Ron Ianieri Option Mastery Video

Did you manage to attend last night’s training? If so, you know that the web conferencing platform was a total disaster...

You know, I was considering switching TheOptionClub’s platform over to the same one Options University was using. After last night, I’ll re-think that one.

Good news...

The presentation was recorded and is now available for re-play here:

Ron Ianieri Option Mastery Video Re-Play

During this presentation, you will learn why understanding the greeks, as well as synthetic and embedded positions, is so important. Before I really understood these subjects I traded iron condors, calendar spreads, vertical spreads and the occasional long call or put.

What do I trade now?

Now I trade iron condors, calendar spreads, vertical spreads, and the occasional long call or put. Wait a minute... Those are the same strategies. So, what’s the different?

The difference is that before I learned to master the greeks, and the synthetic and embedded positions, I was losing money.

So, how can I be trading the same option strategies but making money, whereas before I was losing money? It’s simple...

Until I learned to master the greeks I was unable to properly evaluate and monitor a position. Learning to identify and use synthetic and embedded positions, combined with my newly acquired knowledge of the greeks, gave me the insight I needed to make effective adjustments.

When I started trading again, after learning these subjects, it was like the difference between a dark night and a dazzling bright morning. I saw what was happening to my positions and I knew how to manage them.

How did I learn? I learned from Ron, who taught me just like I was one of his trainee floor traders. What’s more, he’ll do the same for you, if you want.

I’ll tell you more about how and what I learned later, if you’re interested. Right now, I just want to encourage you to set aside some time this weekend to sit down with a hot cup of coffee, or tea, or whatever keeps you attentively alert, and watch the video.

Ron Ianieri Option Mastery Video

Have an awesome Labor Day and enjoy the time off!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Learning How To Use Options Effectively and Profitably

If you've been on our message board lately, you have read a lot about whether it is better to be a buyer or a seller of options. Some say it's better to sell options. Others say it doesn't matter.

Who's right?

If you really understand options, you know the answer to that question.

You also know that we're trading options in an environment where we can, as retail traders, prosper if we take the time and make the effort to develop the necessary knowledge.

Now, if you're trading without a solid understanding of options you are trading at a disadvantage. That is a dangerous way to trade...

So, how can you master the subject of options in the shortest time possible?

To answer that question, I'd like to invite you to a webinar presentation this coming Thursday.

Option Trading Webinar Registration

The presentation will be put on by Ron Ianieri from Options University. He is going to share some effective, profitable option trading strategies and how you can master these techniques quickly and easily.

These are some of the same techniques that Ron used, and taught to other floor traders, while making his living on the Philadelphia Exchange for over 15 years. It's all about gaining an "edge" in the market to help you get and stay profitable.

Most option trading courses available in the market, regardless of their cost, teach a collection of option strategies but fail to provide students with a solid understanding of how and when to use those strategies in the market. This failure is potentially expensive and places you at a disadvantage, because you'll often find that you're fighting the market.

In other words, your analysis of the market may be "spot on," but you can still lose money simply because of your choice of strategy. Unfortunately, it happens time and again when traders do not fully understand the option strategies they're using.

So, Ron is going to help us understand WHY different option strategies work when others do not. He will share some insight into WHEN to use each strategy. Ron will also help us understand HOW to select the best strategy for the given market conditions.

If you intend to trade options, it only makes sense to fully understand how options work and how, and when, you can use them to achieve your goals. Here is an opportunity to gain some of that knowledge...

Option Trading Webinar Registration

So, Thursday night Ron is going to talk to us about how to avoid killing ourselves, and our portfolios. If you attend, you will also have access to a special report being prepared for the event.

If you've been questioning how to gain traction with your options education and trading, I encourage you to set aside the time and join me for the presentation.

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

FX Options Training and PDF Report - FREE

We have been hosting a number of webinars this year, and it ain't over yet!

