Strategy library · Trend and breakouts
Chandelier exit backtest on NQ and ES futures
Chandelier exit (22, 3 ATR)
Also called: Chandelier exit 22 3 ATR, ATR trailing stop strategy, Chandelier stop strategy, buy when price closes above the Chandelier Exit short-side line (22, 3 ATR), short when price closes below the Chandelier Exit long-side line (22, 3 ATR)
What happens if you buy NQ every time price closes above the Chandelier Exit short-side line (22, 3 ATR)?
What it is
The Chandelier exit (22, 3 ATR) is a trailing stop set 3 average true ranges from the highest high or lowest low of the last 22 bars. This strategy goes long when price closes above the short-side chandelier line, short on the mirror, and exits on the opposite flip.
What it did
On NQ futures from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Chandelier exit strategy took 1,009 trades on the 15-minute chart, won 35.4% of them and finished -2,513.50 points (-$50,270 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on NQ, the 514 long trades on the 15-minute chart won 36.6% and made -2,093.25 points (-$41,865 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. On ES futures from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, the Chandelier exit strategy took 1,041 trades on the 15-minute chart, won 35.5% of them and finished -613.50 points (-$30,675 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. The 5-minute, 1-hour and daily results for both markets are in the table on this page.
How it was tested
CE Market Solutions tested the Chandelier exit strategy on NQ (2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07) and ES (2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27) futures, before commission and slippage, with each signal filled at the next bar's open, intraday positions flat at 15:59 ET and textbook default indicator settings; the NQ trades are listed on this page and the ES trades under the ES tab.
See it tested with one change · $19
Tested by CE Market Solutions on 2026-10-26. The trades are listed below, one market at a time. Gross, no commission or slippage. Last 2 years.
Results
Rule as tested: Long when price closes above the short-side chandelier line; short on the mirror. Exit: Opposite flip.
| Timeframe | NQ · 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 | ES · 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trades | Win % | Avg pts | Profit factor | Net pts | Net $ (1 NQ) | Max DD pts | Trades | Win % | Avg pts | Profit factor | Net pts | Net $ (1 ES) | Max DD pts | |
| 5 minute | 2217 | 31.5% | −2.96 | 0.911 | −6,555.75 | −$131,115 | 8,270.00 | 2160 | 32.9% | 0.28 | 1.044 | 595.25 | $29,763 | 775.25 |
| 5 minute · longs only | 1119 | 33.2% | — | — | −1,415.25 | −$28,305 | 3,458.00 | 1085 | 33.6% | — | — | 404.75 | $20,238 | 448.25 |
| 5 minute · shorts only | 1098 | 29.9% | — | — | −5,140.50 | −$102,810 | 6,243.00 | 1075 | 32.2% | — | — | 190.50 | $9,525 | 530.50 |
| 15 minute | 1009 | 35.4% | −2.49 | 0.941 | −2,513.50 | −$50,270 | 4,966.50 | 1041 | 35.5% | −0.59 | 0.934 | −613.50 | −$30,675 | 1,162.25 |
| 15 minute · longs only | 514 | 36.6% | — | — | −2,093.25 | −$41,865 | 3,542.25 | 520 | 35.4% | — | — | −180.00 | −$9,000 | 609.50 |
| 15 minute · shorts only | 495 | 34.1% | — | — | −420.25 | −$8,405 | 2,910.00 | 521 | 35.5% | — | — | −433.50 | −$21,675 | 768.75 |
| 1 hour | 296 | 45.3% | −1.79 | 0.970 | −530.00 | −$10,600 | 3,001.00 | 297 | 48.5% | 1.80 | 1.165 | 535.25 | $26,763 | 439.00 |
| 1 hour · longs only | 134 | 50.0% | — | — | 444.75 | $8,895 | 1,859.00 | 132 | 46.2% | — | — | 147.50 | $7,375 | 352.25 |
| 1 hour · shorts only | 162 | 41.4% | — | — | −974.75 | −$19,495 | 2,571.50 | 165 | 50.3% | — | — | 387.75 | $19,388 | 319.00 |
| Daily | 24 | 25.0% | 4.60 | 1.009 | 110.50 | $2,210 | 4,175.00 | 24 | 29.2% | −21.10 | 0.813 | −506.50 | −$25,325 | 886.25 |
| Daily · longs only | 12 | 33.3% | — | — | 4,135.00 | $82,700 | 1,979.75 | 12 | 41.7% | — | — | 670.25 | $33,513 | 604.00 |
| Daily · shorts only | 12 | 16.7% | — | — | −4,024.50 | −$80,490 | 5,361.25 | 12 | 16.7% | — | — | −1,176.75 | −$58,837 | 1,176.75 |
Free to use with credit to CE Market Solutions (CC BY 4.0).
