The true power of a candlestick pattern is only unleashed when it appears at the right location on a chart. For instance, a bullish reversal pattern is most effective when it forms after a price decline.
Based on my experience, most traders find that patterns like the hammer, shooting star, engulfing, and piercing patterns work best for them.
How do you actually use candlestick patterns when it comes to a trading strategy ?
Regardless of the timeframe (5min or daily or weekly), candlestick patterns work the same way. The shape of a pattern reveals the psychology of the market. Reversal patterns, for example, signal a shift in power from bulls to bears, or vice versa.
A breakout above a high or a breakdown below a low gives you an entry point.
If you’d like to learn more about candlesticks, you can explore this crash course: Japanese Candlesticks Crash Course - Uplearn
Hope this helps! 
Candlestick patterns can be a complete trading strategy on their own or they can be used as a part of a larger strategy. For e.g.:
I hope this helps!
Should I always check volume when I see a candlestick pattern, or is it optional?
The effect of a candlestick pattern is the strongest on the very next candle and then the power gradually fades as new patterns emerge.
A candle, basically, tells you who is in power at that time - bulls or bears.
It is optional. But adding volume to your analysis gives you confirmation and confidence to take the trade.
What are some common mistakes people make when reading candlestick charts?
One of the most common mistakes traders make is spotting reversal patterns in a sideways market. For e.g. a hammer found within a sideways trading range will not work as intended. This is because a hammer is a reversal pattern - it requires a downtrend to “reverse.” It must come after a decline and not in a sideways market.
To know more about how candles work, you can check out this course: Japanese Candlesticks Crash Course - Uplearn
I hope this helps
That’s it, folks! Thanks for taking part in our LIVE AMA and asking all your questions. To know more about how candles work, you can check out this course: Japanese Candlesticks Crash Course - Uplearn
We’ll, as always, be back with another exciting AMA soon. If you found this session helpful, let’s keep the conversation going on the Community.
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Are reversal patterns like Doji, Hammer, or Shooting Star still effective in today’s algo-heavy markets?
Hi @Rameez
It is an interesting question. Algo-dominated markets may reduce the effectiveness of reversal patterns, to a certain extent, due to the noise, false signals or simply SL hunting.
That is the reason most Pro-traders use candlestick patterns along with confirmations of other tools and indicators such as volume, RSI divergence. Similarly, one can also observe charts on different timeframes to get a better picture of the overall market direction.
Hope this helps!