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. |
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”.
What the P mark adds
P is an additional completion check for the first stage, not a new number in the second count. In the extreme-price variant, concluding bars are compared with the sixth and seventh bars of the first sequence. If the selected variant allows later confirmation, P can appear after the 9.
A 9 without P and a confirmed P describe different observations. P does not promise a reversal or replace checking subsequent price behaviour. The calculation variant determines the timing and whether later confirmation is allowed.
Practice: check your understanding on one chart
In the full-count view, find a sequence ending at 9. Record its direction and nine counted bars. Check separately whether P display is enabled: no letter on a clean screen does not prove that its calculation condition is absent.
What the completed observation should contain
9 completes the initial sequence. Additional P and subsequent 13 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 ↗