Accumulation. Manipulation. Distribution. Plus Fair Value Gap entry.
Four phases with precise, measurable rules — no chart-reader voodoo.
Best on 5-minute and 15-minute charts of liquid equities, especially
during the first 90 minutes of the US session.
PHASE 1
Accumulation
Price respects a high and a low for 20+ candles. The range is tight relative to recent ATR. Both edges are touched at least 3 times — the range is actively being defended, not drifted through.
Detect: 20 candles in range ≤ 1.2% of mid Confirm: ≥ 3 touches at top edge & bottom edge Signal: sets the high/low for everything that follows
PHASE 2
Manipulation
A single candle wicks beyond the range, then closes back inside. The wick takes out the stops sitting just below — that's the liquidity event funding the next move. If the candle closes outside, this isn't manipulation — it's a real breakdown, pattern invalidated.
Detect: candle.low < range.low − 8bps Require: candle.close > range.low (must close back inside) Window: within last 3 candles
PHASE 3
Fair Value Gap
A 3-candle imbalance forms after the manipulation. The middle candle moves so fast that its body covers ground the wicks of the surrounding candles can't reach. That leaves a "fair value gap" — a price zone with no transaction history. The market often returns to fill it. That's the entry.
Bullish FVG: high[t−2] < low[t] Min size: 6bps of price Entry: limit order at FVG midpoint Window: within last 5 candles
PHASE 4
Distribution
The directional move opposite to the manipulation. Stop sits below the manipulation wick. Target is 2× the range — anything beyond is bonus. The 2:1 minimum reward-to-risk is the engine's guardrail.
Stop: 10bps below manipulation wick low Target: min(entry + 2 × range, range top + 1 range) Min R:R: 2.0 (setups below this get suppressed)
Trade rules
Entry
Limit at FVG midpoint
Stop (long)
10bps below manipulation wick low
Stop (short)
10bps above manipulation wick high
Target (long)
min(entry + 2×range, range top + range)
Target (short)
max(entry − 2×range, range bottom − range)
Min R:R
2.0 — setups below are suppressed
Best timeframes
5m–15m intraday · 1H–4H swing
Best regime
Moderate volatility, range-bound markets
Fails when
Manipulation candle closes outside the range
How conviction is scored
Accumulation tightness
40%
Manipulation wick strength
30%
FVG size
30%
HYPOTHETICAL PERFORMANCE DISCLAIMER — All strategy descriptions, phase logic, conviction scores, and any performance figures shown on this page are based on hypothetical, simulated methodology. They do not represent actual trading results. Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations: unlike actual trading, simulated results do not represent real risk, real fills, or real market impact. No representation is made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those described. Past hypothetical performance is not indicative of future results.
Methodology note: AMD-FVG is a well-defined, widely-traded technical pattern. Its rules enforce disciplined risk management (2:1 R:R floor, stop placement beyond the manipulation wick). In our hypothetical testing, this approach produced more qualifying setups in moderate-volatility, range-bound conditions, and fewer setups during strong trending environments. This reflects our implementation methodology — it is not a guarantee of performance on any live setup.
[counsel: confirm CFTC 4.41(b) verbatim requirements and any applicable NFA disclaimer language before public launch]