Module 1Lesson 1Preview
The Advanced Options Trading Framework
CU
CASE University
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The Advanced Options Trading Framework
Module 2
Finding the Trend & Direction
1. Identifying Bullish, Bearish and Sideways Markets
15 min
2. Higher Highs and Higher Lows
15 min
3. Lower Highs and Lower Lows
15 min
4. Reading Market Structure
15 min
5. Drawing and Validating Trendlines
15 min
6. Using EMAs to Identify Trend
15 min
7. Using VWAP for Intraday Direction
15 min
8. Recognizing Trend Continuation vs. Trend Exhaustion
15 min
9. Multi-Timeframe Trend Alignment
15 min
10. Deciding Between CALLs, PUTs and No Trade
15 min
Module 3
Support, Resistance & The Price Map
1. What Makes Support and Resistance Important?
15 min
2. Identifying Major Support
15 min
3. Identifying Major Resistance
15 min
4. Previous Swing Highs and Swing Lows
15 min
5. Drawing Horizontal Key Levels
15 min
6. Trendline Support and Resistance
15 min
7. Support Becoming Resistance
15 min
8. Resistance Becoming Support
15 min
9. Previous Day and Previous Week Levels
15 min
10. Gaps and Earnings Levels as Support/Resistance
15 min
11. Major Levels vs. Minor Levels
15 min
12. Building the Complete Price Map
15 min
Module 4
Price-Action Entry Signals
1. Why Confirmation Matters
15 min
2. Bullish Engulfing Candles
15 min
3. Bearish Engulfing Candles
15 min
4. Double Bottom CALL Setups
15 min
5. Double Top PUT Setups
15 min
6. Bull Flags
15 min
7. Bear Flags
15 min
8. Breakout and Retest Entries
15 min
9. Breakdown and Retest Entries
15 min
10. Support Rejection Entries
15 min
11. Resistance Rejection Entries
15 min
12. Failed Breakouts and Failed Breakdowns
15 min
Module 5
Confluence & High-Probability Setups
1. What Is Trading Confluence?
15 min
2. Why One Signal Is Not Enough
15 min
3. Direction + Location + Confirmation
15 min
4. Price Action + Support/Resistance
15 min
5. EMA and VWAP Confluence
15 min
6. Volume Confirmation
15 min
7. Multi-Timeframe Confluence
15 min
8. Market + Sector + Stock Alignment
15 min
9. Building a Bullish Confluence Setup
15 min
10. Building a Bearish Confluence Setup
15 min
11. Conflicting Signals
15 min
12. When Confluence Says No Trade
15 min
13. Creating a Confluence Score
15 min
14. Building an A+ Setup
15 min
Module 6
RSI, MACD & Momentum
1. Understanding RSI in Advanced Trading
15 min
2. Finding Stocks With Low RSI
15 min
3. Oversold Does Not Automatically Mean Buy
15 min
4. High RSI and Potential PUT Opportunities
15 min
5. Overbought Does Not Automatically Mean Sell
15 min
6. RSI Reversal at Support
15 min
7. RSI Rejection at Resistance
15 min
8. Understanding MACD Momentum
15 min
9. MACD Line and Signal-Line Crosses
15 min
10. Recognizing a Developing MACD Cross
15 min
11. Reading the MACD Histogram
15 min
12. Combining RSI + MACD
15 min
13. Combining RSI + MACD + Price Action
15 min
14. Momentum Divergence
15 min
15. Avoiding RSI and MACD Traps
15 min
Module 7
Volume & Participation
Module 8
Timeframes & Top-Down Analysis
1. Choosing the Correct Trading Timeframe
15 min
2. Scalping With the 5-Minute Chart
15 min
3. Using 15-Minute Confirmation
15 min
4. Using 30-Minute and 1-Hour Context
15 min
5. Swing Trading With the 1-Hour Chart
15 min
6. Swing Trading With the 4-Hour Chart
15 min
7. Daily Charts for Long Swings
15 min
8. Daily and Weekly Charts for LEAPS
15 min
9. Higher-Timeframe Direction + Lower-Timeframe Entry
15 min
10. Resolving Conflicting Timeframes
15 min
11. Complete Top-Down Analysis
