Options Boot Camp

Options Bootcamp 56: Options Trade Tags Demystified Basic Training: Today’s guest is Andrew Giovinazzi, of Option Pit, Option Block, and Options Oddities fame. Mark, Dan and Andrew discuss options trade tags, including: Regular Spread Block Trade Inter-market Sweep Combo Cancel SoldLast Price Variation Buy Write Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Question from Vegan - What oil products do airlines use to hedge their crude exposure? Question from Alan - Why is rolling a position so prominent? Is that not just averaging into a losing trade? Question from Angus - Maybe this is a basic question, but where do the names call and put come from? What about straddle and strangle?

Options Bootcamp 55: Going Naked in IRAs Basic Training: Using Options in an IRA Account. Can you trade options in a retirement account? What are the limitations? What strategies can you utilize? What are the benefits of writing covered straddle vs calls? What is a stock replacement strategy? When should someone consider this strategy? Using options as an investment tool. What are any other investment strategy? Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Question from Hector - Can I still trade mini options or are they no longer available? Question from Neil Cerone - What are the most common mistakes you see from "stock guys" who try to become "options guys?" Question from Steve: First off, I love ALL the shows. They fill my daily commute with wit AND wisdom. Thanks! Also, better late than never, it was great meeting you all at Benny’s Chophouse back in Sept. I am one of the Lobster and Meatballs trainees (thanks to your shows). I had the pleasure of sitting right next to you and across from Uncle Mike as we

Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Comment from Max_p24 - One of the best podcast for option trading. They have amazing Bootcamp for option beginners. Question from Brian Collamer - Back in October I sent this question and I see you ran with it in a couple of other shows: “You mentioned that when selling options the fastest theta decay occurs in the 45-30 day range. I thought that was only true for ATM options? Do OTM options decay the fastest at 60-70 days and then kind of flatten out?” In each show you had asked where I had seen/heard this. LiveVol blog and forum. Thanks for the great content! PS: Futures Roundtable needs to be twice a month IMHO. Question from Imbroglio - If I exercise a call option what happens - do I just hit a button and the stock hits my account? Or does it take some time? When do I actually get the stock? If I want to collect a dividend do I need to exercise a few days early in order to get the stock in time to collect the dividend? Question from Angry Bunny - What the hell i

Options 101: Income Trade Adjustments An overview of income trades: Covered call, short put, short straddle, etc. What do we mean by adjustments? When to or not to adjust? Previous episodes that will be helpful: Options Bootcamp 41: Advanced Adjustments & Options Bootcamp 40: Trade Adjustments. Basic adjustments, partial adjustments and adjusting into spreads. Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Comment from Dmitry Shesterin - @Options There is no V in the Greek alphabet, so how come Vega is considered a "Greek"? Who started this madness? Question from Brian Collamer - Do OTM options decay the fastest at 60-70 days and then kind of flatten out?? Great show, wish it was longer! Thanks, Brian Question from Charles Patterson - Is it accurate to describe delta as the probability of an option expiring in the money? Question from Rohan - Do you think it is viable for an active retail trader to become a professional retail trader using primarily the freely available tools from OX and other retail broke

Basic Training: 2014 Year-in-Review/2015 Preview What option strategies worked in 2014: put credit spreads, IV overpriced throughout the year, "Wheel of fun." Things to learn from 2014 - Do not get married to a single strategy. Misperceptions of 2014 - VOL/VIX was cheap. Despite "low volatility" options volume was still very strong in 2014. Tempting to believe that OTM call buyer did well in this extended market. Fed tapering - When is it likely to happen? What is likely to happen in the market when the Fed tapers? Things to keep in mind for 2015 - It might be time for a smart hedge. The return of Rho. Volatility has a volatility. Exchange fragmentation will continue. Expand your horizons.

