This page is a compact, printable reference covering the major reversal, continuation, and neutral chart patterns, each listed with its typical direction, structure, confirmation trigger, and invalidation point, using one consistent format throughout. It's built for quick lookup once you already understand the concepts, not as a first introduction to chart patterns, that's covered in the fundamentals guide linked below.
Download the cheat sheet
The full reference is available as a downloadable, printable PDF, and every entry is also reproduced in the HTML tables below, so nothing here is locked inside a file you have to open separately. Use whichever fits your workflow, the PDF for a physical printout at your desk, or this page for a quick digital lookup alongside your charting platform.
How to read this sheet
Every pattern entry below follows the same four fields, in the same order, so you're not relearning a new format for each one.
- Typical direction, whether the pattern generally leans bullish, bearish, or has no inherent directional lean.
- Structure, a one-line description of the shape itself.
- Confirmation, the specific condition that turns the shape into an actual, actionable signal, not just an anticipated one.
- Invalidation, the specific condition that means the pattern's logic no longer holds.
No accuracy or win-rate figures are included for any entry. That's deliberate, not an omission, treat every pattern here as a described structure and a set of conventions, not a promise about what happens next.
Reversal patterns
| Pattern | Typical direction | Structure | Confirmation | Invalidation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head and Shoulders | Bearish | Three peaks, middle highest, neckline below | Close below the neckline | Right shoulder exceeds the head, or price holds above the neckline after breaking it |
| Inverse Head and Shoulders | Bullish | Three troughs, middle lowest, neckline above | Close above the neckline | Right shoulder exceeds the head's low, or price holds below the neckline after breaking it |
| Double Top | Bearish | Two peaks near the same level | Close below the trough between the peaks | Price closes back above the peak level |
| Double Bottom | Bullish | Two troughs near the same level | Close above the peak between the troughs | Price closes back below the trough level |
| Triple Top / Triple Bottom | Bearish / Bullish | Same logic as double variant, with a third test | Same logic as the double variant | Same logic as the double variant |
| Rounding Top / Rounding Bottom | Bearish / Bullish | Gradual, curved reversal shape | Close beyond the pattern's starting level | Curve fails to complete and the prior trend resumes |
Continuation patterns
| Pattern | Typical direction | Structure | Confirmation | Invalidation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag | Continues prior trend | Small rectangular pause after a sharp move | Close beyond the flag boundary in the trend's direction | Close beyond the opposite boundary |
| Pennant | Continues prior trend | Small converging triangle after a sharp move | Close beyond the pennant boundary in the trend's direction | Close beyond the opposite boundary |
| Rectangle | Typically continues prior trend | Price bounces between flat support and resistance | Close beyond either boundary | A breakout closes back inside the range shortly after |
| Ascending Triangle | Bullish lean | Flat resistance, rising support | Close above resistance | Close below the rising support line |
| Descending Triangle | Bearish lean | Flat support, falling resistance | Close below support | Close above the falling resistance line |
| Cup and Handle | Bullish | Rounded cup, followed by a smaller handle pullback | Close above the handle's resistance | Handle retraces too deep, or price breaks below the handle's low |
Neutral / bilateral formations
| Pattern | Typical direction | Structure | Confirmation | Invalidation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symmetrical Triangle | Neutral, set by breakout | Converging trendlines from both sides | Close beyond either boundary | A breakout closes back inside the triangle shortly after |
| Rising Wedge | Often bearish, context-dependent | Narrowing, upward-sloped range | Close below the lower boundary | Price holds above the wedge instead of breaking down |
| Falling Wedge | Often bullish, context-dependent | Narrowing, downward-sloped range | Close above the upper boundary | Price holds below the wedge instead of breaking up |
Confirmation and invalidation notation
Every entry above uses the same two-part logic. Confirmation is the condition that has to happen before a pattern counts as active, not while it's still forming. Invalidation is the condition that ends it, the point where the original setup's reasoning no longer applies. Neither field includes a specific price target, since targets are conventions covered with full context, and appropriate caveats, in the dedicated playbook guide linked below, not something that belongs in a stripped-down reference table.
Where to learn each pattern in depth
This sheet is a lookup tool, not the full explanation. For the underlying concepts, what a pattern actually is and why it forms, see the fundamentals guide. For the complete visual inventory and which patterns to prioritize learning, see the pattern guide. For the live, real-time recognition process, see the recognition guide. For full entry, target, and worked-example detail on each named formation, see the trading playbook. For an honest look at what the evidence actually supports about pattern reliability, see the evidence review.