Intermediate📖 22 min read🏷 PD Arrays
ORDER BLOCKS
The Institutional Footprint — Where Banks Actually Enter the Market
Order Blocks (OBs) are the most powerful price delivery array in the ICT methodology. While the FVG shows you WHERE price moved fast, the Order Block shows you exactly WHERE the institution placed their original order. It's the footprint left behind by a bank or hedge fund as they accumulated their position — and price always returns to these zones to offer more fill at the same price.
Bullish OB: last bearish candle before a strong bullish move — institutions bought here
// Lesson Content
An Order Block is the last opposing candle before a strong impulse move. It represents the candle where an institution was absorbing all retail orders — quietly filling their position against the crowd — before launching price in their intended direction.
Bullish Order Block:
• The last BEARISH (red) candle before a significant bullish move
• At this candle, institutions were buying while retail was selling
• The OB zone = the body of that last bearish candle (open to close)
• Price will often return to this zone and find strong support
Bearish Order Block:
• The last BULLISH (green) candle before a significant bearish move
• Institutions were selling while retail was buying
• The OB zone = the body of that last bullish candle
• Price returns here as resistance
The "significant move" that validates an OB must include: a BOS or ChoCH on the LTF, at least one FVG in the move, and clear displacement (large bodied candles with momentum).
📌 Order Block = the candle where smart money was quietly building their position. Price returns because they left unfilled orders there.
// Test Your Understanding
// KNOWLEDGE CHECK
1. A Bullish Order Block is identified as...
2. A Breaker Block forms when...
3. The most powerful ICT entry zone combines...
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