Our next presentation is on the topic of FX Options. Yes, there are options available on foreign currencies and we're going to help you better understand how to make use of o them...

If you are a currency trader, you're going to really get a lot of out this because options can be used to hedge your currency positions and even enhance profits.

Even if you have never traded currencies, there is even more benefit for you because you don't need a Forex account to trade FX Options. You'll be able to take positions on the currencies right from your standard, options enabled brokerage account. Want to hedge your currency risk? Maybe make some money trading the Euro or Canadian Dollar?

In addition to the presentation, a PDF study guide is being made available. It explains how to get started trading FX Options is being made available courtesy of Options University.

You can get the PDF immediately. The webinar presentation is:

Tuesday, August 5, 2008
6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST

FX Options Training Presentation Registration

Use the above link to register, and once you do, you'll be directed to the PDF download area where you can get the report and review it before the presentation. I suggest printing it, so that you can take notes.

I hope to see you there!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

P.S. If you want to be notified of all our presentations, just click below and scroll down to provide your name and e-mail address. TheOptionClub.com

Options University's FX Option Materials Now Comes With Forex Profit Accelerator

This month Bill Poulos re-released his Forex trading course. I have not been writing much about it because I covered it in detail at the time of its initial launch late last year.

However, I was just made aware of something completely new, which I am now looking into, and thought that I should make you aware of as well.

There are not many option educators out there that I recommend. The only company I have recommended is Options University, although in the last year or so I have seen a very small number of educators, such as our friends at OptionVue, enter this area as well.

In any event, Options University has been working on new materials applicable to the new FX options offered through the ISE exchange. The ISE FX contracts are denominated in U.S. dollars, are cash settled, and allow you to intuitively trade the currency markets without getting involved directly in the interbank markets. A really nice financial product, which is now available on the major currencies.

Bill has pulled some strings and just announced the Option University's new FX product is being added as a bonus to the Forex Profit Accelerator Course.

Now, I do have a copy of Forex Profit Accelerator that I picked up at the time of its initial launch, and can tell you that it is an excellent course. I wrote a full featured review of the course, which is available on another website.

I have not yet seen Option University's new FX materials, however. What I can tell you is that I've been working with Ron Ianieri and Brett Fogel from Options University for years, now. They offer good value at prices that tend to undercut their competitors.

Right now you cannot get an FX options course anywhere, at least not that I am aware. You could do like me and scour the ISE website, dig through news releases, etc., and try to pull together enough information about the product to begin formulating some plans for trading these new currency options. I am still working on that, by the way. Or, you can let Ron Ianieri's team do the labor intensive work and go with their materials.

But, let me be clear. I do not recommend buying Bill's course to get OU's FX options course. However, if you are considering purchasing Forex Profit Accelerator I do encourage you to make sure you are also getting OU's materials, too. You can do that here:

Forex Profit Accelerator with Option University's Introduction to FX Option Trading

It just makes sense that if you get the one, that you try to pick up the other for the same price.

I thought you should know...

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Ron Ianeiri Interviewed on CNBC

I'm sitting here this morning with CNBC on in the background, and they mention a video of Ron Ianieri from the Options University. I pulled it up on the CNBC website and, after watching it, thought some here would find it interesting.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=778647091

I've known Ron now for several years, and it comes as little surprise to me that he is garnering attention from the national financial media. Ron is the developer of the Options Mastery course, which is the only options course I've recommended now for at least three or four years. In this particular video, he discusses the topic of shorting the market as well as the thorny subject of oil speculation.

It's short, so all you need is about 2 minutes to watch.

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Market Update, a FREE Copy of ETF Profit Driver, and Tonight's Webinar...

I've go a few things to cover today, so if you don't want to miss any of them be sure to check out the whole post.

Current Market Analysis

Interesting. Before the market opened this morning, the futures were trading higher and it looked like we were going to see some upside.

