10 mistakes in my 14 years of trading as an option seller 🧵

FINDING EDGE IN OPTIONS

24/08/15: Nifty gap down 250 points & another 250 after that. Previous few months return gone, but since I'm quick to take my losses, was saved from ruin. Before that my only edge in option selling was adjustments & my forever edge of following PA. (1/n)

I soon realised that theta decay with sound adjustments is not an edge, which i earlier thought was & which gave me good returns over the years. After that i went deeper in understanding volatility behaviour, how/where it manifests & all the discrepancies in option chain. (2/n)

With finding edge in logistics i mean how to keep the greeks in check, SL in place & optimum ways of adjustments with minimum slippages. So the main aim here is to write theta without following vol behaviour & having any actual knowledge of what's going on in the markets. (3/n)

A dedicated trader can learn all this in few years & it is something which is 'obvious' to become successful. But majority can't reach this level, as this also requires consistent hustle in live markets. All the seminar/webinar business teaches you till this level only.(4/n)

If you get passed this level though, the real work starts, when you have to find your real edge. This can't be taught in a webinar. It needs serious introspection of your trading skills, psychology & strategies in use, which ultimately allow you to book excellent profits. (5/n)

A THREAD

Topic: Why triple straddle has no real benefit.

A triple straddle is essentially an ATM Straddle & one or two step away straddle on either side. The position is almost neutral strategy just like any other neutral straddle or strangle.

1/

We can also view the position as an ATM straddle, a strangle & inverted strangle.

For example

Nifty: 14700

Triple straddle: 14600,14700,14800

Another view:

14700 straddle
14800-14600: strangle
14600-14800: Inverted strangle

2/

So the real question is what is the advantage of an inverted strangle over it's otm counterpart?

The answer is none.

They both have same premiums/theta. Only that slippages will be high in inverted strangle when we do the required adjustments plus liquidity issue.

3/

So isn't it better that instead of a triple straddle, we can just do ATM Straddle & 2* OTM strangle.

So in the above eg. the position will be

14700 ATM straddle
2* 14800-14600 otm strangle.

Same premium received, similar range just that there's no nuisance of ITM options.

4/

The question arises:

Why trade in an ATM straddle & 2* OTM Strangles? Why over-complicate?

Options are in itself a complicated instrument. Wouldn't it be better to stick to one straddle or a strangle & adjust accordingly?

Lesser the strikes, more there will be clarity.

5/

THREAD ON IRONFLY

These days the most preferred strategy for option sellers due to improved margins is IRONFLY. It's essentially a short straddle with long strangle. Long strangle acting as 'WINGS', which help in capping the unlimited risk associated with a short straddle.(1/n)

You can also view the position as a combination of Cal & Put credit spreads, if that makes it more easy for you.

There are 3 important things to understand while trading this strategy:

1) Initial size of the Wings
2) Risk Management
3) Adjustments

(2/n)

Since we are selling an ATM straddle, the 1st question is how far our wings should be? Ideally i sell .50 delta straddle & buy .20 or .10 OTM strangle, depending on my view on volatility. So the distance of wings depends on the IV setup. Higher the IVs, greater the distance.(3/n)

If you don't understand greeks, then ideally with 30 days to expiry (dte), wings should be around 300pts either side. If your trading in weekly then it should be not more than 200pts. Higher the premiums, higher the distance as we have more cushion of theta. (4/n)

It is important to understand that we need to reduce the distance of wings with time so as to manage our RISK in gap openings or sudden volatile move. So for eg. if you started with 300pt wings with 30dte, the wings wouldn't give the same protection when there is 7dte. (5/n)

My previous b'day which fell on expiry day was in 2010. On that day Nifty straddle opened at 45. Day range of nifty was around 30pts :)

(High 5415, Low 5380)

At that time:

•Didn't know the word Straddle though i used to trade them regularly
•Greeks existence wasn't known

•Adjustments felt like a superpower
•Everyday theta decay was a birth right
•Any strategy thought off felt like a personal invention
•Listening to people warning about unlimited loss in option selling was normal
•Making unlimited gain in long straddle seemed a possibility

•Volumes & Oi were closely tracked
•Overnight positions without hedge was a normal routine

All the above points have been changed over the years. But the underlying market psychology & following the price action still remains the same.

Thank you all for the warm wishes 🙏

All Key points of free straddle webinar are summarized by @Scaliuminvest team.
Points Covered
1. When to initiate straddle
2. How to decide initial SL
3. How to trail SL
4. How to do adjustments in trending market

Thanks to @jitendrajain @yogeshnanda1 and @yogeeswarpal for this.

A THREAD:

7 FREE OPTION TRADING COURSES FOR BEGINNERS.

Been getting lot of dm's from people telling me they want to learn option trading and need some recommendations.

Here I'm listing the resources every beginner should go through to shorten their learning curve.

(1/10)

1st Course - TASTYTRADE

This channel on YouTube is a goldmine for people wanting to learn about options both basics and advanced. By far the best and the most popular channel out there amongst option traders.

2nd Course - OPTION ALPHA

This channel is also pretty well known amongst option traders and they have laid out the path to generate consistent income trading options.

3rd Course - PROJECT OPTION

Lengthy videos explaining the benefit of trading options and has gone through

4th Course - TASTYTRADE

Another crash course on options by tastytrade. Different strategies have been compared while some focus on trade management is also

The most valuable hedging strategy you aren't using:

The IRON FLY STRATEGY.

Knowing how to use it will protect you from gaps and intraday spikes and 10x your hedging experience.

Here's the step-by-step guide:

Collaborated with @niki_poojary

Here's what you'll learn in this thread:

1. What is an iron fly
2. Perks and Drawbacks
3. What to do when in profit?
4. How to adjust when in loss?
5. Thread on How to keep shifting an iron fly for max credit?
6. Risk-free trades benefits

Let's dive in ↓

1/ What is an iron fly?

Sell ATM CE and PE (Short straddle)
Buy OTM CE and PE (Hedge it by buying on both sides)

Look at the picture below for an example of an iron fly in current weekly options.

2/ Why do traders like iron fly?

Many traders want to receive maximum theta or max credit.

This is why they sell straddles.

But straddles have unlimited risk in them, and can't handle gaps or intraday spikes.

This is why traders like knowing the maximum loss in their trades.

3/ Perks of Iron Fly

Low capital required—Possible to buy first, sell later

Limit losses—Know your maximum loss upfront

Adjustments—Can reduce losses to zero or almost nothing

Weekly earnings—Possible on a weekly basis

Jackpot—Potential for a jackpot if it expires in middle

Why we sold only CE's today ?

A small 🧵

Collaborated with @AdityaTodmal

• BNF reversed from 32155 (low made on Mar'8)

• One side rally to butcher the CE writers

• Gap up opening by ~1300 points

• From Mar'8 low till today open ~2800 point rally

• 2800 point rally in just 1.5days

• Trend on the larger TF still bearish

• Due to election results we decided no to carry any overnight positions

• Selling PE on the back of 2800 point rally would have been disastrous due to unfavorable R/R

• So we were very clear to short only CE's

• But then need to follow the trend

• We decided to short CE at the break of first 5min candle

• By 9.45 it started to reverse

• Spotted M pattern at the resistance and started shorting CE's thereafter i.e. post 12.12 hours