# No scale-in without GO

Do not scale into a winning (or open) position without a written GO that sets add size, max total risk, and invalidation — pyramid/scale-in is not free just because price moved your way. Pair with no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis, write-go-before-scale-up, one-risk-unit-per-idea, size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope, write-invalidation-before-entry, never-skip-review-before-place. Agent Lane does not place trades, hold wallets, or invent broker UI.

Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/no-scale-in-without-go/

## Answer first

Before any add / scale-in / pyramid on an open (often winning) position: write a GO — add size, max total risk after the add, and invalidation for the whole position. A green mark is not a GO. Enforce at review in the broker UI against sleeve rules and one risk unit.

## No scale-in without GO in plain terms

1. **Add size written** — exact size of the proposed add, not “a little more.”
2. **Max total risk** — open risk + add must stay inside [one-risk-unit-per-idea.md](./one-risk-unit-per-idea.md) and [size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md](./size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md).
3. **Invalidation for the pyramid** — kill line covers prior fills + the add — [write-invalidation-before-entry.md](./write-invalidation-before-entry.md).
4. **Not a GO** — a green mark, chat confidence, FOMO, or “pyramid because it is working.”
5. **Same review step** — [never-skip-review-before-place.md](./never-skip-review-before-place.md).

## Why green-mark pyramid is the failure mode

- **Winner → silent adds** — [one-risk-unit-per-idea.md](./one-risk-unit-per-idea.md), [never-skip-review-before-place.md](./never-skip-review-before-place.md).
- **Risk unit spent twice** — [reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md](./reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md), [size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md](./size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md).
- **Invalidation for first fill only** — [write-invalidation-before-entry.md](./write-invalidation-before-entry.md).
- **Confused with sleeve scale-up** — [write-go-before-scale-up.md](./write-go-before-scale-up.md).

## Shield stack

1. [write-invalidation-before-entry.md](./write-invalidation-before-entry.md) — kill line before the first place.
2. [one-risk-unit-per-idea.md](./one-risk-unit-per-idea.md) — max loss for this thesis.
3. [size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md](./size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md) — ticket size under current sleeve rules.
4. No scale-in without GO (this page) — written GO before any add on an open / winning position.
5. [no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md](./no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md) — separate add-size gate on a loser.
6. [write-go-before-scale-up.md](./write-go-before-scale-up.md) — sleeve/strategy limits change only after a different GO.
7. [never-skip-review-before-place.md](./never-skip-review-before-place.md) — human gate enforces the scale-in GO.
8. [journal-every-override.md](./journal-every-override.md) — record the GO and any mid-session exception.

## How to run no scale-in without GO

1. Keep the open position and risk unit visible — [one-risk-unit-per-idea.md](./one-risk-unit-per-idea.md), [write-invalidation-before-entry.md](./write-invalidation-before-entry.md); no invented UI.
2. Treat a green mark as not a GO — pause any agent add / scale-in / pyramid until a written scale-in GO exists.
3. Write the scale-in GO — add size, max total risk after the add, invalidation for the whole pyramid — distinct from [write-go-before-scale-up.md](./write-go-before-scale-up.md) and [no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md](./no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md).
4. Check against sleeve and risk unit — [size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md](./size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md), [cap-daily-loss-before-session.md](./cap-daily-loss-before-session.md), [reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md](./reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md).
5. Pass review before place — [never-skip-review-before-place.md](./never-skip-review-before-place.md), [two-person-rule-for-large-places.md](./two-person-rule-for-large-places.md), [confirm-fills-in-broker-not-chat.md](./confirm-fills-in-broker-not-chat.md).
6. Confirm fills; journal the GO — [journal-every-override.md](./journal-every-override.md), [log-session-end-checklist.md](./log-session-end-checklist.md), [revoke-before-debug.md](./revoke-before-debug.md).

## Practical checklist

- Scale-in GO written — add size, max total risk, invalidation.
- Green mark is not a GO.
- Total risk inside one risk unit and sleeve rules.
- Invalidation covers the whole pyramid — not only the first fill.
- Distinct from averaging-down (loser) and sleeve scale-up (limits change).
- No duplicate same-thesis path while open risk exists.
- Review on — no standing skip for the add.
- GO and overrides journaled.
- Official paths only — no invented broker UI.

Related: [One order per idea until fill](./one-order-per-idea-until-fill.md), [no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md](./no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis.md), [write-go-before-scale-up.md](./write-go-before-scale-up.md), [one-risk-unit-per-idea.md](./one-risk-unit-per-idea.md), [size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md](./size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope.md), [write-invalidation-before-entry.md](./write-invalidation-before-entry.md), [never-skip-review-before-place.md](./never-skip-review-before-place.md), [reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md](./reject-duplicate-place-same-thesis.md), [stop-adding-size-after-loss-day.md](./stop-adding-size-after-loss-day.md), [journal-every-override.md](./journal-every-override.md), [confirm-fills-in-broker-not-chat.md](./confirm-fills-in-broker-not-chat.md), [two-person-rule-for-large-places.md](./two-person-rule-for-large-places.md), [cap-daily-loss-before-session.md](./cap-daily-loss-before-session.md), [review-before-place.md](./review-before-place.md).

## FAQ

**What does no scale-in without GO mean?**
Do not scale into a winning or open position without a written GO that sets add size, max total risk after the add, and invalidation for the whole pyramid. Price moving your way is not permission. Pair with no-averaging-down-without-new-thesis, write-go-before-scale-up, one-risk-unit-per-idea, size-from-sleeve-not-from-hope, write-invalidation-before-entry, never-skip-review-before-place.

**How is this different from no averaging down / write GO before scale-up?**
Averaging down is the add-size gate on a loser. Write GO before scale-up is the sleeve/strategy gate. This page is the per-position pyramid GO on an open (often winning) position.

**Do I invent a pyramid broker UI?**
No. Official venue order ticket and your written GO. Agent Lane does not invent UI or place trades for you.

## Sources

- Canonical HTML: https://agentlane.net/guides/no-scale-in-without-go/
- Related shelf: https://agentlane.net/resources/
- Site index: https://agentlane.net/llms.txt

Agent Lane publishes checklists. We do not place trades, hold wallets, invent broker UI, or read your order tickets.