15 min
Module 9
Market, Sector & Relative Strength
1. Why the Overall Market Matters
15 min
2. Reading SPY and QQQ Context
15 min
3. Understanding Sector Direction
15 min
4. Market → Sector → Stock
15 min
5. Relative Strength
15 min
6. Relative Weakness
15 min
7. Trading Strong Stocks in Strong Markets
15 min
8. Trading Weak Stocks in Weak Markets
15 min
9. When the Stock Disagrees With the Market
15 min
10. Incorporating Market Context Into the Trade Plan
15 min
Module 10
Choosing the Option Contract
1. Stock Setup First, Option Contract Second
15 min
2. ITM vs. ATM vs. OTM
15 min
3. Using Delta for Contract Selection
15 min
4. Theta and Time Decay
15 min
5. Gamma and Short-Term Trades
15 min
6. Understanding Implied Volatility
15 min
7. IV Expansion and Contraction
15 min
8. Open Interest
15 min
9. Options Volume
15 min
10. Bid/Ask Spreads and Liquidity
15 min
11. Choosing Expiration for Scalps
15 min
12. Choosing Expiration for Swings
15 min
13. Choosing Contracts for Long Swings
15 min
14. Choosing LEAPS Contracts
15 min
15. Avoiding Cheap but Poor Options
15 min
16. Building the Complete Contract-Selection Checklist
15 min
Module 11
Entries, Risk & Position Sizing
1. Defining the Exact Entry
15 min
2. Confirmation Entry vs. Anticipatory Entry
15 min
3. Calculating Maximum Trade Risk
15 min
4. Position Sizing
15 min
5. Defining the Invalidation Level
15 min
6. Technical Stops vs. Arbitrary Stops
15 min
7. Option Premium Stops vs. Underlying Price Stops
15 min
8. Risk/Reward Before Entry
15 min
9. When the Risk/Reward Says No Trade
15 min
10. Creating the Complete Entry Plan
15 min
Module 12
Averaging Down & Planned Scaling
1. What Does Averaging Down Mean?
15 min
2. Why Averaging Down Options Is Dangerous
15 min
3. Planned Scaling vs. Emotional Averaging Down
15 min
4. Establishing Add Levels Before Entry
15 min
5. Scaling Into CALL Positions at Support
15 min
6. Scaling Into PUT Positions at Resistance
15 min
7. Maximum Position Size Before the Trade
15 min
8. Maximum Capital at Risk
15 min
9. How Theta Changes the Averaging-Down Decision
15 min
10. How IV Changes the Averaging-Down Decision
15 min
11. Never Average Below Your Invalidation Level
15 min
12. When the Original Thesis Is Broken
15 min
13. Good Averaging Down vs. Rescuing a Bad Trade
15 min
14. Complete Planned Scaling Case Study
15 min
Module 13
PT1, PT2 & PT3 Profit Targets
1. Why Profit Targets Come Before Entry
15 min
2. Finding PT1
15 min
3. Finding PT2
15 min
4. Finding PT3
15 min
5. Previous Resistance as CALL Targets
15 min
6. Previous Support as PUT Targets
15 min
7. Swing Highs and Swing Lows as Targets
15 min
8. Trendline Targets
15 min
9. Gap-Fill Targets
15 min
10. Using Risk/Reward With Profit Targets
15 min
11. Scaling Out at PT1
15 min
12. Managing PT2
15 min
13. Leaving a Runner for PT3
15 min
14. When Price Breaks Through PT3
15 min
15. Building the Complete Profit Map
15 min
Module 14
Managing the Live Trade
1. The Trade Begins After Entry
15 min
2. Managing the Initial Position
15 min
3. Taking Partial Profits
15 min
4. Moving Stops After PT1
15 min
5. Protecting Gains Without Choking the Trade
15 min
6. Holding Through Normal Pullbacks
15 min
7. Recognizing Momentum Failure
15 min
8. Exiting When the Thesis Breaks
15 min
9. When to Exit Before Your Stop
15 min
10. Managing Fast Moves
15 min
11. Managing Gaps
15 min
12. Avoiding Greed at PT2 and PT3
15 min
13. Re-Entry After a Valid Setup Returns
15 min
14. When Not to Re-Enter
15 min
Module 15
Earnings Season & Options
