The Square of 9 is probably W.D. Gann’s most famous Master Chart. Many traders use this chart regularly as a primary trading tool. However, it is my personal belief that most traders are only using a few simple techniques and are not fully utilizing the true potential of this multidimensional Master Calculator.
What is the Square of 9?
The Square of 9 is basically a spiral of numbers starting with the number one in the center (or apex of the Great Pyramid) with the number 2 immediately to the left. The rest of the numbers spiral around the center in a clockwise fashion to the number 9, which completes the first cycle of numbers around the center. 10 through 25 completes the 2nd cycle, 26 through 49 completes the 3rd , etc… This particular arrangement of numbers creates a very unique square root relationship with other numbers on the chart.
Michael S. Jenkins illustrates some interesting square root trading techniques utilizing the Square of 9 in his Gann Course and his book Chart Reading for Professional Traders. Basically, if you want to move around the coordinates on the Gann Wheel you take the number you are interested in ( such as the all time High or Low price) take the square root of the number, then add or subtract 2 from the root and re-square the result. Example: Lets say that we are interested in the price 664 (which is in the vertical column straight up from the center).
The square root is 25.768 + 2 = 27.768^2 = 771 which is the number directly above 664 or one full 360 degree cycle out from center. If we subtracted 2 from the root and re-squared the number (25.768- 2= 23.768^2 = 565 ) we would get 565 which is directly below 664 or one full 360 degree cycle in towards center. Incorporating the Gann Emblem with this technique, allows us to calculate coordinates that are conjunct (360 = +/- 2 from the root), opposition (180 = +/- 1 from root #), trine (120= +/- .666) (240= +/- 1.333), square (90 = +/- .5) (270= +/- 1.5) and sextile (60 = +/- .333) (300 = +/- 1.666).
Suggested Books and Courses About Gann Techniques
This technique is extremely useful for finding coordinate squares on the Gann Wheel that are making hard aspects to a previous position on the wheel. Also, Gann believed that the numbers that connected the square base of the pyramid (the 4 corners of the square, i.e. corner #’s.) to the “gravity center” and also the numbers that ran straight vertical and horizontal from the “gravity center” in the form of a cross (cardinal numbers) were very important in balancing “Price & Time” on the wheel. He was basically looking for astronomical longitudes to balance with price on these key angles. Pythagoras said “ Units in a circle or in a square are related to each other in terms of Price & Time at specific points.” Gann often quoted the Bible, Emerson, Pythagoras and Faraday to name a few. Basically, he was pointing the reader of his works to clues that would allow his student to unlock the code of his writing style.
Time
Around the outer perimeter of the Square of 9 is a circle with months and days. The circular calendar starts on the left-hand side of the wheel on the same horizontal line as the center block. The date is March 21st and refers to the start of the “natural” year in the season of Spring with the Sun in Aries ^. “Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world” ( Spring takes away the sins of Winter). The dates move around the circle clockwise completing the calendar. This relationship allows the user to quickly identify dates that are Conjuct, Opposite, Square, Trine or sextile to a past calendar date relative to the Sun / Earth relationship.
In Gann’s Master Course for Stocks he said “ Within the circle forms the square, there is an inner circle and an inner square, as well as an outer square and an outer circle which prove the Fourth Dimension in working out price movements.” So far, we have covered the inner circle ( The Earth’s Orbit around the Sun) and the inner square ( Historic high & low coordinates on the square itself). The outer circle includes all of the planets and is the Zodiac starting at the left side of the square also on March 21st. Moving from this point clockwise in 30 degree sections of the circle will place all 12 zodiac symbols around the wheel (^_`abcdefghi).
This completes the outer circle and allows the analyst to examine planetary longitude relationships to price coordinates on the Square of 9, which is now an outer square. In this way, we can convert planetary positions to prices relating to degrees of a circle (Zodiac longitude) and also to coordinates on the Square of 9. We can also examine hard aspects to both zodiac longitude and Square of 9 coordinates. Furthermore, we can also use a first trade chart ( Natal Chart ), i.e. horoscope (another inner circle) to locate sensitive longitude positions that are being aspected by planets from the outer circle making them “Live Angles”! Is there any end to this multidimensional tool? Gann hinted about this natal horoscope technique in his Master Course for Stocks by saying “ The dates when companies are incorporated and the dates when stocks are first traded in on the New York Stock Exchange or the other exchanges causes them to make tops and bottoms at slightly different dates then these dates for seasonal changes”. Gann also illustrated this technique in his Soybean letter, which is well worth reading. I believe that this is what Gann meant when he discussed “Natural Law”.
Gann said “ Through the law of vibration every stock and commodity in the market place moves in its own distinctive sphere of activities,” (natal horoscope?) “ As to intensity, volume and direction. All the essential qualities of its evolution are characterized in its own rate of vibration. Stocks and commodities, like atoms, are really centers of energies, therefore they are controlled mathematically. They create their own field of action and power, power to attract and repel, which explains why certain stocks and commodities at times lead the market and turn dead at other times. Thus, to speculate scientifically it is absolutely necessary to follow Natural Law. Vibration is fundamental; nothing is exempt from its law. It is universal, therefore applicable to every class of phenomena on the globe. Thus, I affirm every class of phenomena, whether in nature or in the market, must be subject to the universal laws of causation, harmony and vibration.”
Nobody knows for certain how Gann used this Master Calculator, but If you will study this material and apply the techniques presented in this article, I think you will agree that this is how Gann probably used this tool which proves the “4th dimension in working out Time & Price movements”.
- The Gann Wheel By Daniel T. Ferrera