You can look at a short strangle, which, if you're nimble in a volatile market, you can both leg into and out of, with high volatility giving you higher credits to collect. My experience is that covering at 50% profits is the right combination of being able to recycle capital without being too greedy. People tend to get hurt in options most: a) when they only buy them; b) when they hold out for too much.

    A short strangle can work as well - putting it on a once & covering each side when the market moves in both directions - but that is a harder play in my experience.

    thanks, a_i! I think you

    Posted by frtaylor on 30th of Jan 2015 at 04:04 pm

    thanks, a_i! I think you meant straddle for one of those two trades, yes?

    Yes...the 2nd. The probability of

    Posted by a_l_ on 31st of Jan 2015 at 08:39 pm

    Yes...the 2nd. The probability of profit is lower when you buy either a straddle or a strangle (than in selling either of the same strikes), but much, much lower when you buy a far out-of-the-money strangle. The probabilities are knowable at any given time and are highly valuable in trade selection.

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