It's about an hour into the trading day as I type this and I've been watching the big cap indexes fluctuate between positive and negative. The RUT and NDX have pretty much remained in the red, and in the last several minutes I've watched all the broad based indexes get negative.

My analysis is unchanged from what I posted on the blog yesterday, so just check that out if you're curious.

A Free Copy of ETF Profit Driver?

I've seen Bill do this before. He's going to give away a free copy of his ETF Profit Driver course before they release it for sale. He even pays shipping and handling...

If you're interested, you just need to tell him why you should be the one he gives it to. You can do that here:

ETF Trading Course Contest Entry

I'd really like to see someone from TheOptionClub.com win the free copy, so take a couple minutes and throw your name in the hat!

Options Trading Service Webinar TONIGHT!

This is last minute and I do apologize, but I just learned about this last night...

A short while ago, Options University hosted a live webinar to profile some significant updates to their trading service. The presentation was plagued with some technical problems, so they're hosting a repeat of the presentation.

The presentation features Ron Ianieri, who will give you a "behind the scenes" look at what they do.

You may register here:

Webinar Registration

It is tonight at 9:00 p.m. EST, so you need to get signed up and

What's Coming Tomorrow...

With tomorrow being the end of the week, I'll be posting the next lesson in the Traders' White Board series.

This series is a free education course on the basics of technical analysis. I posted the first three lessons last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I'll be doing the same this weekend.

Each lesson is a short video, focusing on one discreet topic. So, set aside ten minutes tomorrow, and over the weekend, to visit the blog and brush up on your T&A skills...

Oh! Don't forget. I'll be getting that ETF Profit Driver review up as well...

Trade well!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options University Strategist Webinar

There is some news from Options University that I wanted to share. You might recall that several months ago, they launched their "Options University Strategist" trade advisory service.

In an extended webinar session Ron Ianieri and his team introduced the service and, rather candidly, explained that the service was intended to be a "top shelf" offering and, because they wanted to deliver tremendous value, it would be something they would continue to change and improve.

In a nutshell, the OUS subscribers receive:

• Daily / Weekly option picks, alerts, and updates;
• POSITION MANAGEMENT (pretty important);
• The exact positions to enter with their broker;
• Special software for immediate alerts;
• Details on how to "morph" and roll-out a position; and
• How and when to close the position.

The idea was to remove the guesswork for their subscribers and deliver to them the same trades that they, as professional traders, would be making along with complete position management.

By all reports, the service has proven to be very popular. Nonetheless, even though it is successful, Ron and company have done as they said they would...

The OUS service has been completely overhauled!

These guys are pretty excited about the upgrades and they wanted all of us at TheOptionClub.com to see what they've done.

Ron is hosting a webinar tomorrow evening, Thursday, March 13th, to take us all "behind the scenes" and walk through the changes.

If I know Ron, he'll probably also throw in some good educational content to make the experience worth our time.

Additional information about attending the webinar is here:

Options University Strategist Webinar

I hope to see you online for the webinar.

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

My Options University Strategist Experience, to Date

Last month, I had been fairly excited about the Option University Strategist trading service. It launched to the public last month, but they had actually started trading in October for a select group of "in-house" clients.

Now that I am almost a month into this, my enthusiasm still remains pretty high. I thought I would show you a couple trades that are now closed, just to give you an idea of what you might find as a subscriber.

Generating More Than 100% Returns on the SPYder

The first trade that I will share with you is one that was open on the SPYder, an the ETF fund that approximates the S&P 500 index. The trade was opened October 10, 2007. This was the day before the index hit its recent peak, just prior to this latest round of selling.

The Strategist service recommended the purchase of 10 November $159 put options. With the underlying at about $156 per share, a stop was placed at $157.70, with a profit target setat $151 per share. These put options cost $4.25, so the cost to enter the trade buying 10 contracts was $4250.

The position was closed on October 24, 2007. The profit target had been reached and the puts were sold for $9 dollars per contract, or $9,000 in gross proceeds. This translated into about 111% return on capital. Not bad for two weeks ork!

