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Option Strategies

  • At the Money (ATM):
Strike priceCurrent Market price
  • In the Money (ITM):
    • Call Option:
    Strike price<Current Market price
    • Put Option:
    Strike price>Current Market price
  • Out the Money (OTM)
    • Call Option:
    Strike price>Current Market price
    • Put Option:
    Strike price<Current Market price

Long Call

Long Call

Short Call

Short Call

Long Put

Long Put

Short Put

Short Put

Cash Secured Put (CSP)

  • Always write a CSP when the stock is down. You get a better premium.
  • Always write a CSP of a stock you don't mind owning.
  • If it does get assigned, then you can write covered calls and do the reverse.
  • if the stock keeps going higher, you pocket the premium.

Income Strategies

Covered Call(CC)

Covered Call

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeCautiously Bullish
# of legs2 (Long the Underlying + Short OTM Call)

Covered Put

Covered Put

Vertical Spreads

Bull Call Spread

Bull Call Spread

Bear Call Spread

Bear Call Spread

Bear Put Spread

Bear Put Spread

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeModerately bearish
# of legs2 (Long ATM Put + Short OTM Put)
Maximum RiskPremium(long Put - short Put)
Maxinum RewardStrike Price(long Put - short Put) - Premium(long Put - short Put)

Bull Put Spread

Bull Put Spread

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeModerately bullish
# of legs2 (Short OTM Put (high strike) + Long OTM Put(low strike))
Maximum RiskStrike Price(short Put - long Put) - Premium(long Put - short Put)
Maxinum RewardPremium(long Put - short Put)

Protection Strategies

Married Put

Protective Collar

Horizontal Strategies

Long Call Calendar

Long Put Calendar

Long Call Diagonal

Short Call Diagonal

Long Put Diagonal

Short Put Diagonal

Straddle and Strangle

Long Straddle

Long Straddle

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeNeutral on direction, but bullish on volatility
# of legs2 (Long ATM Call + Long ATM Put)
Maximum RiskLimited to the extent of net premium paid
Maxinum RewardPotentially unlimited

Short Straddle

Short Straddle

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeNeutral on direction, but bearish on volatility
# of legs2 (Short ATM Call + Short ATM Put)
Maximum RiskPotentially unlimited
Maxinum RewardLimited to the extent of net premium received

Long Strangle

Long Strangle

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeNeutral on direction, but bullish on volatility
# of legs2 (Long OTM Call + Long OTM Put)
Maximum RiskLimited to the extent of net premium paid
Maxinum RewardPotentially unlimited

Short Strangle

Short Strangle

Strategy Details
Strategy TypeNeutral on direction, but bearish on volatility
# of legs2 (Short OTM Call + Short OTM Put)
Maximum RiskPotentially unlimited
Maxinum RewardLimited to the extent of net premium received

Butterfly Strategies

Long Call Butterfly

Long Call Butterfly

Short Call Butterfly

Short Call Butterfly

Long Put Butterfly

Long Put Butterfly

Short Put Butterfly

Short Put Butterfly

Long Iron Butterfly

Long Iron Butterfly

Short Iron Butterfly

Short Iron Butterfly

Condor Strategies

Long Call Condor

Long Call Condor

Short Call Condor

Short Call Condor

Long Put Condor

  • Options:

    • Buy a put option at a lower and out-of-the-money (OTM) strike price (Put 1).
    • Sell a put option at a lower middle and out-of-the-money (OTM) strike price (Put 2).
    • Sell a put option at a higher middle and in-of-the-money (ITM) strike price (Put 3).
    • Buy a put option at a higher and in-of-the-money (ITM) strike price (Put 4).
  • Strike Price:

Put 1<Put 2<Put 3<Put 4
  • Expiration date: Same

long-put-condor

Short Put Condor

  • Options:

    • Sell a put option at a lower and out-of-the-money (OTM) strike price (Put 1).
    • Buy a put option at a lower middle and out-of-the-money (OTM) strike price (Put 2).
    • Buy a put option at a higher middle and in-of-the-money (ITM) strike price (Put 3).
    • Sell a put option at a higher and in-of-the-money (ITM) strike price (Put 4).
  • Strike Price:

Put 1<Put 2<Put 3<Put 4
  • Expiration date: Same

Short Put Condor

Long Iron Condor

  • Options:

    • Sell a put option at a lower strike price (Put 1).
    • Buy a put option at a higher strike price (Put 2).
    • Buy a call option at a lower strike price (Call 1).
    • Sell a call option at a higher strike price (Call 2).
  • Strike Price:

Put 1<Put 2<Call 1<Call 2
  • Expiration date: Same

long-iron-condor

Short Iron Condor

  • Options:
    • Sell a put option at a lower strike price (Put 2).
    • Buy a put option at an even lower strike price (Put 1).
    • Sell a call option at a higher strike price (Call 1).
    • Buy a call option at an even higher strike price (Call 2).
  • Strike Price:
Put 1<Put 2<Call 1<Call 2
  • Expiration date: Same
  • Maximum Profit:
Net Premium Received=(Put 2 PremiumPut 1 Premium)+(Call 1 PremiumCall 2 Premium)
  • Maximun Loss:
MAX((Put 2 StrikePut 1 Strike),(Call 2 StrickCall 1 Strike))Net Premium Received
  • Market Outlook:
    Traders expect the underlying asset will remain within the price range between Put 2 Strike and Call 1 Strike until expiration.

Short Iron Condor

References