Engulfing candle at a key level

An engulfing candle's body completely covers the previous candle's body, showing a sharp shift in control. It means most at a level that already matters.

Reversal strategiesBeginnerConfirmed on candle close

Watch it play out

Replay plays a setup this strategy already finished and stops so you can call it. Live watches for the next one on Bitcoin (BTC-USD, 1-minute candles). Either way a setup is marked only when a candle closes, then it's locked and plays out to its target or its stop. Nothing to trade here.

How the live chart applies the rules
  • 1-minute candles. The chart runs every strategy on 1-minute Bitcoin candles from Coinbase, whatever timeframe the strategy page suggests. Times are New York time.
  • Closed candles only. Levels, triggers and stops are read when a candle closes. Entry is that candle's close.
  • One setup at a time. While a setup is playing out, the same strategy doesn't start another.
  • Sensible risk only. A setup counts only if its stop is between a quarter and 6 times the average candle range (ATR 14) from entry (wider for session-range strategies), and its target is at least 0.75R away.
  • How a setup ends. At its target or its stop. If one candle touches both, the stop counts. A setup also ends at any exit its page names, and after 120 candles (longer for trend and session strategies) if nothing is hit.
  • Replays. A replay plays the latest setup this strategy finished on the live chart's recent history, sped up. It's the same setup the live chart confirmed, with the same entry, stop and result. If the strategy hasn't finished one recently, the replay uses example candles and says so.
  • The trading day. A day runs 6:00 PM to 6:00 PM ET, like futures. VWAP restarts at 6:00 PM, and "yesterday" means the last full trading day.

How Engulfing candle at a key level works

TargetStopSellers run out of steamTurn confirmed on close
Example drawing, not live market data.
1Where's the level?
A known level: yesterday's high or low, VWAP, or the latest confirmed swing high or low.
2What's the trigger?
At the level, a candle closes with its body fully engulfing the previous candle's body in the opposite direction.
3Where is it wrong?
Beyond the engulfing candle's extreme.
4Where does it end?
2R.
Markets
Futures, Stocks, Forex, Crypto
Timeframes
5m to 1d
Sessions
Any
Also called
bullish engulfing, bearish engulfing

What it means

An engulfing candle's body completely covers the previous candle's body, showing a sharp shift in control. It means most at a level that already matters.

How it is confirmed without repainting

Engulfing is judged only after the candle closes.

When it fails

The engulfing candle appears in the middle of nowhere, away from any level.

Education only. Prop Firm Duel does not provide trade signals or financial advice. This page explains how the strategy is commonly defined. Past results never guarantee future results.

More Reversal strategies

All strategies
ReversalBeginner

Double bottom and top

Price tests the same low twice and fails to break it, showing sellers are out of strength. When price clears the high between the two lows (the neckline), the reversal is confirmed.

See the rules
ReversalIntermediate

Failed breakout

When a breakout above a range closes back inside it, buyers who chased are trapped. Their exits can push price hard the other way.

See the rules
ReversalIntermediate

Head and shoulders

Three peaks: a higher one (the head) between two lower ones (the shoulders). A close through the neckline that connects the lows signals the trend has turned.

See the rules