Introduction Welcome to Trading Options For Dummies, 3rd Edition! This book is all about introducing you to option strategies for managing risk, delivering profits, and navigating a variety of market conditions. Yet, unlike other investments books, this one is geared to managing risk first, with the knowledge that profits will follow. With that in mind, the approaches described here focus on reducing potential losses from traditional stock positions and building an option strategy repertoire that’s designed to increase your chances of making sound trades whether the markets are moving up, down, or sideways. To incorporate the comprehensive steps required when trading, it also provides discussions on market and sector analysis, as well as things to look for when trying out a new strategy. An option contract is a unique security that comes with contract rights and obligations. When used correctly, an option contract strikes a balance between the risk of loss, the amount of money you put at risk, and reward, providing you with leverage while still allowing you to reduce overall trade risk. Of course, there’s another side to that leverage, increased risk, which will be managed, which is the main reason you should take the time to read through this book carefully. You need to understand the risks and characteristics associated with these contracts. When applying for options trading with your broker, the broker will send you the reference guide Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. This publication, written by the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC), must be distributed by brokers to their clients prior to allowing them to trade options. It describes option contract specifications, mechanics, and the risks associated with the security. Together, that publication and the one you’re reading right now help you to understand your risks and use options effectively. About This Book As mentioned, this book is in its third edition. That’s great for you because not only has it stood the test of time, it is updated, and many of the quirks and other technical issues that arose with any book’s earlier editions have been addressed, making this a highly improved work. And no, I’m not being conceited. Of course, nothing is perfect, but as you’ll find out when you start trading options, the more you do anything, the better it gets. There are hundreds of trading titles out there, including those focusing on option strategies. This book focuses primarily on approaches aimed at managing risk — the consistent theme throughout. By setting it up this way, you can read about different topics while keeping that key objective in mind. So go ahead, jump around to areas that interest you most. This book can be read from cover to cover or used as a reference guide. Each strategy provided identifies risks and rewards associated with the position. It also identifies alternative strategies to consider for risk management, when applicable. There are a million ways to successfully trade the markets, but certain challenges are universal to all of them. Tools and techniques focused on addressing these challenges are also provided throughout. To make reading and understanding the world of options trading a bit easier, I’ve used some conventions to help you along the way: Italics: I provide newly defined terms in italics in all parts and chapters. Acronyms: I try to spell out acronyms quite a bit so you don’t have to flip around a bunch to find out what VIS (very important strategy) stands for — I hate when I have to do that, too. Websites: You’ll find references to websites that may provide additional information or make a task easier (like the one in the preceding bullet). And if you ever see a website split from one line to the next, rest assured that I’ve added no extra hyphens, so type the address in your browser just as it appears. If you’re reading the e- book, just tap the link to go to that website. Foolish Assumptions Here’s what I assume about you: You have some experience. We are all dummies, but we are not all beginners. If you’ve chosen this book, you probably have some familiarity with the stock market and the risks and rewards it presents to you. As a self-directed investor, you seek ways to manage those risks and rewards. However, if you’re not familiar at all with options or you’ve just had a little exposure to them, don’t worry — option fundamentals and mechanics are covered here and may be a great way to improve your knowledge base. Even if you have traded these instruments before, you can consider this a review if you’re looking for one. You’ve read investing books before and you will read this section carefully at some point in order to avoid pitfalls and misunderstandings as you go through this book. I assume you know that this book won’t have all the answers to your trading needs but you also know that it was written in a careful and thoughtful way, including technical reviews and careful editing. You also know that as a third edition, the editing team has taken previous material and scrupulously revised it in order to both update and improve the content as needed. Also keep in mind that options trading is not a simple concept. And although I’ve made this content as easy to understand as possible, some readers may find it difficult to initially grasp some of the concepts. That’s okay. When I started trading options I found them confusing as well. I’ve gone the extra mile and really worked hard to make this material as accessible as possible. I’m not trying to make anything difficult. But if you find something challenging, go to another part of the book and come back to it later. You may find it easier the next time. You hold longer-term investments. Regardless of whether or not you choose to actively trade options, I assume you hold longer-term investments such as stocks and mutual funds. For that reason, core strategies aimed at managing risk associated with longer-term holdings are included. The small amount of time needed to implement them may be well worth it. You’ve already decided how to allocate your investment and trading dollars. Although I distinguish investment assets from trading assets, I don’t address how to allocate those dollars because everyone’s financial situation is different. I do assume this is something you’ve already completed, because plans should strike a balance between the two (long term and short term) to grow assets. You have computer and Internet access. I can’t imagine trading or investing without a computer and reliable access to the Internet … so I assume you have both. You use a broker. I assume you contact a broker to further manage your risk when needed, and I assume you also have a comfort level with your broker’s web platform. It may serve as a resource for some of the ideas covered in this book. Icons Used in This Book I’ve also added icons to highlight different core ideas and give you some hard-earned trading insight. I use the following icons to point out these insights: When encountering this icon, you’ll find slightly more detail- oriented tools and considerations for the topic at hand, but the information included with icons isn’t necessary to your understanding of the topic at hand. This icon is used to give you experienced insight to the current discussion. Consider these to be asides that any trader might mention to you along the way. Some topics previously discussed or assumed to be part of your base knowledge are identified by the Remember icon. This also flags important things to keep in mind. If you hesitate for a moment when reading the core content, check for one of these to keep progressing smoothly. Concepts that reiterate ways to manage potential risks appear with this icon. It highlights important things to watch out for if you want avoid trouble. Beyond the Book In addition to the material in the print or e-book you’re reading right now, this product also comes with some access-anywhere goodies on the Web. Check out the free Cheat Sheet and other free articles at . Just search for trading options. www.dummies.com Where to Go from Here Whether you’re seeking to improve longer-term investing or shorter- term trading results, you will find strategies aimed at both goals in this book. By using the techniques in the book and viewing yourself as a risk manager, your losses should decrease allowing you to move forward to increased profits. You may decide to pick up this reference while evaluating your investments on a quarterly basis or keep it handy at your desk for weekly trading assessments. During your regular review routine, you may also find that current market conditions that once kept you on the sidelines are now ideal for strategies you reviewed here. Ready to go? You have lots of options ahead. (Get it?) If you’ve recently been perplexed with action in the markets, you may want to start with Chapter 5. It identifies different things happening in the options markets that may clarify stock market activity. Those new to trading options or who feel you can benefit from a refresher, should consider perusing Part 1. Because the markets are ever- evolving, Chapter 3 gets you up to speed on current conditions. If you have a basic handle on option contracts and want to quickly access unique ways to capitalize on different stock movement, consider jumping to Part 4. This part includes a variety of approaches you just can’t match with stocks. Chapter 18 provides my thoughts on what it takes to be a successful option trader. Because trading options comes with many of the same challenges encountered when trading any security, you may want to make it the first thing you read to help you succeed with your current trading. If you’re looking for trading ideas, you can also visit my website: . www.joeduarteinthemoneyoptions.com Part 1 Getting Started IN THIS PART … Appreciate and analyze options while making the market work for you. Get introduced to options contracts and values. Find your way around options markets and get introduced to the Greeks. Get familiar with option risks and rewards.