Candlestick Pattern Encyclopedia

Rare & Complex Patterns

The Pattern Collector's Edition

These patterns are less common but worth knowing. When they appear, they can provide high-probability setups.

TRI-STAR (Very Rare)

Bullish Tri-Star:      Bearish Tri-Star:
      ┼                        ┼
    ┼   ┼                  ┼   ┼
  3 Dojis at bottom      3 Dojis at top
What it is: Three consecutive Dojis with the middle one gapped.
Signal: Extremely powerful reversal - maximum indecision followed by shift.
Rarity: Very rare - when you see it, it's significant!
Nickname: "The Trinity"

STICK SANDWICH

    ┌───┐       ┌───┐
    │   │       │   │
    │   │ ┌───┐ │   │
    │   │ │███│ │   │
    └───┘ └───┘ └───┘
    Red  Green  Red (same close level)
What it is: Two bearish candles with identical closes, with a bullish candle between them.
Signal: Bullish - the matching closes form support.
Nickname: "The Sandwich" or "Double Bottom Single Candle"

UNIQUE THREE RIVER BOTTOM

Pattern:
1. Long bearish candle
2. Harami with a lower low (hammer-like body)
3. Small bullish candle below #2's body

Signal: Bullish reversal - one of the more complex bottom patterns.
Nickname: "River Bottom"

CONCEALING BABY SWALLOW

Pattern (Very rare):
1. Marubozu down
2. Marubozu down (gap down)
3. Small candle that gaps inside #2
4. Marubozu down that engulfs #3

Signal: Despite being all bearish candles, this is a BULLISH reversal!
Why: Exhaustion pattern - sellers are overextended.

LADDER BOTTOM

    ┌─┐
    │ │┌─┐
    └─┘│ │┌─┐
       └─┘│ │┌─┐
          └─┘│ │
             └─┘─┐
                │█│ ←Inverted hammer
                └─┘
Pattern:
1. Three or more bearish candles making lower lows
2. Fourth candle is bearish with an upper shadow
3. Fifth candle gaps up or is bullish

Signal: Bullish reversal - ladder going down but then finding footing.
Nickname: "The Ladder" or "Stairway Reversal"

TOWER TOP & TOWER BOTTOM

Tower Top: Series of green candles → sideways/small candles → series of red candles

Tower Bottom: Series of red candles → sideways/small candles → series of green candles

What it looks like: A "tower" of momentum, consolidation on top/bottom, then reversal.
Signal: Major reversal pattern.

These rare patterns are "nice to know" but don't go hunting for them. They'll find you when conditions are right.

Key Takeaways

  • Tri-Star = three Dojis, extremely rare and powerful
  • Stick Sandwich = two identical closes with opposite candle between
  • Complex patterns are less common but highly reliable
  • Don't force these patterns - let them come to you