Home

›

Articles

›

PD Arrays & Zones

PD Arrays & Zones

ICT Mitigation Block — Complete Guide

The ICT mitigation block explained — the partially-entered order block that retains reduced institutional backing. The 3-state OB lifecycle, the order absorption logic, mitigation depth sizing, the 5-block taxonomy, the 5-step trading process, and five common mistakes.

An order block does not simply switch from active to invalid. It passes through three distinct states. A fresh OB has full institutional backing. A breaker block is fully mitigated with its direction reversed. Between them sits the mitigation block — price has entered the zone from the near boundary, absorbing some institutional orders, but no candle has closed beyond the far boundary. Enough backing remains to produce a reaction, but less than a fresh OB provides. Same direction, reduced strength, proportionally reduced position size.

Key takeaways

A mitigation block is a partially-entered OB — near boundary crossed, far boundary intact, same direction, reduced backing.
The 2-question state test: (1) Has price entered the OB? If no → fresh OB. If yes → (2) Has any candle CLOSED beyond the far boundary? If no → mitigation block. If yes → breaker block.
Mitigation depth determines sizing: shallow (<30%) = 75%, moderate (30–60%) = 50–65%, deep (>60%) = skip or 50%.
Three minimum conditions: AMD alignment, kill zone timing, and LTF CHoCH in the far half of the zone.
Target the nearest delivery level, not the full AMD objective — mitigation block reactions are shallower and shorter-duration.

What is an ICT mitigation block?

Definition

An ICT mitigation block is an order block that has been partially entered by price — the near boundary was crossed and price traded within the zone — but no candle has closed beyond the far boundary. The zone retains partial institutional backing from unfilled orders in the far portion. It trades in the same direction as the original OB (bullish mitigation block = reduced support; bearish = reduced resistance) with lower probability and smaller-magnitude reactions. Size: 50–75% of standard. Target: nearest delivery level.

The 3-state order block lifecycle

OB LIFECYCLEICT

Every OB passes through three states. State 1: fresh, 100% backing, full size. State 2: mitigation block — near half absorbed, far half intact, same direction, 50–75% size. State 3: breaker block — far boundary close, all orders consumed, direction reversed. The 2-question test determines which state and which sizing rule applies.

Why mitigation blocks are weaker — the order absorption logic

When an OB forms, institutional orders are distributed at various prices throughout the zone — not concentrated at a single price. The near boundary holds some portion; the interior holds more; the far boundary region holds the remainder. When price enters from the near boundary and trades through the near portion, it engages and fills those near-boundary orders. The institution’s positions at those prices are now matched and active. The near portion’s orders are absorbed — no longer pending as support or resistance.

The remaining backing comes exclusively from the far-portion orders that price has not yet reached. If the OB originally contained X total institutional orders and price absorbed 40% in the near portion, only 60% remains. Fewer orders = weaker initial push, less momentum, shorter follow-through. This is why the mitigation block warrants reduced size and a conservative target: the probabilistic edge is proportionally lower.

Bullish vs bearish mitigation block

Bullish mitigation block — reduced support

Bullish OB partially entered from above

Price descended into the zone from the near boundary (top of body), absorbing near-portion bullish orders. No candle closed below the far boundary. Far-portion buy orders remain. Enter LONG from the far half on retest with LTF CHoCH. Stop below OB far boundary. Target: nearest bullish delivery level.

Bearish mitigation block — reduced resistance

Bearish OB partially entered from below

Price rose into the zone from the near boundary (bottom of body), absorbing near-portion sell orders. No candle closed above the far boundary. Far-portion sell orders remain. Enter SHORT from the far half on retest with LTF CHoCH. Stop above OB far boundary. Target: nearest bearish delivery level.

Fresh OB vs mitigation block

Same direction, different conviction levels
Attribute	Fresh order block	Mitigation block
Near boundary entered	No — fully unmitigated	Yes — price traded within zone
Far boundary closed beyond	No	No — distinguishes from breaker
Institutional backing	100% intact	Partial — far-half orders only
Zone function	Same direction, full strength	Same direction, reduced strength
Position size	Full standard	50–75% of standard
Target	Full AMD distribution objective	Nearest immediate delivery level

Mitigation block vs breaker block — the decisive threshold

A single event separates the two states: a candle closing beyond the far boundary. Until that close occurs, even a heavily-entered zone remains a mitigation block (same direction, reduced backing). The moment a candle closes beyond the far boundary, the zone transforms to a breaker block (opposite direction, different entry logic). A wick that extends beyond the far boundary but closes back inside does NOT constitute full mitigation — the zone remains a mitigation block after such a wick test.

The complete 5-block ICT taxonomy

5 BLOCK TYPESICT

Five block types, three in the OB lifecycle. The order block, mitigation block, and breaker block are the three states of any single OB zone as it progresses from fresh through partial mitigation to full mitigation. The propulsion block and rejection block are independent candle-based PD arrays that form at different points within the AMD distribution.