Basic Training: Futures Options vs. Equity Options We've talked about how to use options to mitigate your portfolio risk, but many traders also rely on commodities diversification as a way to mitigate portfolio risk. Futures options strategies: All of the options strategies we've discussed on this program in the past are applicable to futures options as well with a few exceptions Covered call & protective puts both require underlying futures positions - something most traders prefer to avoid. Most traders looking for diversification typically want bullish exposure to the underlying. Some great options strategies for this include: Stock/futures replacement strategy Vertical call spread Spreads with wings Futures are useful for traders who want to establish sizable positions with a minimum of outlay Options on futures can be useful for traders and asset managers who want exposure to alternative asset classes but can't or won't trade futures. You'll need a futures account to trade futures options - but if

Mail Call: This episode is dedicated to our listeners. Question from Neil Filasco - What sets do you recommend to hedge my retirement accounts, in clouding my defined contribution plans? The pickings in these accounts are relatively slim and there are no options to speak of. As one of the newly enlightened options masses, I thank you for bringing me into the fold. Question from Chandra Bajpai - Hey Mark, I love the Radio show...I find myself wanting the next show because I something new every episode. My question is: How should a trader handle stop losses on a naked call/put and/or a vertical spread. When should you call it quits? IBD mentions 8% for stocks, but what is the level for options. Thanks. Question from Hedger - I am a bit flummoxed when it comes to spreads. I listen to a show like this, that tells me to use spreads. I read a few articles about spreads, and I think I have the gist of it. Lets say ABB is trading for $50, if its going to $55, I can buy the 50-55 spread for $1, if the underlying move

Basic Training: Covered Strangles/Covered Combo What is it? Long stock, covered call, short put. Why do it? Collect more income than a standard covered call or short put. Why not to do it? Increased margin requirement, you will increase your stock position to the downside. Example: XYZ trading at $50. Option 1 - Sell covered front month 55 strike call for $1 - collect 2% income. Option 2 - Sell both front month 55 call and 45 put for $1 each - collect $2 or 4% income. Rinse and repeat. Note: Call and put should only be sold on strikes where you are comfortable buying/selling the stock. Listener Mail: Listener questions and comments Question from Tony - Mark, love boot camp. I was lucky enough to have a fairly significant weekly put spread position in DIA this week (long puts at 166-167 and short at 161-162.5). I was making good money on Wednesday and ran into a problem. The bid ask spread on my long puts were so wide, I could not close out, roll or adjust the trade. I thought about buying futures contr

Mail Call: Your questions directed this episode. Question from Jason Kruse: Is there a Bootcamp episode that discusses OI and how it can affect expiration moves? I hear people talk about max pain and pinning like it’s a conspiracy. Would love to hear real info about how it works. Open Interest What is it? Why is it important? Why is it not important? Pin Risk What is it? How prevalent is it? When should you be concerned? Is there really a conspiracy? Question from Allen Manning:Hello everyone, I just started listening to the Options Bootcamp podcast, and I'm really enjoying it! I have a question about a strategy described in episode 20: Options in Lieu of Stocks. As a covered call alternative, I was interested in possibly buying a LEAPS with a 1 or 2 year expiration and selling monthly calls against it. When I looked up a few stocks and ran some preliminary numbers, I noticed that the cost to purchase a deep in the money LEAPS (about 80 Delta) option was usually higher than the total money I would make se

Basic Training: How to protect your profits. Easiest method: 1st buy a 2-3- month put ATM or slightly OTM put. Purchase an ATM put spread with the short leg at your break-even point. Easiest to do in a single stock or underlying. What to do if you have a broad equity portfolio? Its a little more complicated. Determine the effective beta of your portfolio an how many effective shares of that index you own. Rule of thumb - Expect to spend about 2% of your portfolio for effective 3-6 month protectionHow to reduce the cost of protection. Buy a spread instead of an outright put. Set up a collar. Set up a collar with a kicker. Mail Call: Listener Questions and Comments Question from Big Charlie - Hey guys. What is your take on the OH/Monster merger? What does this mean for the options landscape going forward? Question from Brian Collamer - Hi Mark, If I have a short call in $SPY on the ex-dividend date that is OTM, I will not owe the dividend correct? Thanks, Brian Comment from Justin - Hi Mark, Just heard my qu

