Member Resources

Trade Plans &
Options Education

Institutional-grade strategies and market breadth tools.

01
📉
0DTE Trend Following Playbook
SPX / NDX zero days to expiration — intraday credit & debit spreads
0DTE OptionsSPX / NDXCredit Spreads15m + 5m Charts
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Core Philosophy

Our approach is brutally straightforward: focus on high-probability, short-term trades with strict risk controls. No chasing, no emotional decisions — disciplined execution.

Honesty check: Trading is probabilistic — wins aren't guaranteed, and losses are inevitable. If you're not prepared to lose what you risk, step away.

What We Trade
Primary
0DTE options on SPX (broader market) and NDX (tech-heavy exposure). Ultra-short-term intraday bets expiring same day.
Cash Management
SPYI ETF — parks idle capital. Yields ~12% annually via covered call premiums while waiting for setups.
Hedge: VIX Calls
Buy OTM VIX calls to hedge sharp downside moves in SPX.
Hedge: E-Mini Futures
Buy or short e-mini futures intraday once a credit spread hits a 2× credit received loss. Exit futures at entry if price recovers; hold to 4pm if it doesn't.
Trend Determination — 15 Minute Chart

Plot the 8 EMA (yellow) and 21 EMA (purple) on the 15-minute chart.

8 EMA > 21 EMA = Bullish bias   8 EMA < 21 EMA = Bearish bias

Check the 15-minute chart just before 10:00 AM ET to lock in your directional bias for the session.

Entry Timing — 5 Minute Chart
  • Wait for the Opening Range (9:30–10:00 AM ET) to pass. Avoid noise and false breakouts.
  • OR high/low acts as support/resistance after price breaks through.
  • Use 8 & 21 EMA on the 5-min chart for precise entry.
  • Wait for a pullback or touch to either EMA with a confirmation bar.
  • Example (Bearish Dec 12): 10am bar touched 8 EMA, sold off, closed below OR. 10:05am → open Call Credit Spread.
Trade Exits
Conservative Exit
Bearish: exit when RSI > 55 on the 5-min chart. Bullish: exit when RSI < 45.
Trend Exit
Exit when 8 EMA crosses 21 EMA (keeps you in on strong trend days).
Daily Strategy Selection
  • Neutral / Range-Bound Days: Sell credit spreads exclusively on SPX. Capitalizes on theta decay. NDX excluded — vol exceeds risk tolerance.
  • High-Conviction Trend Days (7 breadth indicators align): Deploy NDX debit spreads (long call verticals bullish, long put verticals bearish).
02
⚡
3-Indicator 0DTE Momentum Strategy
Bollinger Squeeze + TICK + ATR Trailing Stop
0DTESPY / QQQ / NVDA / TSLAMomentumThinkorswim
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The Three Indicators
IndicatorSettingsPurposeRequired for Entry
Bollinger Squeeze (TTM)BB (20,2), KC (20, 1.5 ATR); red dots = squeezeVolatility contraction → impending expansion≥5 bars of squeeze (red dots); longer = stronger
TICK (Market Breadth)Raw $TICK (SPX) or $TICKQ (Nasdaq)Confirms buying/selling pressureLong: TICK holding >0 (80–90% bars positive). Short: <0. No choppy zero-crossing.
ATR Trailing Stop3-period, 1× ATRDynamic trend confirmation & exitPrice closing beyond stop in direction of trade
Setup & Instruments
Instruments
SPY, QQQ, SPX, NVDA, TSLA, META, GOOGL. Prioritize indices; single stocks on extreme beta days.
Risk Per Trade
0.5–1% of account max. E.g., $500–$1,000 on a $100k account. 0DTE gamma can wipe that fast.
Entry Rules — All Must Align
  • Start with TICK context. Don't hunt squeezes in chop.
  • Wait for squeeze release + TICK confirmation.
  • Aggressive entry: Buy calls/puts on first 5-min close beyond ATR stop in direction of trend.
  • Conservative (preferred): Wait for breakout of consolidation range (e.g., high/low of current move or opening range).
  • Position sizing: Half on initial flip; add remaining half on confirmed breakout.
  • Option selection: OTM strikes with decent volume/OI; target 20–50% OTM for leverage.
Management & Exit Rules
  • Trail the ATR stop religiously — no discretion.
  • Exit immediately on first 5-min close against the stop.
  • No hard profit targets — let winners run on trend days.
  • Hold if momentum pauses but stop not hit, only if TICK remains extreme.
  • Close everything by 3:30 PM ET — never hold through expiration unless massively green.
Risk Management — Non-Negotiable
  • Trade only when TICK shows clear trend. Avoid first 30–60 min if choppy.
  • Max 2–3 trades per day. Overtrading kills.
  • No revenge trading.
  • Skip if squeeze <5 bars or TICK <80% directional bars.
  • Hard daily loss limit (e.g., 3% account → stop for the day).
Example Trades
QQQ Short
Squeeze + sustained negative TICK → aggressive short below ATR stop → trailed to capture full downtrend → exited on first close above stop.
NVDA Long
Morning squeeze → TICK flips strongly positive → bought calls on breakout → trailed to near high-of-day.
03
🏛
Supply & Demand Zone Strategy
Institutional order flow — price memory, zone flips, and break & retest
All TimeframesAny Liquid TickerHigh ProbabilitySwing + Day
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Core Idea

