Support is a zone where buyers repeatedly step in. Resistance is a zone where sellers repeatedly step in. Your edge isn’t “drawing lines”—it’s picking the few zones that actually change decisions and then waiting for confirmation.
- Pick your execution timeframe (don’t mix timeframes mid-plan).
- Mark range high/low or the last obvious swing high/low.
- Add only 1–2 extra zones with 2+ clean reactions.
- Wait for a trigger (break+close, sweep+reclaim, or retest hold).
- Set invalidation beyond the zone, then size risk before entry.
Reality check: no “level” guarantees wins. The edge is choosing better zones and waiting for proof.
What support & resistance really is
Support and resistance (S/R) is just a map of where traders repeatedly made decisions. The level matters when it creates one of these behaviors:
- Rejection: price touches the zone and quickly pushes away.
- Acceptance: price holds inside the zone and trades through it.
- Flip: resistance becomes support (or support becomes resistance) after a break.
The fastest way to draw fewer (better) levels
Start from higher timeframe → refine down. Use this checklist:
- Mark the current range high and range low (if ranging).
- Mark the most obvious swing high and swing low (if trending).
- Add only levels that caused multiple reactions (2+ clean touches).
- Skip “maybe” levels. If you wouldn’t trade it, don’t draw it.
Zones, not lines (how to size the zone)
Most mistakes happen because traders expect a line to hold perfectly. In real markets, you’ll see wicks and stop hunts. Make your level a zone:
- Anchor to wicks when the market is volatile.
- Anchor to closes when the market is trending cleanly.
- Widen the zone slightly around major levels (daily/weekly highs/lows).
Turn levels into a plan (two scenarios)
When price is near a key S/R zone, only two things can happen: it holds or it breaks.
- Bull scenario (hold): price rejects support → you wait for a trigger → target the next resistance zone.
- Bear scenario (break): price accepts below support → you wait for a retest trigger → target the next support zone.
Triggers that keep you out of trouble
Pick triggers that prove intent. A few practical ones:
- Break + close: price breaks the zone and closes beyond it on your timeframe.
- Sweep + reclaim: wick through the level then closes back above/below it.
- Retest hold: after a break, price comes back and holds the zone from the other side.
Invalidation: the one line that ends the debate
Your invalidation should be beyond the zone in a place that changes the story (new low, range break, structure shift). If you can’t define invalidation, you’re not planning—you’re hoping.
A copy/paste prompt for S/R analysis
Analyze this chart screenshot. Focus only on support/resistance.
1) Timeframe: [fill in]
2) Identify the 2–4 most important S/R zones and why they matter
3) Build two scenarios:
- Bull: trigger + invalidation + target zone
- Bear: trigger + invalidation + target zone
4) End with a 5-line plan summary.Related posts
- Break and Retest Strategy (How to Trade It Clean)
- Best Support and Resistance Strategy (High-Probability Framework)
- How to Find Key Levels (Day Trading)
- Market Structure: BOS vs CHoCH (Simple Guide)
- Candlestick Patterns That Matter
- Risk Management & Position Sizing
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About ChartsGPT
ChartsGPT is an AI chart analysis app designed to turn screenshots into structured levels and scenarios. For support, contact anthonyvvza@gmail.com.