Roll Call: Bringing in the Big Guns Our guest today is Jim Bittman, Senior Instructor at The Options Institute. He discusses: What sort of content/classes our listeners can access at The Options Institute What the number one options question is that he receives from students What is the number one options mistake and/or misperception students may have about the options market? What changes did he make in your recent renovation at The Options Institute, and what can our listeners expect from your new facilities? Mail Call: Listener questions and comments Question from Kevin Duggan - Hi Mark, Great show! I have been listening to episodes for months but it was only recently that I saw Dan’s picture- shocking! In my mind I have always pictured Walter White, as they sound exactly alike and, you always refer to his black hat. You can imagine my surprise when I saw Dan’s pretty face and those curly brown locks. Shave that bean, Heisenberg! Re: short puts (I'm already long calls) If I am certain the stock will mov

Basic Training: The world of mini options What are Mini Options? (Just celebrated first birthday last month) Where do they trade? Which underlying names trade? What is the use case? When should you use them? When should you not use them? Pros vs. Cons: Unfortunately we cannot give many pros for mini options as of now. Mail Call: Listener questions and comments. Question from Maximus - Hi Mark, Hope you have been doing well. Following up in connection with my question in the email below, since I haven't seen a new episode of Options Bootcamp come out for the past several weeks, and have been waiting with baited breath for your expert comments on my question. :) Hope I didn't overwhelm you and the panel with my frighteningly complicated question, and the insanely large account balances I am referring to (sarcasm alert! :)) I did notice a mention of "Maximizing a ROTH IRA" in episode 331 of Option Block, which came out on April 21st. However, for some reason, this episode seems to end abruptly at just under 3

Mail Call: All mail. All day Question from David Medley - I have listened to about half of the 40+ episodes. I do not recall hearing anything about how to get started professionally. I am a 38 year old software developer looking to change industries. The positions that seem to be open to me are commission-only and require a significant cash "Capital Contribution". I am actually OK with this. Some positions have hefty training and/or desk fees, which seems a bit scammy to me. Either way, it's not something I want to go into blind. If you have covered this, I would love to read or listen to it. Thanks! Question from Jay - Hi Mark, Options Bootcamp is a phenomenal program. I have learned so much it’s unbelievable. I do still have one question, and it stems from the fact that I am not a convert from the equity world. I am new to the investing world, but I could never wrap my head around equity trading because it seemed too haphazard. It was not until I learned about the flexibility of options that I really thoug

Basic Training: Options & Dividends How do option holders collect dividends? How do derivatives impact options? What happens to call and put prices when dividends enter the equation? If you are an options holder what must you do to collect a dividend? What are dividend plays and how do they work? Mail Call: International trades, closing positions, and more Question from Glenn Baker - Question for Options Boot Camp I've been listening to Options Boot Camp since the first episode & have been listening to the Option Block for about 2.5 years. I currently have a Schwab account where I primarily buy mining stocks. I would be interested in possibly switching to Sogotrade for the lower commissions. Does Sogotrade allow you to buy stocks on Canadian exchanges? Thanks and I really enjoy the show." Question from Nick Snow - Hello. First, thanks for all the shows. I used to listen to options insider years ago. Somehow lost the podcast and recently found it again. Good news there is I have been listening nonst

Basic Training: Legging and Protecting Gains What is legging? How do you leg into a vertical call spread? When should you leg a spread? When should you not leg a spread? How do you protect you gains? How do you lock in a gain? Buy a protective put, but watch out for the cost. Do I write a call ITM, OTM, or ATM? Remember, a covered call is no a defensive play. How do you leg into a collar? How do you create a collar plus? How does your strategy change during a crisis? Mail Call: Hey Recruits, it seems you have some questions! Question from TelStorm: This question is for Options Boot Camp. Please do discuss when to adjust long protective put with stock. When to sell put vs. just close the position? Do you roll to a lower strike or to a put spread? Thx. Question from Alexander Samuels, Chicago - You would never know you guys are Chicagoans from the way you complain about the weather! But seriously, can you discuss which options tools you guys prefer for analytics and trading? Do you have certain products you

