Options Trading Strategies or Hybrid Systems / Strategies Where the Product is a System But Can Be Used as a Strategy
There are differences in types and concepts of "options strategies". Most people think of "options strategies" as options combination strategies such as covered calls, iron condors, credit spreads, butterflies etc. And indeed they are options strategies.
But then there are options trading strategies which are rules based, mostly price chart based, methods for entering and exiting a trade with an "options strategy" such as buy calls, buy puts, covered calls, credit spreads etc.. We define options trading strategies as price-based trading strategies where we enter and exit options positions based on events on a price chart.
Most of the time we simply buy calls or buy puts as opposed to an options combination strategy since the most money can be made by buying calls and buying puts in coordination with the price charts.
A lot of people like to pitch options combination strategies as if they were some sort of magic formula to success in options trading. Well, they are not. They can be with a good options TRADING strategy or options trading system, but not on their own. Options combination strategies do not make you money on their own, trading price action off price charts can make you money consistently over time.
That said, we can use option combination strategies with our price chart based options trading strategies as a method for profiting more consistently over time such as using a covered calls with a price based strategy or by using a covered calls trading system. Also we have strategies and systems for: credit spreads, debit spreads and strangles.
Now what exactly is a strategy? Strategy is a set of rules for an optimized event on a price chart. So therefore when you see the particular strategy setup based on the strategy rules on the price chart then you have a higher probability opportunity to trade. If you like the trade you can take it. You can combine a strategy with other factors to enhance the probability and potential size of success.
What's a strategy versus a trading system? A trading system uses a strategy, or a couple, or a few strategies in combination over and over without thinking or guessing which trades to do. With a system, there is no extra thinking in real time, you just execute the rules. There is no picking and choosing or trying to figure out which way the asset is going to go. With systems trading, you can reduce your effort and thinking considerably. Systems trading gets you to move your thought effort to the cerebral mind and subconscious mind making trading much less time involved and more efficient as opposed to the low grade, as some call it, conscious mind or the heart's mind. And the conscious mind, "the mind of the flesh" or the "3D" mind as some may call it is very weak and can not process much info at all. The heart's mind tends to be a whirlwind of confusion usually leading you into a trap set by the marketplace.
Strategy trading usually takes a lot of focus and energy, patience and monitoring. And still you have to be systematic in your strategy trading so you take trades over and over and don't just stop. Because if you stop, then so does your income. With strategy trading, make sure you set goals and have a big picture masterplan in order to be long term successful.
Options Trading Strategies - Price Based Trading Strategies
Some of these options trading strategies are placed on are other sites related to the Options Trading AUTHORITY brand as you'll see below just so you understand. Click on a logo to access more information.
Hybrid Options Trading Strategies & Systems
These trading solutions below can be traded as a system, taking all the trades in a row, not skipping any, or you can use the trading rules to pick and chose which trades you think are the best, preferably in combination with some other optimization factors that you like.