Reading reward against nearby structure

A three-to-one ratio drawn to a blank patch of chart is a wish. In desk plan reviews we ask one question of every target: what already exists at that price that might absorb orders?

Prior swings and range edges

Reward should usually lean on something other traders already care about — a prior high or low, a well-visited range boundary, a round level that has repeatedly stalled price. If nothing lives near your target, either pull it closer and recheck the floor, or admit the idea needs a different entry so the stop can be tighter.

Partial exits without self-deception

Some traders scale out. That is fine if the plan states it. What fails is claiming 3R while banking most size at 0.8R and leaving a token runner. In the workshop we score the plan on the weighted average reward, not the fantasy of the final tick.

Bringing it to class

When you reserve a workshop seat, bring one chart where you loved the pattern but the target felt vague. We will mark competing reward levels and see whether the setup survives an honest floor.