Exp_i-GAP
This EA trades based on the i-GAP custom indicator, which detects price gaps between consecutive bars. It opens buy positions on upward gaps and sell positions on downward gaps, with configurable stop-loss and take-profit levels. The EA also supports closing opposite positions when a gap signal occurs in the reverse direction.
Open the interactive view (equity curve, symbol switch)Key facts
Backtest results (H1, about 1 year)
Not backtested yet — this EA could not be converted automatically.
Strategy analysis
The EA's strategy concept is based on trading price gaps, interpreting them as strong momentum signals likely to continue in the gap direction. Entry conditions: when the i-GAP indicator detects an upward gap on the specified signal bar (UpValue is non-zero), a buy position is opened; when a downward gap is detected (DnValue is non-zero), a sell position is opened. Exit conditions include fixed stop-loss (1000 points) and take-profit (2000 points) levels, plus reverse-signal closing where opposite positions are closed when a gap signal occurs in the reverse direction. Position sizing is controlled through the MM parameter and MMMode enum, supporting five modes: free margin-based, balance-based, loss-adjusted free margin, loss-adjusted balance, and fixed lot size. Money management features a stop-loss to take-profit ratio of 1:2, providing a reasonable risk-reward profile. The EA also includes a historical lookback mechanism that scans forward through historical bars to find reverse gap signals when both opening and closing are enabled, determining whether existing positions should be closed.
Strengths
- Clear strategy logic based on price gaps, a market phenomenon with statistical support
- Stop-loss to take-profit ratio of 1:2, providing a reasonable risk-reward profile
- Five position sizing modes offering high flexibility
- Independent control over opening and closing directions for each position type
- Uses IsNewBar mechanism to prevent duplicate trades within the same bar
Weaknesses
- Stop-loss of 1000 points and take-profit of 2000 points are excessively large for most instruments, creating high risk
- No spread filter — gap trading during low-liquidity sessions can suffer from extremely wide spreads
- Historical lookback closing logic iterates through all bars, which is inefficient and may cause unexpected closures
- Depends entirely on the custom i-GAP indicator — strategy completely fails if the indicator is unavailable
- No position count limit, potentially over-opening positions on consecutive gap signals
Possible improvements
- Add spread and liquidity filters to avoid entering trades when spreads are excessively wide
- Add maximum position count limits and maximum same-direction position limits
- Optimize the historical lookback closing logic by limiting the search range instead of iterating through all bars
Risk assessment
Overall risk: Caution
- Stop-loss and take-profit values are extremely large (1000/2000 points), creating massive per-trade risk exposure
- No spread filter means gap signals during low-liquidity periods could trigger erroneous entries
- No maximum position limit means consecutive gap signals could lead to excessive position accumulation
Evaluation scores
Parameters
| Parameter | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
MM | 0.1 | Money management parameter for lot calculation |
MMMode | LOT | Lot mode: free margin / balance / margin after loss / balance after loss / fixed lot |
StopLoss_ | 1000 | Stop loss in points |
TakeProfit_ | 2000 | Take profit in points |
Deviation_ | 10 | Maximum allowed slippage |
BuyPosOpen | true | Allow opening long positions |
SellPosOpen | true | Allow opening short positions |
BuyPosClose | true | Allow closing long positions |
SellPosClose | true | Allow closing short positions |
InpInd_Timeframe | PERIOD_H1 | i-GAP indicator timeframe |
SizeGAP | 5 | Minimum gap size threshold |
SignalBar | 1 | Signal bar index |
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Backtests are historical simulations and do not guarantee future results. Not financial advice.