Fair value gap (FVG): what it is and what it is not

Q: What is a fair value gap?

A fair value gap (FVG, sometimes “imbalance”) is a three-candle pattern used in ICT/SMC notes: a strong middle candle leaves a pocket between the wick of candle one and the wick of candle three that do not overlap. Teaching sketch — not a strategy: Bullish FVG: candle-1 high sits below candle-3 low after an up-displacement. Bearish FVG: candle-1 low sits above candle-3 high after a down-displacement. The pocket is a location some traders watch. Price can skip it, slice through it, or never come

Q: How do you spot one on a chart?

Look at three consecutive candles on one timeframe. If the first and third wicks leave an open range through the body of the second, many ICT notes call that range the FVG. Draw it; do not pretend the rectangle is an order. Use the same timeframe you actually trade. A 1-minute gap on a 4-hour bias is a different object.

Q: How is it different from an order block or a killzone?

A killzone is a clock inside a session. Hours live on ICT killzone times. Term: killzone. An FVG can print inside or outside that window; the gap is still price, the killzone is still time. Do not merge the two URLs. An order block is a different SMC label (often the last opposing candle before displacement). It is not this article. One sentence: an FVG is the void after the move; an order block is a candle people mark as origin. We are not publishing a second “order block strategy” URL. Session

Q: Is an FVG an entry signal?

No. ICT notes often treat a gap as a place that may be revisited after a liquidity sweep, sometimes only while a killzone is open. That is a filter stack, not a guaranteed long or short. Win rate, “best FVG indicator”, and PDF courses are out of scope. If you trade a revisit, size still follows stop distance and remaining daily room — lot size — not the width of the gap.

Q: Does Promax detect fair value gaps?

No. The Promax panel draws session and killzone boxes from broker GMT and can help with lot and orders. It does not scan, shade, or alert FVGs. You still choose whether a pocket on the chart is even relevant. Aiobot does not promise profit from trading imbalances.

By Aiobot · Oct 6, 2026

A fair value gap (FVG) is a short imbalance between candle one and candle three after a displacement: in a bullish sketch, the high of candle one and the low of candle three do not overlap. Traders mark that pocket as a place price may revisit. Revisit is not a fill guarantee and not a buy/sell call. A killzone is a time filter; an order block is a different price concept. Promax paints sessions and killzones on broker GMT — it does not scan for fair value gaps.

Three-candle fair value gap imbalance on a price chart

What is a fair value gap?

A fair value gap (FVG, sometimes “imbalance”) is a three-candle pattern used in ICT/SMC notes: a strong middle candle leaves a pocket between the wick of candle one and the wick of candle three that do not overlap.

Teaching sketch — not a strategy:

Bullish FVG: candle-1 high sits below candle-3 low after an up-displacement.
Bearish FVG: candle-1 low sits above candle-3 high after a down-displacement.

The pocket is a location some traders watch. Price can skip it, slice through it, or never come back. This page does not sell a setup.

How do you spot one on a chart?

Look at three consecutive candles on one timeframe. If the first and third wicks leave an open range through the body of the second, many ICT notes call that range the FVG. Draw it; do not pretend the rectangle is an order.

Use the same timeframe you actually trade. A 1-minute gap on a 4-hour bias is a different object.

How is it different from an order block or a killzone?

A killzone is a clock inside a session. Hours live on ICT killzone times. Term: killzone. An FVG can print inside or outside that window; the gap is still price, the killzone is still time. Do not merge the two URLs.

An order block is a different SMC label (often the last opposing candle before displacement). It is not this article. One sentence: an FVG is the void after the move; an order block is a candle people mark as origin. We are not publishing a second “order block strategy” URL.

Sessions (the full London or New York block) are on forex trading sessions.

Is an FVG an entry signal?

No. ICT notes often treat a gap as a place that may be revisited after a liquidity sweep, sometimes only while a killzone is open. That is a filter stack, not a guaranteed long or short. Win rate, “best FVG indicator”, and PDF courses are out of scope.

If you trade a revisit, size still follows stop distance and remaining daily room — lot size — not the width of the gap.

Does Promax detect fair value gaps?

No. The Promax panel draws session and killzone boxes from broker GMT and can help with lot and orders. It does not scan, shade, or alert FVGs. You still choose whether a pocket on the chart is even relevant.

Aiobot does not promise profit from trading imbalances.