Grabbing Over 120% In Three Days

Another trade during the month of October was on BRCM, consisting of a long strangle. The position was opened on October 8, 2007 with the purchase of the October $37.50 call option and the October $35.00 dollar put option. Earnings were scheduled for October 19, 2007. Implied volatility was low, allowing for an inexpensive entry, and a triangle pattern was present.

On October 19, 2007, the long call expired worthless. However, on October 11, 2007, the put option was sold for substantial profit producing little over 120% profit on the trade.

These are just two of many trades that have been identified by the traders at Options University. finding and planning trades such as this, picks a fair bit of skill and quite a bit of time. I know, because I've done it.

What options University strategist provides is an alternative, whereby professional traders will do the "grunt work" for you and issue to trade for your consideration. If it looks good do you and fits your particular needs, you need only place you're with your options broker.

Modifying Trade Recommendations for Your Portfolio

You may find that the number of contracts being traded by the service may be too few, for too many, for your portfolio. I don't see any reason why most of these trades cannot be sized up or down. In other words, once receive a recommendation it is always your prerogative to decide how best to apply the recommendation in the context of your individual trading plan. If your plan calls for a maximum risk of no more than $1000, you might not trade and contracts but simply limit your position to one or two contracts.

Options University Strategist Service

Tomorrow's a start of a new month, so it is time to reflect back on your recent trades and determine how you have fared. If you find that you are in need of some assistance, you might want to consider enlisting these services of the traders at Options University.

Trade well!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options University Strategist Review

Last night was the live webinar introducing the Options University Strategist service. If you missed it, I wanted to share with you what I learned as well as my thoughts about the service.

You have been diligent with your study...

You have learned the foundations of options trading...

However, we understand that you have lives. You are busy during your day and you come home to family and other responsibilities...

You may not have time to do the homework that you should be doing to find, plan and manage your trades.

This whole service was born out of a very specific perceived need. Options University has what I consider to be the best paid general options education curriculum available. They teach a lot of students every year about options and how to trade them...the right way.

Ron Ianieri and his team have seen the diligence of their students and appreciate that for the retail trader, a little help can be of great assistance. The concept of a service began to form. However, this had to be an "in house" service, something Options University could control so that their trading philosophy would be present in the trades delivered to subscribers. They did not want to throw their students to the wolves...

Ron tapped his resources to hire traders off of the floor, guys he himself had trained, and put them to work researching and planning trades for OUS subscribers. The team researches trading opportunities. When they find the right opportunity, an options strategy is applied to take advantage of it.

Cutting Edge Technology Delivers All Of The Trading Opportunities To You, No Matter Where You Are...

The trades and all adjustments are sent out to subscribers on e-mail, but also through a dedicated RSS feed. The RSS feed bypasses e-mail, so you can be sure to receive alerts even if e-mail fails.

Options University invested in their own RSS client, which you can download and install on your desktop to receive real time alerts directly from their server. Also, they will soon be issuing trade alerts and updates through a text message sent to your cellular phone.

That is three means of receiving information...

Your job is to simply review the alerts and updates, determine whether they meet your trading criteria and tolerances, and then take the appropriate action. Right now, they are averaging about five trades each week. Those trades will offer a variety of approaches, so you're not buying into a service that leaves you stuck with a single options strategy that may not be appropriate for prevailing market conditions.

The service has been up and running for just a couple months, and is only now being offered to the general public. Consequently, the trading track record is limited. However, this is the same thing that Ron Ianieri did for more than 10 years in Philadelphia. If you have taken any of his courses, you know that he is a very skilled trader with many years of experience trading from the pits as well as from off the floor.

In addition to the trade alerts, you will also have access to monthly tele-classes. These should provide even more insight into what the traders are doing, helping you to better understand their methods and reasoning.

This Service Is NOT For Everyone! But If You Have Done Your Homework, Are Ready To Trade, But Need A Little Help With Your Research...

