Setups
Options Positioning Setup Types
The Obsidian desk sorts every chart into a named setup type before deciding whether the chart is worth trading. Naming the structure removes the guesswork: a trader who can identify an air gap or a messy matrix map already knows how to size the trade and whether to take the trade at all.
The Asymmetrical Setup ExplainedHow to spot an asymmetrical positioning setup where nothing sits between price and a distant target, and why the structure moves so fast.Power Cluster Setups: Reading Stacked StrikesA power cluster is three or more strong strikes grouped tightly together. How to recognise one, and why clusters hold better than a strike.The Touch and Go Setup ExplainedTouch and go: price reaches one level, reacts there, then travels toward a second level in the opposite direction.Messy Charts: Setups Not Worth TradingHow to recognise a messy positioning chart, why the Obsidian desk refuses to trade one, and how messy differs from range bound structure.Trading SPY and QQQ DivergenceWhen SPY and QQQ positioning disagrees, the lagging index often follows. Here is how the Obsidian desk reads divergence.Range Bound and Pinning EnvironmentsHow to recognise a pinning environment where strike bands surround price, which tactics suit the condition, and when a pin finally releases.The Aligned Index Day Trade SetupWhen SPY and QQQ positioning both point the same direction, the aligned read is the cleanest intraday setup the Obsidian desk trades.Spotting Event Hedged PositioningBefore scheduled news, hidden pressure points appear far from current price. How to find event hedged positioning, and why the setup is risky.Reading Ceiling and Floor LaddersCeilings are resistance and floors are support. How ladders of stacked levels guide targets in the Strike Matrix.Trading Air Gaps in the Strike MatrixAn air gap is a stretch of thin liquidity where price can travel quickly to a distant level with nothing in the way.How Price Reacts at Rejection LevelsLarge value cells reject price on first contact, the mechanism behind every stepped trend, and why a reached level stops pulling price.Reading Earnings Hedging in the MatrixEarnings charts look evenly hedged on gamma exposure, while the vanna exposure view often reveals the genuine floor or ceiling underneath.
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The Obsidian desk runs this process live every session, and the Cipher terminal computes every level from your own broker key under BYOK. Obsidian distributes no market data.