9 and 13 answer different questions
The calculation presets include additional checks, deferrals and rules for cancelling unfinished counts. A missing next number is not necessarily a display error: the selected conditions may not have been met.
9 · initial-stage completion: A 9 completes the initial consecutive sequence. It says that this stage’s conditions have been met. A pause, a pullback or continued movement may follow; it does not appoint an inevitable reversal.
13 · further-count completion: A 13 completes a further count of qualifying bars. Gaps may occur between them. It does not mean “the thirteenth day after a 9”.
Initial sequence and count of qualifying bars: the main counting rules
initial sequence is the initial consecutive sequence; count of qualifying bars is the subsequent count of qualifying bars. A downward initial sequence has closes below closes four bars earlier; an upward initial sequence has closes above them. In a standard downward count of qualifying bars, the close must be no higher than the low two bars earlier; in an upward count of qualifying bars it must be no lower than the high.
The calculation preset determines how a sequence starts, additional conditions, final-number deferrals and cancellation rules. These are the main principles rather than a specification of every preset. Before comparing platforms, check the selected rules and whether the input bars are complete. A 13 is a count completion rather than thirteen calendar days.
| Stage | What is compared | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Initial sequence · to 9 | The close is compared with the close four bars earlier; a consecutive run of qualifying bars is required. | 9 completes the initial stage. A failed comparison interrupts an unfinished run. |
| Count of qualifying bars · to 13 | In the standard count, the close is compared with the low or high two bars earlier; only qualifying bars count. | Bars can be skipped. Additional completion and cancellation checks depend on the preset. |
Why price can continue after a 13
In this calculation a 13 appeared above price on 24 June 2024, when the bar closed at 447.67. Twelve subsequent bars later, on 11 July, the close was 454.70, above the original value. This is a specific example of why a completed count cannot automatically be treated as the start of a sustained decline.
Comparing those closes does not mean that there were no intervening pullbacks. One historical window also does not measure the indicator’s overall performance. It helps frame the right question: what did price actually confirm after the label?
Setting up SW Phase Count
Lower histograms are available when you want to study the developing counts. Two charts can be displayed side by side; a bar represents the day, week or month selected for its chart.
- Choose a calculation preset: The preset selects the rules. Choose one available calculation variant and keep it and the input history consistent when comparing examples.
- Keep the main labels: The “Only 9 and 13” display preset selects visible elements. It does not replace the calculation rules.
- Add context one element at a time: P identifies an additional first-stage check; 9-13-9 identifies a linked repeat sequence. The calculated price risk reference supports comparison with subsequent price.
- Save your workspace: Save the symbol, interval and selected indicators. Zoom and appearance are separate from the calculation preset.
A practical reading sequence
Start with the interval and price direction. Locate the most recent completed sequence and see how many bars have elapsed since it. Compare subsequent prices with nearby previous highs and lows. If the price risk reference is enabled, assess price against that reference under the selected preset.
Keep the calculated label separate from your own decision. SW Phase Count does not choose your acceptable loss, position size or execution time. The platform supports independent study of a loaded snapshot of completed bars.
Practice: check your understanding on one chart
- Choose a daily chart and keep one calculation profile fixed. Find a completed 9 and record its date, side of the price chart and preceding direction.
- Find the next relevant 13. Count elapsed bars and qualifying count numbers separately: they do not have to match.
- After 13, record only what price did: continuation, a pause or a change of direction. Do not describe the example as a complete trading system or transfer one profile's conditions to another.
What the completed observation should contain
The result names the symbol, timeframe, profile, mark dates and observed price reaction. A missing next number remains a count condition to check; continuation after 13 remains part of the recorded outcome.
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 ↗