Basic Training: Advanced Adjustments Spread adjustments When should you adjust a spread? Vertical spreads. Long and short straddles. Long and short butterfly adjustments When should you adjust your flies? Iron butterflies and iron condors. Calendar spread adjustments When should you adjust basic horizontal one-month calendars? Mail Call: The drill instructors will now take your questions Question from Dr. Anthony - I enjoyed you episode on the wheel trade. I would like to know more about your typical use case for wheel trades, particularly when it comes to the second leg. Do you write an ITM or ATM call, hoping for the stock to be called away quickly, thereby allowing you to begin the process again? Or do you prefer to write an OTM call and attempt to capture some appreciation in the underlying, while risking losses in the stock? Question from Nik_Miner - How much money should I keep in my account for adjustments? Does 10-15% seem reasonable in case I need to roll or trade stock against my options?

Basic Training: The topic of the show today comes to us courtesy of a listener question. Question from Dr. Toboggan: Love the podcasts. Would like to see an episode (maybe options bootcamp) that covers trade adjustments. This was been the most difficult aspect of learning to trade options for me, and would be useful now that you've covered most of the basics on this program. Specifically, would like to hear a discussion on how to adjust trades when the stock moves against you (i.e. price hits the short strike in a condor/credit spread, or the wings of a butterfly). Thanks Adjustments are where the rubber meets the road from an options perspective. What are adjustments? Why have an adjustment strategy? When do you make the adjustment? Basic Adjustments: Close positions and close portions the of trade. Adjusting into spreads. Good rolls vs bad rolls. Long premium vs short premium.

Options Drills: Options as an investment tool. Stock replacement strategy, Covered calls, Short puts, Collars, Covered strangles, Covered straddles and LEAPs Mail Call: Question from Charles Binder - Can you guys explain 60/40 tax treatment? What do I need to trade to qualify for this special consideration? Thanks for your help. Keep the show coming!

Basic Training: The Wheel Trade A great trade for novice options traders. Our friends at RCM call this the "triple income trade" or "the wheel of fun." What is it? Write a put to get long equity, then immediately write a call to sell equity. When should you use it? When should you not use it? This is a great way to add some extra bang to your covered call trades. Mail Call: Fabulous questions, insightful answers. Question from Bit Tim: You recommend closing out your shorts when they go your way. Do you advise factoring the closing price of the trade in to your calculations when writing options? For example - write a put for $.30, but know at the onset that you will only collect $.25, because you will close it out for $.05. If more people did that at the outset, they might be less reluctant to close out their winner for a profit. Question from Jack - I know you guys are not tax advisors, and so nothing you say can be taken as certain in any answer to this question. I am a small time trader, and at the moment

Options Bootcamp 37: Our Holiday Wish Lists Basic Training: Options Boot Camp Holiday Wish List John - Consolidation in the exchange market place. Mark - Better spread execution in the options market in 2014. Dan - Continued growth in the options business. Mark - Financial/mainstream media would abandon its perception that options are dangerous, complex risk-additive instruments. John - Customers close every expiring position. Dan - Continued growth in options education. Mark - Brokers would make it cheap or free to close out shorts below a nickel. John - Customers never (or almost never) trade inverse or leverage ETFs. Dan - I hope to be successful in guiding my students, and potential students' expectations of options. Mark - I wish more customers would break away from their fixation with VIX. John - I would like to see an end to the day trading rules. I also wish more customers had a trading strategy firmly in place before they put a trade on. Dan - I would like to see no crazy blow-ups like PFG, etc. Li