How to backtest sweeps honestly with a small sample

[Shadow Trader]

Everyone has a few screenshots of perfect sweeps. That is not a backtest, it is a highlight reel. To test the idea honestly, write down the exact rules first: what level counts, what timeframe, what confirmation, where the stop and target go. Then scroll through the chart bar by bar, hiding the future, and record every occurrence, including the ugly ones. Aim for at least fifty samples before drawing any conclusion, and split them into two groups so you can check whether the result holds on data you did not use to shape the rules. Track win rate, average R, and how many trades you skipped because they were unclear. If the rules need judgment calls, note how often you made them. Be suspicious if your results look too good, because hindsight bias creeps into manual testing easily. A modest, repeatable edge that survives both halves of the sample is worth more than a spectacular result you cannot reproduce live.