Either I'm retarded or this is a pretty solid strategy

Short stock + short put = synthetic short call.

Okay, so I know where I screwed my trade. it was the two additional calls and the ignoring of time value.

So revised Position is:


shares - 100 = +19800
Call 200 +1 = -150
put 197.50 - 1 =+470 (470= 50 intrinsic, 420 Time value, so linear decay would be about 0.23 per day)
=20120

If by sept 4, spy is at 193

shares -100 =19300 (+500)
call 200, +1 = -150
put 197.50 = (-450 intrinsic -420 time value) +115 (use 0.23 per day)
= -405
@at this point you can still sell the 197.50 or 197 put for the following week for at least 450 + time value. (thinking it would be enough to offset the loss here and purchase 197-200 call for cheap. )

If by sept 4, spy is at 203
shares -100, 20300 (-500)
call 200 = +150
put 197.50 = (450 intrinsic + 420 time value + 115 time decay)
=+635

Loss area is 192-200.50

Anyway, i think this is right.
 
Okay, so I know where I screwed my trade. it was the two additional calls and the ignoring of time value.

So revised Position is:


shares - 100 = +19800
Call 200 +1 = -150
put 197.50 - 1 =+470 (470= 50 intrinsic, 420 Time value, so linear decay would be about 0.23 per day)
=20120

If by sept 4, spy is at 193

shares -100 =19300 (+500)
call 200, +1 = -150
put 197.50 = (-450 intrinsic -420 time value) +115 (use 0.23 per day)
= -405
@at this point you can still sell the 197.50 or 197 put for the following week for at least 450 + time value. (thinking it would be enough to offset the loss here and purchase 197-200 call for cheap. )

If by sept 4, spy is at 203
shares -100, 20300 (-500)
call 200 = +150
put 197.50 = (450 intrinsic + 420 time value + 115 time decay)
=+635

Loss area is 192-200.50

Anyway, i think this is right.

-100 shares and the long 200C = a synthetic 200-strike long put in Sep4, 2015
-1 197.50P in Sep18, 2015

Value on the synthetic call: $350
Put val: $470

Net credit (absent carry, comms): ($120)

You would be long (1) 197/200 bear vertical if these were the same duration. You are in a diagonal from -1.20.

The issue is that you're short 95-delta with the Sep4, yet long 65-delta with the Sep18. This is not a vola position (not now, anyway), so basically you're short 30-delta out to Sep4. You have no intention of holding this beyond Sep4 last trading day and the thing has a theta of like 5.

Why not simply short 30 shares of SPY? I can't fathom how you think this makes any sense whatsoever. The same-expiry trade would be a short collar = bear vertical. You add in Sep18 expiration, but have no intent of holding past this weekend.

I was going to put up the stress-test, but it's pointless as vola has rallied 500bp and the SPY has dropped $5.
 
my intent, was to use a short put below my short stock in order to purchase a call to cover the upside risk.

You're looking at all of these pieces as though they don't reduce; they do. Don't involve the shares. An example: long shares, long 90P, short 100C = the 90/100 bull vertical. With shares it's a collar, but it's unnecessary to involve stock that you don't already own or are in possession of a pre-existing short position. The collar reduces to a two-leg vertical spread. Some brokers will reduce your haircut due to the reduction in risk (no haircut on shares), but some will simply apply Reg-T to each individual position.

Long shares + long put = long call
Short shares + long call = long put
Long shares + short call = short put... find out about synthetic relationships; P/C parity.

Puts are calls, calls are puts.

"The difference between a call and a put? Shares"
 
thanks for all the response.

Anyway, this trade was poorly executed. To recover, this is what I will do.

Current position after commissions
-100 shares @197.85 = +197.85 - daily interest rate % 2, 1.08 + 15% = 1.25 per day
-1 put @197 for credit of 6.67, $667
+1 sept 4 200.5 call (was 3 originally), @$1.50 a piece total =$450
+1 sept 11 198 call (order in today) @$1.30
Remaining credit 0.55

less commissions and interest
=0.24

sept 4
upside loss @200.50 =($450 +215) - put (time decay and delta)

sept 11
upside loss @198 = (450 + 130) - put (Time decay + delta)

Sept 18
going to try to use the remaining credit of 0.24 to subsidize a loss.


Anyone have any suggestions that can make this trade better for a less damaging recovery?
 
Close it out. We rally tomorrow (perhaps another 15-20 ES is possible from here), but not enough to salvage it. Repair strategies are simply loss-avoidance. Don't trade (a repair strat) that you wouldn't consider as a standalone strategy.

So many people write calls on their long-term holdings. They see the shares drop 30% and then get called away when it rebounds. Try to remove shares from the equation; it adds comms and increases your haircut. I've seen pros turn a 20% position loss into 200% using repair strategies that turn in -gamma scalps.
 
Close it out. We rally tomorrow (perhaps another 15-20 ES is possible from here), but not enough to salvage it. Repair strategies are simply loss-avoidance. Don't trade (a repair strat) that you wouldn't consider as a standalone strategy.

So many people write calls on their long-term holdings. They see the shares drop 30% and then get called away when it rebounds. Try to remove shares from the equation; it adds comms and increases your haircut. I've seen pros turn a 20% position loss into 200% using repair strategies that turn in -gamma scalps.
well if i close it out right now, im at a $70 loss but a possible gain of $24.
 
Why do you call yourself badlucktrades...that's like wishing death upon yourself...can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. :confused:
In trading, and in life for that matter, you kind of need all the good luck and positive vibes you can get and muster.
 
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