Abstract: A system and method are provided for inducing ventricular tachycardia in a patient to enable testing to determine the optimum parameters for anti-tachycardia stimulation. The implantable device provides for overdrive pacing of the heart for a short sequence, followed by delivery of a series of pulse pairs. Each pulse pair has a first stimulus pulse delivered at the same or similar overdrive rate, and an inducing pulse which is delivered in timed relation to the evoked T-wave, preferably during the falling edge portion of the T-wave. In this way, each cycle the inducing pulse is timed for efficaciously inducing tachycardia. The timing of the inducing pulse is enhanced by near field sensing of the T-wave at about the location where the pulses are delivered, preferably using bipolar sensing and/or sense circuitry designed to recover the signal with an optimum time response. In one preferred embodiment, near field sensing is enabled by use of an FDC circuit.