Three Black Crows candlestick pattern
Three consecutive strong bearish candles, each opening within the prior body and closing at a new low. Steady, persistent selling.
Illustrative shape. Real patterns vary in proportion.
How to identify a Three Black Crows
- Usually appears after a rally
- Three long bearish bodies in a row
- Each opens within the previous candle's body
- Each closes near its low, at a new low for the move
What the Three Black Crows tells you
Sellers win three sessions running, each time closing near the low. It shows a sustained change in sentiment rather than a one-day shakeout.
How traders use it
If the three candles are already very long, the easy part of the move may be over. Many traders wait for a bounce to short into, with stops above the pattern.
Before taking any pattern-based trade, decide your stop first and size the position from it with the position size calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Three Black Crows bullish or bearish? +
The Three Black Crows is a bearish reversal pattern. Three consecutive strong bearish candles, each opening within the prior body and closing at a new low. Steady, persistent selling.
How reliable is the Three Black Crows? +
No candlestick pattern works every time. Patterns are more reliable when they form at a meaningful level (support, resistance, a moving average), after a clear trend, on higher volume, and when the next candle confirms them.
Do I need confirmation to trade the Three Black Crows? +
Most traders want it. Waiting for the next candle to move in the expected direction filters out many false signals, at the cost of a slightly worse entry price.
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