Mitigation depth and position sizing

Depth determines sizing — estimate visually, apply mechanically
Depth	Zone entered	Remaining backing	Size	Priority
Shallow (<30%)	Near boundary barely crossed	~70–90%	75%	Moderate-high — closer to fresh OB
Moderate (30–60%)	Near half substantially penetrated	~40–70%	50–65%	Moderate — standard mitigation block
Deep (>60%)	Most of zone absorbed	<40%	Skip or 50%	Low — close to breaker transition

How to trade from a mitigation block — five steps

Identify and confirm state + estimate depth

Find a previously-marked OB where price has entered the near boundary but no candle has closed beyond the far boundary. Run the 2-question test. Estimate depth visually: shallow, moderate, or deep.

Confirm AMD alignment + kill zone timing

Verify daily bias aligns with the mitigation block direction. Confirm the retest occurs during London or NY AM. Without both: skip and wait for fresh OBs.

Watch for LTF CHoCH in the FAR HALF of the zone

As price approaches the mitigation block, watch 5M or 15M for a CHoCH in the mitigation block direction within the far half specifically — the unmitigated portion where the remaining orders reside. Without LTF CHoCH in the far half: do not enter.

Enter with reduced size proportional to depth

Enter at the LTF CHoCH. Stop: beyond the OB far boundary. Size: 75% (shallow), 50–65% (moderate), skip or 50% (deep). Target: the nearest AMD delivery level, not the full objective.

Manage conservatively — take profit at the first delivery level

Mitigation block reactions are shallower and shorter-duration. Take partial or full profit at the first delivery level. Trail aggressively. Only hold toward a larger target if a new displacement forms from the zone.

Five common mitigation block mistakes

Trading with full OB position size

Reduced backing = reduced size. Entering at 100% applies maximum-confidence risk to a reduced-confidence setup. The 50–75% reduction is the mechanical consequence of proportionally fewer institutional orders — not optional risk management.

Removing the zone after partial entry as if fully mitigated

A partially-entered OB is a mitigation block (same direction), not a breaker (opposite direction). Removing it creates a gap in the PD array map — the zone still has backing and is still relevant. Keep it marked as “Mitigation Block” until the far boundary close occurs.

Treating all mitigation blocks equally regardless of depth

15% mitigation (~85% backing, 75% size) is fundamentally different from 65% mitigation (~35% backing, skip or 50%). Depth is the most important differentiator within the mitigation block category.

Targeting the full AMD objective

Mitigation block reactions are shallower and shorter. Holding for the full AMD target from a 50% position frequently gives back the profit from the initial reaction. Target the nearest delivery level. Let fresh OBs carry the full-target trades.

Looking for LTF CHoCH in the near half instead of the far half

The near half’s orders are already absorbed. A CHoCH there is noise, not institutional reaction. The remaining orders — and therefore the valid CHoCH — are in the far half. Focus the LTF confirmation exclusively on the far portion of the zone.

FAQ — ICT mitigation block

What is an ICT mitigation block? +

An OB partially entered by price — near boundary crossed, no candle closed beyond the far boundary. Retains partial backing from far-portion orders. Same direction as the original OB, reduced probability, 50–75% size.

What are the 3 states of the OB lifecycle? +

(1) Fresh OB: not entered, 100% backing, full size. (2) Mitigation block: near entered, far intact, partial backing, 50–75% size. (3) Breaker block: far boundary close, all orders absorbed, direction reversed.

What separates a mitigation block from a breaker? +

The far boundary close. Mitigation block: no candle closed beyond the far boundary — same direction. Breaker: a candle closed beyond — opposite direction. A wick beyond the far boundary that closes back inside does NOT trigger breaker conversion.

How should I size a mitigation block entry? +

By depth: shallow (<30%) = 75%. Moderate (30–60%) = 50–65%. Deep (>60%) = skip or 50% with all confluence. Target the nearest delivery level, not the full AMD objective.

Conclusion — the mitigation block completes the OB lifecycle

The mitigation block is the middle state of the order block lifecycle — between maximum-backing fresh OB and direction-reversed breaker block — with specific, quantifiable implications for sizing, targeting, and conviction. Three principles: track OB zone status actively and update labels as price interacts; size entries proportionally to remaining backing; and target the nearest delivery level rather than the full AMD objective. These convert the vague instruction to “trade it with caution” into specific, executable rules.

The companion guides: the order block guide covers the fresh OB baseline; the breaker block guide covers the full-mitigation transformation; the bullish OB and bearish OB guides cover the directional identification; and the hidden OB guide covers the precision refinement within any OB state. Or join the mentorship for direct feedback on your OB state identification and mitigation depth assessment.

Lio

Founder & ICT trading educator, LiquiditySweeps.com

Lio has traded ICT and Smart Money Concepts on forex majors and US indices since 2021 and built LiquiditySweeps.com to teach the framework the way it should be learned: in sequence, on real charts, with free live tools instead of paid indicators. Every article on this site follows the same rule — nothing gets published that wouldn’t survive a trade review.

About All articles Mentorship

Ready to go further?

The mentorship programme covers the full framework — weekly live sessions, daily bias review, and personal trade review on every entry you submit.

Quick check

A bullish OB you marked has been entered from above — price traded halfway through the zone but reversed. No candle closed below the far boundary. What is the zone status?

✓ Correct. The 2-question test: (1) price entered? Yes. (2) Candle closed beyond far boundary? No. → Mitigation block. Same direction (bullish support), but with reduced backing from the far half only. Size: 50–65% for moderate depth. LTF CHoCH required in the far half before entry.