diff --git a/api/handler_user.go b/api/handler_user.go
index aa9f9a2a..14dbf621 100644
--- a/api/handler_user.go
+++ b/api/handler_user.go
@@ -266,8 +266,9 @@ func (s *Server) createDefaultStrategies(userID string, lang string) error {
 		c.RiskControl.BTCETHMaxLeverage = 20
 		c.RiskControl.AltcoinMaxLeverage = 20
 		// 5× equity notional per position: 4 positions = 20x total account
-		// notional (full margin at 20x). Bigger single positions with room for
-		// a balanced long/short book.
+		// notional (full margin, ~5% liquidation cushion). Aggressive by
+		// operator choice — bigger single positions; the 0.4 short-signal
+		// floor keeps the book balanced so it is not a one-directional bet.
 		c.RiskControl.BTCETHMaxPositionValueRatio = 5.0
 		c.RiskControl.AltcoinMaxPositionValueRatio = 5.0
 		c.RiskControl.MaxMarginUsage = 1.0
diff --git a/store/strategy.go b/store/strategy.go
index 1553c09d..fe790aed 100644
--- a/store/strategy.go
+++ b/store/strategy.go
@@ -1017,8 +1017,8 @@ func GetDefaultStrategyConfig(lang string) StrategyConfig {
 			MaxPositions:                 4,   // Room for ~2 long + 2 short (CODE ENFORCED)
 			BTCETHMaxLeverage:            20,  // BTC/ETH exchange leverage (AI guided)
 			AltcoinMaxLeverage:           20,  // TradeFi exchange leverage (AI guided)
-			BTCETHMaxPositionValueRatio:  5.0, // Per-position notional = equity × 5; 4 positions = 20x total (full margin at 20x)
-			AltcoinMaxPositionValueRatio: 5.0, // Per-position notional = equity × 5; 4 positions = 20x total (full margin at 20x)
+			BTCETHMaxPositionValueRatio:  5.0, // Per-position notional = equity × 5; 4 positions = 20x total (full margin, ~5% liquidation cushion — aggressive by operator choice)
+			AltcoinMaxPositionValueRatio: 5.0, // Per-position notional = equity × 5; 4 positions = 20x total (full margin, ~5% liquidation cushion — aggressive by operator choice)
 			MaxMarginUsage:               1.0, // Claw402 Autopilot intentionally uses full margin when opening
 			MinPositionSize:              12,  // Min 12 USDT per position (CODE ENFORCED)
 			MinRiskRewardRatio:           3.0, // Min 3:1 profit/loss ratio (AI guided)
diff --git a/trader/auto_trader_force.go b/trader/auto_trader_force.go
index 0f7b7a5c..b9f2f816 100644
--- a/trader/auto_trader_force.go
+++ b/trader/auto_trader_force.go
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 // forcedCoverageMinScore is the minimum absolute board z-score a candidate
-// needs before the engine will force-open it for book balance. Live trade
-// history showed forced entries on near-neutral signals (|z| < 0.3) were a
-// systematic money loser — especially shorts — while trades on strong signals
-// carried the edge. Below this bar the book is simply left unbalanced.
-const forcedCoverageMinScore = 0.75
+// needs before the engine will force-open it for book balance. Near-neutral
+// signals (|z| < ~0.3) proved a systematic loser, but a 0.75 floor was too
+// strict: in a long-leaning tape every bearish candidate scored below it, so
+// no short ever opened and the book became a one-directional long bet that
+// drew down hard. 0.4 keeps genuine directional signals while still filtering
+// pure noise, so the book can actually hedge.
+const forcedCoverageMinScore = 0.4
 
 // ensureLongShortCoverage tops the book up toward roughly half the
 // MaxPositions slots long and half short — but only with candidates whose
diff --git a/web/src/pages/StrategyStudioPage.tsx b/web/src/pages/StrategyStudioPage.tsx
index cae8749a..b4760070 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/StrategyStudioPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/StrategyStudioPage.tsx
@@ -1392,8 +1392,8 @@ export function StrategyStudioPage() {
         btc_eth_max_leverage: 20,
         altcoin_max_leverage: 20,
         // 5× equity notional per position — 4 positions = 20x total account
-        // notional (full margin at 20x). Bigger single positions, room for
-        // a balanced long/short book.
+        // notional (full margin, ~5% liquidation cushion). Aggressive by
+        // operator choice; the 0.4 short-signal floor keeps the book balanced.
         btc_eth_max_position_value_ratio: 5,
         altcoin_max_position_value_ratio: 5,
         max_margin_usage: 1.0,