1. Understanding Earnings Season
15 min
2. Building an Earnings Calendar
15 min
3. Finding Strong Companies Before Earnings
15 min
4. The Pre-Earnings Run
15 min
5. Positioning Weeks or Months Before Earnings
15 min
6. Riding the Earnings Wave
15 min
7. Technical Confirmation During the Run-Up
15 min
8. Selecting Contracts for Pre-Earnings Trades
15 min
9. IV Expansion Before Earnings
15 min
10. Taking Profits Before the Announcement
15 min
11. Should You Hold Through Earnings?
15 min
12. Understanding Earnings Event Risk
15 min
13. Expected Move
15 min
14. Earnings Gaps
15 min
15. IV Crush
15 min
16. Why Correct Direction Can Still Lose Money
15 min
17. Contract Selection When Holding Through Earnings
15 min
18. Position Sizing for Earnings
15 min
19. Holding CALLs Through Earnings
15 min
20. Holding PUTs Through Earnings
15 min
21. When NOT to Hold Through Earnings
15 min
22. Reading the Earnings Results
15 min
23. Revenue, EPS and Expectations
15 min
24. Guidance Matters
15 min
25. Why Stocks Fall After Good Earnings
15 min
26. Why Stocks Rise After Bad Earnings
15 min
27. Reading the Market's Reaction
15 min
28. Post-Earnings Support and Resistance
15 min
29. Earnings Gaps as Future Key Levels
15 min
30. Buying a Great Company After an Earnings Selloff
15 min
31. Discount vs. Value Trap
15 min
32. Waiting for Post-Earnings Confirmation
15 min
33. CALL Setup After an Earnings Selloff
15 min
34. PUT Setup After an Earnings Breakdown
15 min
35. Post-Earnings Gap-Fill Trades
15 min
36. Complete Pre-Earnings Case Study
15 min
37. Complete Hold-Through-Earnings Case Study
15 min
38. Complete Post-Earnings Case Study
15 min
Module 16
Advanced CALL Playbook
1. Trend-Pullback CALL
15 min
2. Support-Bounce CALL
15 min
3. Bullish Engulfing CALL
15 min
4. Double-Bottom CALL
15 min
5. Bull-Flag CALL
15 min
6. Breakout-and-Retest CALL
15 min
7. RSI + MACD Reversal CALL
15 min
8. VWAP Reclaim CALL
15 min
9. High-Confluence CALL
15 min
10. CALL Setup Failure and Invalidation
15 min
Module 17
Advanced PUT Playbook
Module 18
Advanced Scalp Execution
1. Building a Scalp Watchlist
15 min
2. Pre-Market Levels
15 min
3. Opening Volatility
15 min
4. Waiting for the First Quality Setup
15 min
5. 5-Minute Entries
15 min
6. VWAP Scalp Setups
15 min
7. Momentum Scalps
15 min
8. Reversal Scalps
15 min
9. Scalp Contract Selection
15 min
10. Scalp Profit Targets
15 min
11. Managing Fast Options
15 min
12. Complete CALL Scalp
15 min
13. Complete PUT Scalp
15 min
Module 19
Advanced Swing Trading
1. Building a Swing Watchlist
15 min
2. 1-Hour and 4-Hour Structure
15 min
3. Finding Swing Support and Resistance
15 min
4. Swing Confluence
15 min
5. Choosing Swing Expiration
15 min
6. Managing Overnight Risk
15 min
7. Scaling Into Swing Positions
15 min
8. PT1/PT2/PT3 for Swings
15 min
9. Managing Multi-Day Winners
15 min
10. Complete CALL Swing
15 min
11. Complete PUT Swing
15 min
Module 20
Advanced LEAPS
1. When LEAPS Make Sense
15 min
2. Weekly and Daily Trend Analysis
15 min
3. Finding Major Long-Term Support
15 min
4. Long-Term Confluence
15 min
5. Selecting LEAPS Expiration
15 min
6. Selecting LEAPS Strike and Delta
15 min
7. Scaling Into LEAPS
15 min
8. Earnings During a LEAPS Position
15 min
9. Managing LEAPS Drawdowns
15 min
10. LEAPS Profit Targets
15 min
11. When the Long-Term Thesis Changes
15 min
12. Complete LEAPS Case Study
15 min
Module 21
Trade Psychology & Discipline
1. FOMO
15 min
2. Revenge Trading
15 min
3. Overtrading
15 min
4. Chasing Entries
