Order block strategy explainedIntermediate

Trading returns to the last opposite candle before a strong move.

Simplified illustration, not real market data.

The idea

An order block marks where a strong move started. The assumption is that unfilled orders remain there, so price often reacts when it returns.

The rules

Find a strong move that breaks structure.
Mark the last opposite-colour candle before it.
Trade the first return into that zone, only in the direction of the trend.
Stop beyond the block or by ATR, target a fixed R or the next liquidity.

Variations traders use

Requiring displacement or a fair value gap next to the block, using only higher-timeframe blocks, or waiting for a lower-timeframe confirmation inside the block.

What testing shows

Plain order block retests with a trend filter are usually break-even after costs. That is the classic case where the trader's selection, not the pattern, carries the edge.

What it looks like on a real chart

Picked automatically from the backtest on real data: the latest winner and the latest loser. The numbered circles are the steps of the rules, in order. Losers are part of every strategy.

Winner +2.4REUR/USD · 15m · 2026-11-06 · Short

Loser -1.09REUR/USD · 15m · 2026-11-05 · Short

How WickCheck tests it

Buy when price returns into a bullish order block and price is above the 200 EMA. Sell when price returns into a bearish order block and price is below the 200 EMA. Stop at 1.5x ATR. Target 2.5R.

Test it on real data

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Full results on 5 markets: Order block strategy explained.

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Education only, not financial advice. Definitions vary between teachers; these are ours, written for clarity.