Our checklist fits on one page because extra rules get ignored under pressure. Each setup earns a pass, fail, or borderline on four filters before we discuss position size.
1. Higher-timeframe trend
On a daily swing entry, the weekly chart must not contradict the trade direction. A long into a declining weekly sequence is an automatic fail unless you document a specific reversal thesis — and reversal trades are out of scope for most session clients.
2. Pullback structure
We look for an orderly pullback: lower highs on the way down into support for longs, higher lows into resistance for shorts. Messy overlapping bars inside the zone get a borderline unless volume tells a clear story.
3. Volume at the pivot
Accumulation or distribution should appear near the pivot bar. Flat volume through the entire base is a common fail in Thai consumer names where retail interest fades between earnings.
4. Invalidation clarity
You must point to a price level where the setup thesis is wrong, not just where you lose 2% of account equity. If the stop sits inside the congestion zone, we mark borderline and redraw together.
Borderline filters trigger discussion, not automatic rejection. The written summary records why you proceeded or stood down.