Ron was very candid during the webinar. This service is not for everyone. If you have not taken the time to learn and understand options, you probably need to do that first.

However, if you have studied and have learned what options are and how they work, but are frustrated by the many pressures in your day that keep you from doing the homework necessary to trade, well then you just might want to take a look.

The webinar was recorded. Check back here, because as soon as they get the recording compiled and loaded for replay, I'll be posting a link.

In the meantime, if you would like to learn a little bit more about the service, you can do so here:

Options University Strategist

I have never recommended a trading service before. The reason I have never recommended one is because I have never found one that helps a trader, a retail trader, actually trade their account profitably.

What sets OUS apart is the fact that they 1.) have assembled a professional team of professionals, 2.) they have built this service entirely "in house" to insure the quality and legitimacy of every recommendation they issue, and 3.) they are taking a community approach, allowing their subscribers to actively participate in the development of the program.

Right now, they have cut the subscription costs. During the webinar, Ron gave his word that if you subscribe at the introductory price it will never be increased for as long as you remain a subscriber. Combined with the OUS guarantee, it's a good time to take a look!

So, if you are struggling in this market consider investing a couple hundred bucks (money that you may very well lose to the market) and get some help from the pros...

Trade well.

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options University Strategist Launching Tonight!

So many questions...

I have received a lot of e-mails with questions about the new service from Options University. I would be happy to answer them all, but I have shared all of the information I have.

However, I do know where and when you can get answers to your questions...

Tonight At 9:00 p.m. EST (that would be 6:00 p.m. on the west coast), The Team Over At Options University Is Hosting A Complimentary Webinar Presentation To Preview Their Evolutionary New Options Service, Which They Call 'The Options University Strategist'.

I am already registered and plan to participate, myself. Some of our members have an interest in this type of 'done for you' trading service... Others want to learn from watching experienced professionals...

Either way, you should see the technology they've put together, and what a real "A Team" of stock and options experts they have assembled.

Register Now For The Options University Strategist Webinar

I'll be logging in, so I hope to see you there!


Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options University Strategist Is Being Unveiled!

There is a brand-new service from Options University that is being launched this week. The service is called "Options University Strategist," or just "OUS" for short. It will be the closest thing to a "done for you" trading service you've ever seen.

I have always had a big problem with trade advisory services. I do not like them. I must confess that I have subscribed to many over the years, but that is how I have come to realize that you simply cannot turn your financial future over to an advisory service.

What is helpful is the ability to watch experienced, profitable traders research and execute their trades. Trade advisory services do not typically provide this sort of disclosure, for a variety of reasons, which prevents you from understanding how or why it is that they are recommending the specific positions or the decision making that goes on behind the scenes.

After considering this dilemma and searching for an advisory service that provided that "look over the shoulder," I realized that it simply did not exist in a form that made sense to me. Candidly, I began thinking about how I could offer such a service through TheOptionClub.com.

Well, the guys over at Options University have beaten me to the punch on what I think will be a tremendously valuable service. The concept is that you're "looking over the shoulder" of skilled, professional options traders during every step of the trading process.

Ron Ianieri, the trading muscle behind Options University, is far better connected than I am with the trading world and has used that muscle to pull together a really sharp, professional team.

What this means is that you get to see some very good traders at work. You can mirror their trades. You can use the experience to improve your own trading. You can ask questions!

OUS has been at least a year in the making. It will use cutting edge, state-of-the-art technology to deliver the actual trade information. This avoids the problems of e-mail deliverability and delay.

Look, trading is a lonely profession for us retail traders. Most of learn from trial and error, and some of those errors prove to be very expensive. I know, I've been there. In fact, the whole reason TheOptionClub.com came into existence was to create a community of traders to take some of that loneliness out of the experience.

OUS is the next evolution, where you can see how experienced traders find, plan, and execute trades. No more guesswork... No sweating over making the "right" decisions...

