Fair value gaps are context, not a signal
A fair value gap is useful, but it is not magic. The gap only matters when it appears after a meaningful shift away from liquidity.
A gap without displacement is weak
If price leaves a tiny imbalance without force, there may be no real institutional delivery behind it. Strong displacement gives the gap meaning.
Location decides quality
An FVG after a sweep and market structure shift is different from an FVG in the middle of chop. The location tells you whether the gap is worth framing.
Mitigation is not guaranteed
Price does not owe you a retrace. If the move is efficient and leaves without you, forcing an entry late usually destroys the risk profile.
Risk still needs invalidation
The gap can help define entry, but your invalidation should still come from structure and the reason the setup exists.
How to filter FVGs
Use the FVG as part of a sequence: liquidity taken, displacement delivered, structure shifted, then retracement into imbalance.
If those pieces are missing, the FVG is just a shape on the chart. Do not let the shape replace the read.