Opening a trade — only half the job. After that, the position stays open until it’s closed, and during that time you have tasks of your own.

We covered how the bot works in the module on signals: it opens a position using the signal’s parameters and closes it when the levels are reached. This lesson is about something else — what you do while the position is open.

What to check right after opening

  1. The position is actually open — you can see it in the “Trade” tab in MetaTrader 5.
  2. There’s one position open, not two: a repeated command could have duplicated it.
  3. The direction matches the signal.
  4. The volume matches your calculation.
  5. Stop Loss and Take Profit are set, not left empty.

What to watch in the terminal while a trade is open

  • Current result of the position — how much the trade is up or down right now.
  • Free margin — how much of a cushion your account has left.
  • Margin level — if it falls, the broker may close your positions on its own.

Watching only the result in money isn’t enough: it’s the margin level that shows how close your account is to having positions closed automatically.

When not to step in

Most of what beginners do with an open position comes from anxiety, not calculation.

  • The price has temporarily moved against you — that’s normal market movement, not a reason to close the position.
  • You want to move the stop “just a little” — that directly increases the loss.
  • You want to take profit before the target for fear of losing it — that decision is driven by fear, not by the plan.
  • You want to add volume because “it’s going well” — the risk grows, and the plan didn’t allow for that.

The rule is simple: if an action wasn’t in the plan before you opened the trade, you don’t take it during the trade.

When you must step in

  • The Stop Loss is missing or isn’t where you planned it.
  • An extra position has been opened.
  • The position’s parameters don’t match the signal.
  • The margin level has dropped dangerously low.

In all these cases, first check the actual state of your account in the terminal, and only then act.

If you lose connection or the terminal isn’t responding

  1. Don’t send the command again until you’ve seen the position’s status in the terminal.
  2. Check your connection and log back in to the terminal.
  3. Look at the “Trade” tab and your trade history: the position may already be open, or already closed.
  4. Don’t open a new trade to “fix” a technical problem.
  5. If the situation is unclear, stop and contact your personal manager.

After the trade closes

  • Check the actual closing price and the final result after costs.
  • Record the result in your journal.
  • Note whether you followed the plan — separately from whether the trade was profitable.
  • Don’t open the next trade right after a losing one just to win back what you lost.

Check yourself

Work through the situation

You opened a trade half an hour ago. The price is moving against you and getting close to the Stop Loss. You’re tempted to move the stop further away “so it doesn’t get hit.”

What should you do?

In short

  • Right after opening, check the position, the volume and that the stop is in place.
  • Watch not only the result but also the margin level.
  • Actions that aren’t in the plan aren’t taken during a trade.
  • If there’s a technical glitch, check the state of your account first, then act.
  • After a trade closes, record it and review it.