So, if the trading is still a bit of a struggle, here is an opportunity to trade with and learn from successful options traders and still have a life!

To give you a preview of how the service works, and the technology behind it, OU's top options trainer and trader, Ron Ianieri, and OU's chief programmer Ryan Mastro have put together a short video.

This 14 minute preview video will give you a good idea about what the service is all about.

Here's the link to that video...

Options University Strategist Video

Also, Ron Ianieri will hold a very special webinar THIS Thursday night, November 15, 2007, at 9:00 PM Eastern. He'll go over OUS in much more detail, and answer any questions you might have about the service.

The webinar will serve as the official launch for OUS. So you don't want to miss it!

Here's where to get all the details for that webinar:

OUS Webinar, Nov. 15th, 2007, 9:00 p.m est

Once that webinar is aired, it'll be first come, first served for getting started with the OUS service!

OUS can only take a limited number of traders. They are limiting subscriptions to the service to preserve its viability.

In the meantime, take advantage of video to learn what this new service is, and what it isn't.

I can tell you... It's not for everybody, but for some it will be the last options trading service they'll ever need.

Here' the link to that video again...

Options University Strategist Video

Trade well!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options Mastery Course

I wanted to post a quick reminder that today is the final day to pick up a copy of the Options Mastery course.

Options Mastery Course

Normally, I invite you to leave me with any questions you might have. I will not be at my computer today, so by the time I am able to respond this release of the course will likely have concluded.

However, what I can tell you is that when it comes to mastering the "nuts and bolts" of how options work, this is the course I recommend because I have not found anything else that covers the material as effectively without at least doubling or tripling the cost.

Trade well!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options Mastery Series 2007 Edition Now Available

On July 2, 2007, I posted to the blog about Options University's 2007 edition of their Options Mastery course being re-released. The day for the re-release is today!

Options Mastery Series 2007 Edition

Options are increasingly becoming an important wealth building tool. You probably already appreciate this fact since you're reading my blog. However, with the NASDAQ now poised to enter the options market we are going to see more efficiencies and even better trading opportunities than we have in the past.

If you are new to options, or if you have not yet mastered the subject, this is an excellent opportunity to take a step in the right direction. Options are the only tool I am aware of that allow you to reduce your risk in the market, while also leveraging your opportunity for profits. The key to unlocking their potential is not a piece of software or trade advisory service, but simply a thorough understanding of how options work.

The reason I recommend the Options Mastery course is because I have evaluated several educational programs. I have spoken with students from other companies that have spent tens of thousands of dollars on multiple courses, "PhD" programs, etc., and still have not been introduced to material critical to their success as options traders.

What do you need to know?

At a minimum, I think you need to have an understanding of the options pricing model. You do not need to calculate options prices yourself, but you do need to have an appreciation for those factors that will effect the value of an options position and how that position will respond to various changes in the market. If you do not have such an understanding, you are simply "hoping" and "guessing" about whether your trade will turn profitable.

An understanding of synthetic and embedded positions is also important, as these are foundational to being able to execute intelligent position adjustments for purposes of reducing risk, taking profits off the table, and responding to changes in the market. I see too many traders adjust themselves from a losing position to a bigger loss, simply because they do not understand these concepts.

There is more, of course. However, you probably get my point.

So, why Ron Ianieri and his course?

Ron is a true professional. He learned his craft on the trading floor. His skill and knowledge as an options trader was recognized and he became THE specialist for Dell options when Dell was an exploding, hot stock. Ron possesses more than an academic understanding of options. His invaluable experience, along with the academic knowledge, was poured into a training course for new floor traders designed to prepare them to walk out onto a trading floor and compete with the seasoned veterans. That trader trainee course is the nucleus of Ron's Options Mastery course.

Options Mastery is a complete course.

The course consists of a series of DVD videos featuring instruction from Ron Ianieri. I have a complete copy of this course in my office and I still pull video discs off the shelf for a refresher course on various topics. Trading is just like baseball... It's all about the fundamentals!

