1. Mark the reference before price reaches it
BTC and ETH USDT perpetual charts can move quickly around a prior session low or another ranked reference. Mark the plan's level before the session approaches it, and identify the invalidation condition. The goal is to know what you are watching before there is pressure to react. A level is context, not proof that price must reverse there.
We use OKX USDT perpetual swaps as our reference venue and anchor the plan to the 00:00 UTC daily close. If your venue uses a different contract or price convention, compare it directly. Do not assume a BTC trigger transfers to ETH, or that a brief wick below a line has the same meaning as sustained trading beneath it.
2. Let the flush happen without anticipating a turn
The first part of the pattern is a move below a level that other participants may be monitoring. That move can attract selling, but it can also continue lower. Buying during the flush assumes the level will hold before the chart has shown a reclaim. Our plan describes the location and conditions to watch, while your decision to wait or stand aside remains yours.
Observe how price behaves below the reference. Does it continue accepting lower prices, or does the move stall and return toward the level? A pause alone is not a confirmed reclaim. Keep the original invalidation in view and avoid changing it just because the market is near the level.
3. Require a reclaim and acceptance
A reclaim occurs when price moves back above the broken reference. Acceptance asks for more than a single print or wick: price should hold beyond the level according to the plan's stated condition. This distinction helps separate a brief cross from a sustained change in where the market is trading. If the level is lost again before acceptance, the setup may not be present.
Once acceptance is visible, read the setup's invalidation and first target. The first target is a review point, often another mapped reference, not a forecast. If price reaches it, reassess the plan and current conditions. If the trigger never appears, there is no requirement to force a trade simply because the scenario was written down.
Keep the short scenario on the same map
A failed-breakdown long is one side of preparation. Our plans also include rejection shorts when the data supports them. A rejection short requires its own test, failure to hold, trigger, and invalidation. Considering both sides avoids treating every level as a long entry or every downward move as a reason to sell.
For the exact plan layout, read our sample daily plan. For the vocabulary behind the central reference, see What Is a Pivot?. Educational only, not financial advice.