends a breaker?
Question 6
A clean, decisive reclaim (high-probability breaker): which level does it hold?
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