The course goes on sale today at 12:00 p.m.

If you follow the link before that time, you'll see a live video by Ron and a count down to when the course goes on sale.

http://www.optionsmasterycourse.com/

There are a limited number of courses available. I know some people think this is a marketing gimmick, but I can tell you from past experience that this is no gimmick. Options University stands behind each course and supports their customers. They limit the number of courses so that they can provide the needed support. It's good business for them because they have happier clients and customers, and good business for those who purchase the course.

The course does sell out, however. During the last release, the course had to be pulled off the market ahead of time because they had sold all available copies. The point is that if you're ready to proceed with your options education, don't let procrastination stand between you and the furtherance of your goals.

If you have questions, please feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer them. If I'm not able, I'll forward them over to the folks at Options University.

As always, good trading!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

A Major Shift In The Options Market About To Arrive!

A few days ago, I sent out an e-mail to everyone on my list with a link to a video presentation informing them about a major shift coming in Q3 of this year that will change how I, you, and other investors trade forever. If you are on my mailing list and have already viewed the video, you already have an idea of what's coming.

If not, I thought I'd give you the chance...

The video features Ron Ianieri and provides information about a conversation he had with a Vice President from the NASDAQ. This information will likely be common knowledge in a matter of weeks or perhaps months, but right now it is only known to a few insiders and those with whom they happen to share the information.

View the Ron Ianieri Video Now!

The video is currently up, but will only remain available for a few more days. If you have not viewed it, take the time to do so now.

Good trading!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options Mastery Series 2007 Edition to be Re-Released

I have it on good authority that the Options Mastery Series 2007 edition by Ron Ianieri will be re-released in the coming weeks. I do not have specific details, but I will post them as soon as the become available.

This is my #1 course selection for those who are interested in mastering the subject of stock options trading. I happen to own a copy of the course myself and have written a review that is up on the web site.

Review of Options Mastery Series 2007 Edition

I'll be talking with the folks at Options University and will put together a bonus for anyone who decides to buy the course.

Trade well!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Achieving Options Mastery And Transitioning To Profitable Trading

Too often, folks come to options trading with an unrealistic expectation that they can learn the business of stock options trading over a weekend and begin making money the following week. The reality is that stock options trading is a complex endeavor. That's not to say you cannot learn the ropes and achieve a level of options mastery, but it does mean that you will need to spend some time and effort.

There are two phases to the process of achieving options mastery and becoming a profitable trader. The first phase is developing the academic understanding of how options work. Phase two is the transition from academic knowledge to the practical application of that knowledge in the market.

There are many stock options trading courses out there that can help you with the first phase. Some of the courses are very good, but the cost of the programs can run several thousands of dollars. On the high end, I have seen programs where the complete curriculum can run tens of thousands of dollars.

My personal favorite stock options course is the Options Mastery Series 2007 edition, which I have reviewed in detail. (Use the link to read the review.) The Options Mastery course covers the subject of stock options extremely well, and costs much less than much of the competition. The curriculum is derived from a program that was used to train professional trader trainees so that they could walk out onto the floor and hold their own with the experienced traders, but has been adapted to be suitable for a retail trading audience.

Tackling the second phase is a bit tricky and currently there are not a lot of good tools for the retail trader. In the professional trading world, trader trainees have the benefit of learning from more experienced traders. Retail trading is a lonely business, however. Typically, its just you and your computer.

Check back here over the next several days because I have some thoughts about how you can tackle the second phase of the journey.

Good trading!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com

Options University and the Options Mastery Program

It is Father's Day weekend and I am looking forward to a special dinner with my family. I've been told I can even take a nap, if I choose!

With the luxury of free time, I've been reading through a lot of e-mails from Brett Fogel and a few other folks over at Options University, updating me on some recent developments, and I thought you might appreciate some of the information as well.

