the contemporary "maths phd's" behind the creation of the algos (that control the markets) are laughing at us.
you won't beat them at there own game with a HULL MA or a Henkai-Ashi😴
IMHO, this is why a lot of people lose in the markets, the mentality of "its them versus us", your correct in your aspersion they control the markets, so why try and fight them?, its not you versus them,
its you versus you, your ability to trade whats put on your screen in front of you. I learnt many moons ago never to try, guess, think, expect or anticipate the markets, those that do often imho, I've seen it many times over the years, get suckered into entering trades early, getting stopped out, and them seeing them price fly away, followed by the conspiracy theories of rigged markets, when simple bad entry points, still trading against the move of the market, confirming the trader is their worse enemy not the markets.
I'm not looking "to beat them at their own game", I don't view it as a competition of me versus them, I trade to make an income, and use their ability to influence the markets to my advantage by waiting for them to make the move, then I enter into a establishing momentum after the top or bottom is in and exit well before the move has finished. Doesn't always work, but works more times than not.