What is the single most commonly skipped item on this checklist?

Cost verification on the trader's own live feed. Traders routinely reuse generic spread assumptions from an article instead of measuring their own broker's actual spread, commission and swap, which can turn a marginally profitable backtest into a losing live strategy.

Can I go live if my sample size is under 100 trades but the results look strong?

Strong early results on a small sample are more likely to be variance than edge, and an early sample that also misses a CPI, NFP or FOMC cycle is not representative of what live trading will look like. Wait for the full sample before committing meaningful size.

Do I need a written news blackout policy if I already avoid news intuitively?

Yes. An intuitive habit erodes under pressure or after a string of wins, while a written policy with specific UTC windows can be checked mechanically before every trade regardless of mood or recent results.

What counts as a "go" on session restrictions if my strategy performed well across all hours in testing?

If the sample genuinely showed even performance across all UTC hours with sufficient trades per hour, that itself is a valid go — the requirement is evidence-based restriction, not restriction for its own sake.

Should the journal be set up before or after starting demo testing?

Before. Journal readiness should be verified using real demo trades, not retrofitted once live trading begins, so that the field set, sync and review cadence are already proven working by the time real money is at risk.

What size should the first live allocation be if every checklist item passes?

Small relative to eventual target size, and typically for a defined trial period of one month or a set number of trades, because the first live allocation exists to test the trader's behaviour under real risk, not to re-test the strategy itself.

GOLD STRATEGY CHECKLIST

A pre-live gold strategy checklist requires eight verified items: written and measurable rules, a sample of at least 100 trades spanning a full macro cycle of CPI, NFP and FOMC, cost assumptions verified on the trader's own live feed rather than a generic figure, explicit risk limits, evidence-based session restrictions, a written news blackout policy, and a working journal already in use.

Cost verification matters specifically because the spread, commission and swap difference between account types can turn a marginally profitable XAUUSD strategy into a losing one, and generic published ranges are a starting point, not a substitute for measurement.

A go/no-go decision table converts each checklist section into a pass/fail row, and any single failed row — not a majority vote — is sufficient reason to delay going live until that specific gap is closed.