Gravestone Doji Candlestick Pattern — Meaning, Psychology & How to Trade It
7/6/2026
Open, low and close near the bottom; long upper wick, no lower wick.
In plain words
Buyers climbed a tall ladder, then fell all the way back down to where they started.
What the classic books say
The Gravestone Doji is a 1-candle reversal pattern described in the standard candlestick literature (Steve Nison's work brought these Japanese techniques west). Reference reliability is rated Medium with illustrative behaviour of ~55% when confirmed at resistance. Stronger at well-tested resistance.
Level by level
Beginner
Buyers pushed price high, but sellers crushed it back down by the close. Sellers are taking over.
Intermediate
Failed rally — supply overwhelmed demand at the highs, often near resistance.
Advanced
A bearish reversal candidate at the top of an uptrend; an inverted dragonfly, strongest with volume confirmation.
Trade plan (educational template)
- Confirmation: Bearish follow-through candle.
- Invalidation: Close above the wick high.
- Size the trade with the Position-Size and Risk-Reward calculators.
Common beginner mistakes
- Confusing with dragonfly doji
- Trading without trend context
Practise it now
- ▶ Build the Gravestone Doji live in the Candlestick Playground
- 📖 Full lesson with quiz in the Learning Hub
- 🎯 Test yourself in the Daily Challenge
_Educational content only — not financial advice. Historical behaviour never guarantees future results._
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