Price respects zones where big money bought (Demand/Support) or sold (Supply/Resistance). When price returns, expect a reaction. Clean breaks flip.

Key Definitions
TermWhat It IsTrade BiasEntry
Demand / SupportBig green candles, long lower wicks, volume spikeBullishBuy calls / long stock
Supply / ResistanceBig red candles, long upper wicks, volume spikeBearishBuy puts / short stock
FlipBroken Demand becomes Supply (and vice versa)Reverses biasEnter opposite direction on retest
How to Find the Zones
  • Pick any liquid stock or index (SPY, QQQ, NVDA, AMZN, etc.).
  • Day trading: 5-min or 15-min chart. Swings: 1-hour or daily.
  • Scan for: multiple long wicks rejecting the same area, consecutive large-bodied candles, obvious volume spike on the test.
  • Draw a zone not a line — usually 0.5–2% wide.
  • Pro tip: Use TradingView's free "Support Resistance Channels" by LonesomeTheBlue as a starting point, then refine manually.
Exact Trading Rules
Long Setup (Call / Buy)
1. Price approaches Demand zone
2. Look for rejection (pin bar, engulfing)
3. Enter on confirmation candle close inside zone
4. Stop: 0.5–1% below zone
5. Target: Next Supply zone above
Short Setup (Put / Short)
1. Price approaches Supply zone
2. Look for rejection
3. Enter on confirmation
4. Stop: 0.5–1% above zone
5. Target: Next Demand zone below

Break & Flip Rule: Price closes through zone, retests — old Demand → new Supply / old Supply → new Demand. Ignore fakeouts.

Timeframe Power Law

Larger TF zones = stronger reactions on lower timeframes.

Rule of thumb: Check higher-TF zone first. Daily Demand + 5-min test = monster move.

Daily Routine
  • Pre-market: Mark fresh Supply/Demand zones on 5-min, 1-hour, and daily charts.
  • Watch only highest-probability zone tests.
  • Enter when price reaches the zone and shows rejection.
  • Manage or trail once in profit. Never move stop-loss further away.
Risk Management — Non-Negotiable
  • Max 1% account risk per trade (including options leverage).
  • Maximum 3–4 trades open at once.
  • No revenge trading after a loser.
  • If you miss the zone, do not chase.

Bottom line: Backtest 100 historical setups. Paper trade 30 days. Only then risk real capital. Edge = execution discipline.

7 Market Breadth Day Types

Master these 7 day types to know which strategy to deploy.

