What 13 means in SW Phase Count: counting qualifying bars

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.

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”.

A skipped number, deferred completion and cancellation are different states

A non-qualifying bar does not advance the second count, but does not cancel it by itself. Completion is deferred when a candidate for 13 passes the base test but fails an additional completion check. In the variant checking 13 against the eighth counted bar, “+” appears, the count remains at 12 and waits for a qualifying completion. The “+” mark is visible when its display is enabled.

Cancellation ends an unfinished branch under the selected variant’s rules, for example after a qualifying opposite sequence or a breached price condition. It differs from a pause between numbers. Keep the calculation variant and source history the same when comparing results; hiding numbers does not cancel the calculation.

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?

Practice: check your understanding on one chart

Find a completed 13 and its preceding linked initial sequence. Compare elapsed bars with counted numbers. If “+” appears before completion, record it separately from 13 and check the selected profile.

What the completed observation should contain

13 completes a count of qualifying bars; elapsed days may be different.

Primary sources

Sources explain the mechanics and limitations; the editorial examples use invented numbers rather than market quotations.

• What 13 means in SW Phase Count: counting qualifying bars

Sources checked: 2026-10-23

Continue with this topic

• SW Phase Count: a first reading of 9, 13, Setup and Countdown