ES 15 minute: the equity line
Long and short
| Side | Trades | Net pts |
|---|---|---|
| Long | 520 | −180.00 |
| Short | 521 | −433.50 |
By month
| Month | Trades | Net pts |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-08 | 4 | 55.75 |
| 2024-09 | 55 | 78.00 |
| 2024-10 | 54 | −24.00 |
| 2024-11 | 43 | −123.00 |
| 2024-12 | 36 | 123.50 |
| 2025-01 | 35 | −23.75 |
| 2025-02 | 48 | −25.25 |
| 2025-03 | 41 | 38.75 |
| 2025-04 | 47 | 68.75 |
| 2025-05 | 40 | −392.75 |
| 2025-06 | 42 | −62.50 |
| 2025-07 | 36 | −58.25 |
| 2025-08 | 40 | 13.75 |
| 2025-09 | 57 | −139.75 |
| 2025-10 | 41 | 165.75 |
| 2025-11 | 34 | 260.75 |
| 2025-12 | 55 | −206.00 |
| 2026-01 | 47 | −19.50 |
| 2026-02 | 46 | 34.50 |
| 2026-03 | 31 | 29.25 |
| 2026-04 | 39 | −183.00 |
| 2026-05 | 32 | −29.00 |
| 2026-06 | 52 | −202.75 |
| 2026-07 | 45 | 87.00 |
| 2026-08 | 41 | −79.75 |
Every trade, ES 15 minute1041 trades
Pick any of the 1041 charted trades with Previous, Next or a date, or click a row in the trades table below, to see it drawn on the real 1-minute bars. Drag the chart sideways to move through the sessions around it.
Chart unavailable. The trades are in the table below.
All trades (1041), newest first
Times are New York time; points are gross. Click a row to draw that trade in the chart above.
| Session date | Side | Entry (ET) | Entry price | Exit (ET) | Exit price | Exit reason | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-17 | short | 13:00 | 6729.50 | 15:59 | 6693.75 | end of day 15:59 | 35.75 |
| 2025-11-17 | long | 12:00 | 6767.00 | 13:00 | 6729.50 | opposite flip | −37.50 |
| 2025-11-17 | short | 10:15 | 6755.00 | 12:00 | 6767.00 | opposite flip | −12.00 |
| 2025-11-17 | long | 10:00 | 6765.25 | 10:15 | 6755.00 | opposite flip | −10.25 |
| 2025-11-14 | long | 10:00 | 6725.00 | 15:59 | 6758.00 | end of day 15:59 | 33.00 |
| 2025-11-13 | short | 10:30 | 6831.00 | 15:59 | 6762.00 | end of day 15:59 | 69.00 |
| 2025-11-13 | long | 10:15 | 6846.00 | 10:30 | 6831.00 | opposite flip | −15.00 |
| 2025-11-12 | long | 15:45 | 6879.75 | 15:59 | 6876.00 | end of day 15:59 | −3.75 |
| 2025-11-12 | short | 14:15 | 6872.50 | 15:45 | 6879.75 | opposite flip | −7.25 |
| 2025-11-12 | long | 12:45 | 6876.00 | 14:15 | 6872.50 | opposite flip | −3.50 |
| 2025-11-12 | short | 09:45 | 6884.50 | 12:45 | 6876.00 | opposite flip | 8.50 |
| 2025-11-11 | long | 12:15 | 6851.00 | 15:59 | 6872.75 | end of day 15:59 | 21.75 |
| 2025-11-11 | short | 10:45 | 6837.50 | 12:15 | 6851.00 | opposite flip | −13.50 |
| 2025-11-11 | long | 10:00 | 6850.50 | 10:45 | 6837.50 | opposite flip | −13.00 |
| 2025-11-10 | long | 12:45 | 6827.75 | 15:59 | 6857.00 | end of day 15:59 | 29.25 |
| 2025-11-10 | short | 11:00 | 6805.50 | 12:45 | 6827.75 | opposite flip | −22.25 |
| 2025-11-07 | long | 13:30 | 6697.25 | 15:59 | 6753.25 | end of day 15:59 | 56.00 |