Day TypeVOLD RatioA/D LineTICK BehaviorIdentification & Action
1. Breadth Extreme
RARE ~10%		Opens extreme (+5 or -5), pins all session.Pins +2000 or -2000 at open; holds to close.Sustains directional bias (>+800 or <-800) consistently. Minimal flips.Pre-open: large gap + catalyst. Confirm by 10 AM. Fakes cost 2–3×.
2. Breadth ReversionOpens skewed (-3 to -5), reverts to 0–2 in 30–60 min.Opens extreme, reverts to zero fast. Sucks back despite gap.Extremes fade; volatile flips. Early positive cross = upside revert.Confirm 10:30 AM: Fade gap if holds zero. Fails 25%.
3. Breadth CrescendoStarts neutral/slight (0–2) but ramps to extreme (+5) by midday.Begins near zero; ascends to +2000 and holds post-11 AM.Sustains >0 as momentum accrues — flips early, pins late.Confirm 11 AM: Scale in on the build. Sneaky — miss early and abort.
4. Biased Range
MOST COMMON		Opens skewed (-3), stays moderate (-2 to 0). No ramp.Negative (-800 to -500). Oscillates without zero-cross.Volatile spikes. Flips frequently.Choppy, low edge. Income only.
5. Breadth DivergenceGap mismatches: down gap, VOLD neutral (0–1).Opens extreme but reverts to zero fast. Disconnect from price.Initial gap-driven extremes fade; unusual flips. ETF tone critical.High-reward contrarian. Divergence persisting = trap.
6. Breadth Neutral
40–50% of days		Flat (-2 to +2). Bias reverts immediately.Pins to zero band (±500). No extremes.Oscillates above/below zero. No sustain.Your default — deploy neutral strategies. Master this.
7. Trifecta
RARE ~5–10%		All-in extreme from open. Pins +5. No fade.Pins +2000 at open. Catalyst amplifies.Sustains >+800 all day. Zero flips. ETFs: offensive dominates.The grail. Verify triple alignment + sectors. Widowmaker if wrong.
The 3 Key Internals
VOLD Ratio
>3:1 = trend day. <2:1 = chop/range. First each morning.
Advance/Decline Line
+2,000 (bullish) or -2,000 (bearish) = conviction.
TICK
TICK above/below zero all day = directional confirmation. Set alerts for zero-line crosses.
Composite Risk Dashboard

19 indicators → single Composite Risk Score (0–100). Follow the signal first.

GREEN — Score <25
Add risk. Sell premium aggressively. Full position size.
YELLOW — Score 25–49
Caution. Size down to half. Tighten stops.
RED — Score ≥50
Trim positions. Move to cash or hedges. Defensive only.
IndicatorWhat It MeasuresKey ThresholdsAction
SPY Stretch CheckOverextension from 20-day mean in ATRs>2 ATRs: Strong / 1.5–2: Mild / <1.5: Balanced>2: Trim longs aggressively. <1.5: Add risk.
Key Options Levels & Vol TriggerDealer gamma walls + vol regimeSpot > VT: Low vol (stable) / Spot < VT: High vol (trending)Above VT: Sell premium. Below VT: Buy gamma/hedge.
VIX Fear GaugeMarket fear / implied vol>20: High fear / 15–20: Elevated / <15: Complacency>20: Buy protection. <15: Sell premium aggressively.
Put/Call Ratio (Equity)Sentiment — put vs call volume<0.80: Bull complacency / >1.0: Fear / 0.80–1.0: Neutral<0.80: Fade rallies. >1.0: Buy dips.
CBOE SkewTail risk pricing (downside fear)>135: Elevated tail fear / ≤135: Normal>135: Buy protection aggressively.
VVIX/VIX RatioVol-of-vol (market fragility)>6: Extreme uncertainty / 5–6: Elevated / <5: Stable>6: Hedge everything. >5: Caution on shorts.
Advance/Decline DivergenceMarket breadth healthDivergence (SPX high, NYA not): Weakness / No divergence: HealthyDivergence: Trim longs.
Risk On/Off RotationSector leadership (XLK vs XLP)Diff < -2%: Strong risk off / <0: Mild risk off / >0: Risk on< -2%: Defensive tilt.
Trend Strength (ADX 1–10)Trend persistence≥7: Strong / 4–6: Moderate / <3: Chop≥7: Ride momentum. <3: Avoid new positions.
CME Fed WatchRate change probabilitiesCut >50%: Dovish (bullish) / Hike >20%: Hawkish (bearish)High cut: Bull bias. High hike: Risk off.
Liquidity (TED Spread)Banking system stress>0.5: Stress / 0.3–0.5: Elevated / <0.3: Ample>0.5: Risk off, raise cash.
SPY Volume GaugeConviction vs average>150%: Conviction/panic / <70%: Apathy>150% on down day: Hedge.
Citigroup ESIEconomic surprises vs consensus>10: Strong beats (bullish) / <-10: Misses (bearish)Positive: Risk on. Negative: Risk off.
Market Sentiment TrackerNews tone>0.7: Extreme bull / <-0.7: Extreme bearFade extremes: complacency → lighten; fear → add risk.
Market Short InterestAggregate short exposure>5%: High (squeeze risk) / <2%: Low (bull confidence)>5%: Watch squeezes on rallies.
Multi-Signal Conviction Table
# Risk-Off Signals AlignedProbability of PullbackActionable Edge
3–4 signals~65% (moderate)Size down 50%, tighten stops
5+ signals~80%+ (high conviction)Aggressive trim/hedge, short bias
7+ signals~90% (extreme)Full defense: Cash + puts
Black Swan Watch