The Latest News On Options University

Options University is one the fastest growing options education companies in the United States and it is the publisher of my favorite options education programs currently available for the retail trading audience. The company has always been quite small and because of their small size the folks at OU have traditionally relied upon third party vendors and "virtual assistants" for much of their back office and customer support.

Outsourcing to these third parties was cost effective, but it resulted in some problems. In my conversations with Brett Fogel and Ron Ianieri, I realized that they knew that if they were to grow company and better serve their customers that this would eventually have to be dealt with because the inherent limitations of outsourcing were causing frustrations for them as well as their growing customer base.

All things considered, and all frustrations aside, the frequency of problems was a "positive problem." It was an indication that Options University had grown beyond the capacity of the current system and was ready to take the next step forward.

As a result of their growing success, Options University also took on a very ambitious project. They hosted the Investors Super Conference and attracted some very big names in the business as speakers. The conference was a huge success for them, but it also diverted their attention away from the day-to-day affairs of running the core business. Of course, with a "virtual staff" there just were not others that could pick up the slack while the Super Conference was in full swing and some things "fell through the cracks."

Well, here is the really good news. With the Super Conference now behind them Brett Fogel turned his attention to preparing the company for even better things to come. Options University now has new, larger offices which were necessary to house the new employees that have been hired. Those employees have been trained, they are "learning the ropes," and helping get Options University settled into their new offices. I spoke with Brett Fogel who pretty much runs the show over there, and they have some great plans for the future.

How Options University Compares

At TheOptionClub.com, the focus is upon helping stock options traders transition from an academic understanding of options to becoming full fledged, profitable traders. Students from many, many programs find their way to our websites, discussion forums, and this blog.

Before we can really help anyone become a successful options trader, they must lay a foundation of understanding. They must learn how options work and how they can be used in the market place. There are many ways to do this, but for those who are truly serious about mastering the subject they typically enroll in one of the many courses and seminars offered on the subject.

While I cannot audit all of the programs out there, I do try to keep on top of what is available. The live training seminars typically cost $3,000 to $30,000 and fall into one of two general categories. The first category is what I call a comprehensive options education, which focuses upon multiple options strategies and how to apply them to take advantage of differing market conditions. The second category of seminars focus upon a single strategy or adaptation of a single strategy. For example, I have seen seminars focusing exclusively upon covered calls and am aware of at least one that focuses upon married puts.

I, personally, do not like the niche focused seminars. They emphasize one trading strategy to the exclusion of others. The problem with that narrow focus is that you tend to see every trade in the context of that one strategy and may find yourself missing much more effective means of trading a position. Now, if you already have a strong understanding of options and want to expand upon your understanding of how to trade covered calls I don't have any problem with that. I simply believe that you will be a better trader if you have a more complete understanding of options.

As for the programs offering a more comprehensive view of the subject, most do not provide that education in one sitting. Typically, you will need to enroll in multiple seminars or courses for that education. With each course costing thousands of dollars, you quickly find that you're spending 10's of thousands of dollars. Is it worth the price? Perhaps, but only you can say whether it is worth it for you.

Options University offers a home study courses that deliver all of the information and insight that the other seminars offer, but deliver it at a much more affordable price. The most comprehensive of their offerings is their Options Mastery course. The whole course was born out of the curriculum trading specialist Ron Ianieri taught to new floor traders. He adapted that original curriculum for the retail audience and put it together in one program.

The Options Mastery program comes in both a home study version, which is excellent, and from time-to-time is offered as a live class. I had the privilege of sitting in on the first live classes that Ron Ianieri conducted and can tell you that he invests a tremendous amount of time and effort working with his students until he is sure they have mastered the key concepts.

Good Things To Come From Options University

Now that they are in their new office space and have expanded their staff to respond more efficiently to our needs, you can expect some really terrific things to come from Options University. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

So, happy Father's Day to all my fellow dads out there!

Christopher Smith
TheOptionClub.com