| 2025-11-06 | short | 15:30 | 6770.25 | 15:59 | 6750.00 | end of day 15:59 | 20.25 |
| 2025-11-06 | long | 14:15 | 6775.25 | 15:30 | 6770.25 | opposite flip | −5.00 |
| 2025-11-04 | short | 12:15 | 6819.25 | 15:59 | 6803.50 | end of day 15:59 | 15.75 |
| 2025-11-03 | long | 11:45 | 6878.50 | 15:59 | 6885.25 | end of day 15:59 | 6.75 |
| 2025-11-03 | short | 09:45 | 6882.50 | 11:45 | 6878.50 | opposite flip | 4.00 |
| 2025-10-31 | long | 14:30 | 6874.75 | 15:59 | 6872.00 | end of day 15:59 | −2.75 |
| 2025-10-31 | short | 11:15 | 6894.25 | 14:30 | 6874.75 | opposite flip | 19.50 |
| 2025-10-31 | long | 10:45 | 6895.50 | 11:15 | 6894.25 | opposite flip | −1.25 |
| 2025-10-30 | short | 11:45 | 6889.50 | 15:59 | 6853.75 | end of day 15:59 | 35.75 |
| 2025-10-30 | long | 10:45 | 6906.75 | 11:45 | 6889.50 | opposite flip | −17.25 |
| 2025-10-30 | short | 10:30 | 6888.50 | 10:45 | 6906.75 | opposite flip | −18.25 |
| 2025-10-30 | long | 10:00 | 6904.00 | 10:30 | 6888.50 | opposite flip | −15.50 |
| 2025-10-29 | short | 15:30 | 6908.50 | 15:59 | 6928.00 | end of day 15:59 | −19.50 |
| 2025-10-29 | long | 15:00 | 6914.75 | 15:30 | 6908.50 | opposite flip | −6.25 |
| 2025-10-29 | short | 10:45 | 6937.25 | 15:00 | 6914.75 | opposite flip | 22.50 |
| 2025-10-28 | long | 12:45 | 6922.75 | 15:59 | 6925.50 | end of day 15:59 | 2.75 |
| 2025-10-28 | short | 10:45 | 6914.25 | 12:45 | 6922.75 | opposite flip | −8.50 |
| 2025-10-28 | long | 10:30 | 6916.25 | 10:45 | 6914.25 | opposite flip | −2.00 |
| 2025-10-28 | short | 10:00 | 6911.50 | 10:30 | 6916.25 | opposite flip | −4.75 |
| 2025-10-22 | long | 15:30 | 6732.75 | 15:59 | 6737.00 | end of day 15:59 | 4.25 |
| 2025-10-22 | short | 13:15 | 6719.75 | 15:30 | 6732.75 | opposite flip | −13.00 |
| 2025-10-22 | long | 13:00 | 6731.75 | 13:15 | 6719.75 | opposite flip | −12.00 |
| 2025-10-21 | long | 11:00 | 6785.50 | 15:59 | 6772.00 | end of day 15:59 | −13.50 |
| 2025-10-21 | short | 10:00 | 6765.25 | 11:00 | 6785.50 | opposite flip | −20.25 |
| 2025-10-16 | short | 13:45 | 6681.75 | 15:59 | 6668.50 | end of day 15:59 | 13.25 |
| 2025-10-16 | long | 13:30 | 6697.00 | 13:45 | 6681.75 | opposite flip | −15.25 |
| 2025-10-16 | short | 11:30 | 6721.00 | 13:30 | 6697.00 | opposite flip | 24.00 |
| 2025-10-16 | long | 10:45 | 6747.75 | 11:30 | 6721.00 | opposite flip | −26.75 |
| 2025-10-16 | short | 10:15 | 6721.25 | 10:45 | 6747.75 | opposite flip | −26.50 |
| 2025-10-15 | long | 13:45 | 6692.00 | 15:59 | 6715.00 | end of day 15:59 | 23.00 |
| 2025-10-15 | short | 11:30 | 6741.00 | 13:45 | 6692.00 | opposite flip | 49.00 |
| 2025-10-14 | long | 10:15 | 6644.75 | 15:59 | 6686.00 | end of day 15:59 | 41.25 |
| 2025-10-13 | long | 11:30 | 6692.00 | 15:59 | 6694.50 | end of day 15:59 | 2.50 |
Questions and answers
What happens if you buy NQ every time price closes above the Chandelier Exit short-side line (22, 3 ATR)?