Rare but lethal: VIX >30 + Skew >150 + TED >1.0 + negative ESI = crash analog. Pre-position OTM puts when 3 of 4 trigger.

TED Spread Explained

The TED Spread = 3-month SOFR (bank rate) minus 3-month T-bill (risk-free rate).

High TED (>0.5)
Banks hoarding cash, unwilling to lend. Signals liquidity stress or credit crunch. 2008 levels hit 4+. Risk off — markets hate illiquidity.
Low TED (<0.3)
Ample liquidity, banks lending freely. Normal or bullish environment. Watch TED + VIX together — both high = panic.
Refresh Cadence
  • Pre-market: Full dashboard scan.
  • Intraday: After macro data (CPI, Fed announcements).
  • EOD: Confirm closes. Stale dashboard = lost edge.
Course Overview

This course is designed for absolute beginners. Modules build from fundamentals through advanced strategies. Each covers: Core Concepts, Math & Examples, Risks, and When to Use.

Honest warning: 70–90% of retail traders lose money over time due to poor risk management, emotional decisions, and overleveraging. Paper trade 100+ setups before risking real capital.

00
Options Fundamentals — Prerequisites
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Core Concepts
Call Option
Right (not obligation) to buy 100 shares at a strike price by expiration.
Put Option
Right (not obligation) to sell 100 shares at a strike price by expiration.
Premium
Price paid/received for the option. Influenced by intrinsic value + extrinsic value (time + volatility).
Moneyness
ITM: Has intrinsic value. ATM: Stock ≈ strike. OTM: No intrinsic value.
The Greeks
Delta
Price sensitivity to a $1 stock move. Ranges 0–1 for calls, -1–0 for puts.
Theta
Time decay. How much the option loses in value per day. Works for sellers, against buyers.
Vega
Sensitivity to implied volatility changes. Higher IV = more expensive options.
Gamma
Rate of change of delta. Highest ATM and near expiration. 0DTE gamma is extreme.
Payoff Formula
Long Call Payoff = Max(0, Stock Price - Strike) - Premium
Long Put Payoff = Max(0, Strike - Stock Price) - Premium

Multiply per-share values × 100 for 1 contract.
01
Covered Calls — Conservative Income
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How It Works

Own 100 shares. Sell 1 call option (usually OTM) against them. Collect premium upfront while capping your upside.

