Forex Strategies Cheat Sheet

Strategy Quick Reference

Strategy	Timeframe	Best for	Key Tools	Risk
Scalping	1M–5M	Quick trades, many setups	RSI, Bollinger, MACD	High frequency
Day Trading	15M–1H	Same-session, no overnight	EMA, Pivot, ADX	Moderate
Swing Trading	4H–Daily	Larger moves, less screen time	Fib, Structure, Candles	Lower frequency
Breakout	15M–Daily	Level breaks with confirmation	S/R, ATR, Candles	Moderate
RSI Divergence	15M–Daily	Reversal signals	RSI, S/R	Confirm first
MACD Crossover	15M–Daily	Trend and momentum	MACD, MA filter	Moderate
S/R Breakout	4H–Daily	Retest entries	S/R, Fib, Candles	Moderate
Trend Following	4H–Daily	Ride momentum	EMA, ADX, Structure	Wider stops
Mean Reversion	15M–4H	Ranging markets	RSI, Bollinger, S/R	ADX < 25

By Style

• Scalping – Seconds to minutes. 5–15 pip targets. Tight spreads essential.
• Day Trading – Same session. 15M–1H charts. London/New York sessions.
• Swing Trading – Days to weeks. 4H–daily. Less screen time.

By Technique

• Breakout – Trade when price breaks S/R. Wait for confirmation or retest.
• Divergence – Price vs indicator disagreement. RSI/MACD. Confirm with price action.
• Crossover – MACD or MA crosses. Filter by trend.
• Trend Following – Trade pullbacks in trend direction. EMA, ADX.
• Mean Reversion – Fade extremes in ranges. RSI, Bollinger. ADX < 25.

Key Rules

• Master one strategy before adding others.
• Match strategy to your schedule and risk tolerance.
• Trend following works in trends; mean reversion in ranges.
• Always use confirmation—never enter on one signal alone.