From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on the NQ 15-minute chart, the Chandelier exit strategy took 514 long trades, won 36.6% of them and made -2,093.25 points (-$41,865 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 on NQ, its long trades also made -1,415.25 points on 1,119 trades on the 5-minute chart, 444.75 points on 134 trades on the 1-hour chart and 4,135.00 points on 12 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
What happens if you short ES every time price closes below the Chandelier Exit long-side line (22, 3 ATR)?
From 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 on the ES 15-minute chart, the Chandelier exit strategy took 521 short trades, won 35.5% of them and made -433.50 points (-$21,675 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. From 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 on ES, its short trades also made 190.50 points on 1,075 trades on the 5-minute chart, 387.75 points on 165 trades on the 1-hour chart and -1,176.75 points on 12 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
Does the Chandelier exit strategy work on Nasdaq futures?
On NQ futures from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Chandelier exit strategy on the 15-minute chart took 1,009 trades, won 35.4% of them and finished -2,513.50 points (-$50,270 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage.
What is the win rate of Chandelier exit (22, 3 ATR) on ES futures?
The Chandelier exit strategy won 35.5% of its 1,041 trades on the ES 15-minute chart from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, before commission and slippage. On ES from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27 it also won 32.9% of 2,160 trades on the 5-minute chart, 48.5% of 297 trades on the 1-hour chart and 29.2% of 24 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
Is the Chandelier exit strategy better on the 5-minute, 15-minute, 1-hour or daily chart for NQ?
On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Chandelier exit strategy made -6,555.75 points on 2,217 trades on the 5-minute chart, -2,513.50 points on 1,009 trades on the 15-minute chart, -530.00 points on 296 trades on the 1-hour chart and 110.50 points on 24 trades on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
Is it better to only buy or only sell Chandelier exit signals on NQ?
On the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the long trades made -2,093.25 points on 514 trades (36.6% won) and the short trades made -420.25 points on 495 trades (34.1% won), before commission and slippage.
How many trades does the Chandelier exit strategy take on NQ in two years?
The Chandelier exit strategy took 1,009 trades on the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, before commission and slippage. On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 it also took 2,217 on the 5-minute chart, 296 on the 1-hour chart and 24 on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
What is the max drawdown of the Chandelier exit strategy on NQ?
The Chandelier exit strategy had a max drawdown of 4,966.50 points ($99,330 on one NQ contract) on the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, before commission and slippage. On NQ from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07 its max drawdown was also 8,270.00 points on the 5-minute chart, 3,001.00 points on the 1-hour chart and 4,175.00 points on the daily chart, before commission and slippage.
How does the Chandelier exit strategy do on ES compared with NQ?
On the ES 15-minute chart from 2024-08-28 to 2026-08-27, the Chandelier exit strategy took 1,041 trades, won 35.5% of them and made -613.50 points (-$30,675 on one ES contract), before commission and slippage. On the NQ 15-minute chart from 2024-10-08 to 2026-10-07, the Chandelier exit strategy took 1,009 trades, won 35.4% of them and made -2,513.50 points (-$50,270 on one NQ contract), before commission and slippage.
How these were run
- Gross: no commission and no slippage.
- The last 2 years of each market, from the first to the last session of its window.
- A signal on a closed bar fills at the next bar’s open.
- A stop and a target touched in the same minute count as the stop.
- Intraday positions are flat at 15:59 ET.
- Textbook TradingView default settings for every indicator; nothing is tuned.
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