  • Breakeven = Stock purchase price - Premium received
  • If stock rises above strike, shares may be called away at the strike price.
Math Example
Own 100 shares of XYZ @ $50 ($5,000 cost)
Sell 1-month $55 call for $2 premium ($200 credit)

Max Profit: $200 + ($55–$50)×100 = $700 (if called away)
Max Loss: Stock → $0 (full downside exposure, mitigated by ownership intent)
Position Delta: ≈ 0.7 (less bullish than pure stock ownership)
Risks & When to Use
  • Opportunity cost: Caps gains brutally if stock moons (sell at $55, it hits $100).
  • Full downside: No protection below purchase price — you still lose like a shareholder.
  • Best for: Neutral to mildly bullish outlook. Sideways or high-vol markets. MSFT/SPY type blue chips.
02
Credit & Debit Spreads
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4 Spread Types
Bull Call Spread (Debit)
Buy lower-strike call, sell higher-strike call. Bullish. Max loss = net debit.
Bear Put Spread (Debit)
Buy higher-strike put, sell lower-strike put. Bearish. Max loss = net debit.
Bull Put Spread (Credit)
Sell higher-strike put, buy lower-strike put. Mildly bullish. Max loss = spread width – credit.
Bear Call Spread (Credit)
Sell lower-strike call, buy higher-strike call. Mildly bearish. Used in our 0DTE strategy.
Math Examples
Bull Call Debit: Buy $50 call @ $3, sell $55 call @ $1 → Net debit $2 ($200)
Max Profit: $5 – $2 = $3 ($300) | Max Loss: $200 | Breakeven: $52 | ROI: 150%

Bear Call Credit: Sell $55 call @ $2, buy $60 call @ $0.50 → Net credit $1.50 ($150)
Max Profit: $150 | Max Loss: $350 | Breakeven: $56.50
Honest Assessment

Credits tempt with "high probability" (70–80% win rate) — but losers are 3–5× winners. Most beginners overtrade. Still directional bets.

03
ZEBRAs — Zero-Extrinsic Back Ratio Spreads
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Core Concept

Mimics long stock with less capital. Buy 2 deep ITM calls, sell 1 ATM/OTM call. "Zero Extrinsic" = minimal time value.

Net Delta ≈ 1.0 (like owning 100 shares) but at 50–70% of the stock price cost. Upside is unlimited after the upper strike; downside is limited to the debit paid.

Math Example
XYZ @ $100
Buy 2× $90 calls (delta 0.8 each) @ $12 = $2,400 debit
Sell 1× $100 call (delta 0.5) @ $4 = $400 credit

Net Debit: $2,000 (vs $10,000 for 100 shares)
Net Delta: 1.6 – 0.5 = 1.1 (slightly leveraged long)

Above $100 → profits like stock. Below $90 → lose full debit.
Risks & Requirements
  • Full debit loss if stock drops — worse than stock's partial recovery potential.
  • Requires options approval level 3+. Not for small accounts.
  • Best for: Bullish with capital constraints. Instead of margin for synthetic longs. Moderate vol, avoid earnings.

Honest check: ZEBRAs are intellectual darlings for capital efficiency, but they're volatile — great for sophisticated traders, disastrous for beginners chasing leverage.

04
Final Notes & Progression Path
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Learning Progression
  • Step 1: Master Covered Calls (lowest complexity, requires share ownership).
  • Step 2: Learn Credit & Debit Spreads (defined risk, most versatile).
  • Step 3: Graduate to ZEBRAs (capital efficient, advanced).
  • Step 4: Apply 0DTE strategies from the Trade Plans tab.
Brutal Advice

Paper trade 100+ setups before real money. Track expectancy. Negative = quit or adjust.

Recommended Resources
  • Tools: OptionStrat or Barchart for P&L visualizations. Thinkorswim or IBKR for paper trading.
  • Book: "Options as a Strategic Investment" by Lawrence McMillan — the definitive reference.
  • Intellectual edge: Study Black-Scholes pricing intuition. Understand implied vol as the market's fear gauge.
⚠ For informational purposes only. Not investment advice. Options involve significant risk. Always paper trade before risking real capital. See Disclaimer →