The Kicker Candlestick Pattern is a technical analysis tool used by traders in the foreign exchange (forex) market to identify potential buying or selling opportunities. It is named after its creator, Japanese trader Tsunehisa Amako, who developed the pattern as a way to identify potential trend reversals in the market.
What is the Kicker Candlestick Pattern?
The Kicker Candlestick Pattern is based on the idea that a sudden, unexpected change in market sentiment can be indicated by a single, large candle on a price chart. This candle, known as the “kicker candle,” is typically significantly larger than the candles that come before and after it, and is often accompanied by high volume.
To use the Kicker Candlestick Pattern as a trading strategy, traders will look for the formation of the kicker candle on a price chart and then use this information to make informed decisions about whether to buy or sell a particular currency pair. For example, if a trader sees a kicker candle forming on the EUR/USD chart, they may decide to buy the EUR/USD pair if the candle is bullish (indicating a potential uptrend) or sell the pair if the candle is bearish (indicating a potential downtrend).
There are several key characteristics of the Kicker Candlestick Pattern that traders should be aware of when using it as a trading strategy:
- The kicker candle is typically significantly larger than the candles that come before and after it, indicating a sudden shift in market sentiment.
- The kicker candle is often accompanied by high volume, indicating that the change in sentiment is being driven by a large number of traders.
- The pattern is typically seen as a bullish signal if the kicker candle is formed after a downtrend, and a bearish signal if the candle is formed after an uptrend.
Kicker Strategy
Bullish Kicker Candlestick Pattern
- The formation of a large, bearish kicker candle on the chart after an uptrend.
- The formation of a bearish kicker candle on the chart that is accompanied by high volume, indicating a strong shift in market sentiment.
- The formation of a bearish kicker candle on the chart that is followed by a downward trend, indicating that the shift in sentiment is likely to continue.

Bearish Kicker Candlestick Pattern
- A large, bullish kicker candle appearing on the chart after a downtrend.
- A bullish kicker candle with high volume, suggesting a strong shift in market sentiment.
- A bullish kicker candle followed by an upward trend, potentially indicating the sentiment shift will continue.

Kicker Candlestick Pattern Pros & Cons
Pros
- The pattern can be an effective way to identify potential trend reversals in the market.
- The formation of a kicker candle is often accompanied by high volume, which can provide additional confirmation of the trend reversal.
- The pattern is relatively easy to identify on a price chart, making it accessible to traders of all skill levels.
Cons
- The pattern is based on a single candle, which can make it prone to false signals if the trend does not actually reverse.
- The pattern may not be effective in trending markets, as it is primarily used to identify potential trend reversals.
- The pattern may not always be reliable in times of high market volatility, as sudden price movements may cause the formation of large candles that do not necessarily indicate a trend reversal.
Conclusion
The Kicker Candlestick Pattern can be a useful tool for traders looking to identify potential trend reversals in the forex market. The Kicker Candlestick is commonly used by traders in the forex market to identify potential buying or selling opportunities based on the formation of a single, large candle on a price chart. It can be an effective way to identify potential trend reversals, but it is important for traders to consider the potential false signals and other potential limitations of the pattern before using it as a primary trading strategy.

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