Automated Trading7 min
What Is a Profitable Automated Trading Strategy?
A profitable automated trading strategy is one that produces positive expected value over a 12-month or longer horizon — not just a single good trade or a…
Bernardo Rocha
Tradematic Blog
Options strategies, automated trading insights, and market education.
Options Education7 min
How Options Sellers Make Money in Any Market Direction
Options sellers make money when the underlying stays within a defined price range — whether it moves up, down, or stays flat. The direction doesn't matter as…
Bernardo Rocha
Speculation vs Income7 min
Why Consistency in Options Trading Beats High-Risk Strategies
Consistent monthly returns beat sporadic high-risk gains over time because of one mathematical reality: large losses require disproportionately large gains to…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy7 min
What Are the Best Iron Condor Underlying Assets?
The best underlying assets for iron condors are SPY, SPX, QQQ, and RUT/IWM. These four check every box that matters: deep options liquidity, penny-wide bid-ask…
Bernardo Rocha
Risk Management7 min
How to Use a Trading Journal for Iron Condors
A trading journal for iron condors is a record of every position you open, including the conditions at entry, the strikes and credit received, and the outcome.…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy8 min
Best Time of Day to Open Iron Condor Positions
The best time to open iron condor positions is generally 30–60 minutes after the market open — after the initial volatility and wide bid-ask spreads of the…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy7 min
How to Trade Multiple Iron Condors Simultaneously
Trading multiple iron condors simultaneously allows you to spread premium income across different underlyings or expiration dates, which can smooth returns…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy7 min
Iron Condor Capital Efficiency: Maximizing Returns on Margin
Iron condors are capital-efficient strategies by design. Because they define maximum loss at entry through spread width, they require less capital than buying…
Bernardo Rocha
Options Education7 min
What Are Mini SPX (XSP) Options?
XSP options, also called Mini-SPX options, are index options contracts on the S&P 500 that are 1/10th the notional size of standard SPX options. XSP is…
Bernardo Rocha
Options Education7 min
What Are Micro Options and Can They Work for Iron Condors?
Micro options are contracts with a smaller notional value than standard options — designed to give retail traders access to index and futures products that…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy8 min
Why SPX Is Preferred Over Individual Stocks for Iron Condors
SPX (the S&P 500 index options contract) is the most widely used underlying for systematic iron condor trading, and the reasons go beyond simple preference.…
Bernardo Rocha
Iron Condor Strategy7 min
Iron Condor on Google (GOOGL): Analysis Guide
Alphabet (GOOGL) sits in an interesting middle position for iron condor traders. It has better IV characteristics than MSFT, without the extreme earnings…
Bernardo Rocha