15 min
5. Refusing to Take a Loss
15 min
6. Emotional Averaging Down
15 min
7. Moving Stops the Wrong Direction
15 min
8. Greed After a Winning Trade
15 min
9. Following the Plan Under Pressure
15 min
10. Learning to Take No Trade
15 min
11. Thinking in Probabilities
15 min
Module 22
Journaling & Improving Your Edge
1. Why Advanced Traders Journal
15 min
2. Recording the Original Thesis
15 min
3. Screenshotting Entry and Exit
15 min
4. Recording Confluence
15 min
5. Tracking Setup Type
15 min
6. Tracking CALL vs. PUT Performance
15 min
7. Tracking Timeframe Performance
15 min
8. Tracking PT1/PT2/PT3 Results
15 min
9. Measuring Win Rate
15 min
10. Measuring Average Winner and Loser
15 min
11. Finding Your Best Setups
15 min
12. Eliminating Your Worst Setups
15 min
13. Building Your Personal Playbook
15 min
Module 23
Capstone: Trade From Beginning to End
1. Building the Watchlist
15 min
2. Market Analysis
15 min
3. Sector Analysis
15 min
4. Finding Direction
15 min
5. Mapping Support and Resistance
15 min
6. Finding Confluence
15 min
7. Waiting for Confirmation
15 min
8. Selecting the Option
15 min
9. Establishing Entry and Invalidation
15 min
10. Establishing the Scaling Plan
15 min
11. Establishing PT1/PT2/PT3
15 min
12. Executing the Trade
15 min
13. Managing the Position
15 min
14. Exiting the Trade
15 min
15. Post-Trade Review
15 min
16. Advanced CALL Capstone
15 min
17. Advanced PUT Capstone
15 min
18. Advanced Options Trading Final Assessment
15 min
Move beyond options mechanics and learn the structured process used to identify, plan, execute, manage, and review advanced options trades.
Advanced options trading is not about finding the cheapest contract or predicting every market move. It is about building a repeatable decision process that begins with the underlying stock and ends with disciplined trade management.
The core process used throughout this course is: Market and Sector Context → Direction → Location → Confluence → Confirmation → Contract Selection → Risk → Entry → PT1/PT2/PT3 → Management → Exit → Review. Each stage answers a different question. Skipping one can expose the trader to risks that were never considered before entry.
A complete trade begins before the order
A stock is in an established uptrend and pulls back into major daily support. RSI has cooled, MACD momentum is beginning to improve, and a bullish engulfing candle forms with increasing volume. The trader still does not immediately buy a call. The next steps are to define invalidation, identify PT1/PT2/PT3, evaluate the option chain, select an appropriate strike and expiration, size the position, and determine whether the total reward justifies the risk.
A profitable trade can still be a poor trade if it violated the plan, used excessive risk, or depended on luck. A losing trade can still represent good execution if the thesis was valid, the risk was appropriate, and the trader exited when the setup was invalidated. Advanced trading evaluates both outcome and process.
Knowledge check
Correct answer: Analyzing market context and the underlying stock
The option is used to express a thesis on the underlying. Market context and stock analysis come before contract selection.
Knowledge check
Correct answer: Direction → Location → Confluence → Confirmation → Contract → Risk → Targets → Management
Advanced trade planning follows a structured sequence rather than beginning with an option contract or isolated indicator.
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