·4 min read
Backtest before you size up
A simple historical check will not guarantee future results — but it can stop you from scaling a fragile idea.
Sizing up on a strategy you have never tested is how small mistakes become account-sized ones.
A basic backtest will not capture every nuance of live trading. It can still reveal obvious failure modes: deep drawdowns, low sample size, or results that only work in one regime.
Use backtesting as a filter, not a prophecy. If the idea cannot survive a clean historical pass, it probably should not get more risk.
In TradeKeel, you can run a structured test, save the run, and keep the result next to your live journal — so research and review stay connected.