Which prices qualify a bar for the count?
For a downward sequence, the full set checks four conditions: the close is no higher than the low two bars earlier; the low is below the previous bar’s low, or equal if the selected variant permits equality; the close is below the previous counted close; and the close is below the previous bar’s close. The first counted number has no previous counted close to compare. Upward sequences mirror these comparisons, using highs and upward price progress.
The simplified part of version II retains only progress beyond the previous counted closing price. That need not be the adjacent bar: gaps can occur between numbers. “Previous bar” and “previous counted number” are therefore different references. A separate final-check variant can use the open for number 13; it does not change the rules for numbers 1–12.
Why a count skips bars or does not reach 13
A bar may fail SW Parallel Count’s combination of conditions, so it does not receive the next number. Preset rules can also cancel or replace an unfinished sequence. Enable detailed counts and check the selected version and loaded history before interpreting a missing number.
Changing the symbol, interval or history length changes the input comparison. The visible window need not begin where the calculation begins: the platform uses the preceding loaded bars.
What to examine after a 13
Locate price within its recent range and observe subsequent completed bars. If extra reference levels are enabled, use them according to the selected preset. When SW Parallel Count and SW Phase Count disagree, first understand why their counts differ, then form your own conclusion.
SW Parallel Count does not appoint an inevitable reversal, execute trades or replace risk management. A comparison provides additional context when you understand the role of each study.
Practice: check your understanding on one chart
Find SW Parallel Count numbers separated by non-counted bars. Compare price progression with the selected version's rules. Check separately when early numbers became known: their historical position is not the information-availability time.
What the completed observation should contain
A qualifying bar and the availability time of early SW Parallel Count numbers are checked separately.
Primary sources
Sources explain the mechanics and limitations; the editorial examples use invented numbers rather than market quotations.
Your next practical step
Open the linked help page, repeat the steps on one instrument, and record the symbol, timeframe, profile and observation date so that the result can be checked again.
Open the first-chart instructions ↗