Short guts
Sell an in-the-money call and put: profit if the price stays between the strikes.
Neutral2 legsCredit
Illustrative: underlying at 100, strikes every 2.5, 45 days to expiry, implied volatility 25%, model prices. One lot = 100 shares.
Key figures
| Opens for | a credit of $1,139 |
|---|---|
| Max profit | +$389 |
| Max loss | Open-ended as the price rises |
| Break-evens | 93.61 and 108.89 |
| Position delta today | +2 shares |
| Outlook | Neutral |
The legs
| Action | Quantity | Option | Model price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell | 1 | 97.5 call, 45 days | 5.18 |
| Sell | 1 | 105 put, 45 days | 6.21 |
How it works
Sell an in-the-money call and put: profit if the price stays between the strikes. These structures care more about how far the price moves than which way. Long versions pay when the move is large; short versions collect premium when the price stays put.
When it fits
It suits a view that the underlying stays within a range until expiry.
What can go wrong
The loss is open-ended if the price rises sharply, so position size and a plan for closing early matter. Short options can be assigned early, and a sharp fall with implied volatility rising can hurt more than the expiry line suggests, which is what the crash band shows.
Building it in Trident
In the Strategy Lab, choose short guts and the days to expiry. Trident applies these strike rules to your live chain, prices each leg and draws the trade on the risk graph, where you can drag the days to expiry, change implied volatility or switch on the crash band. When it looks right, send it to order management; nothing reaches your broker until you send it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a short guts?
Sell an in-the-money call and put: profit if the price stays between the strikes.
What is the maximum loss on a short guts?
It is open-ended if the price rises sharply.
Where does a short guts break even?
With the underlying at 100 in this illustrative example, the break-even at expiry is 93.61 and 108.89.
Can I build a short guts in Trident?
Yes. Pick it in the Strategy Lab and Trident chooses the strikes from your live chain, prices the legs and draws it on the risk graph.
Illustrative example with model prices, not a recommendation. Options carry risk of loss. See the risk disclosure.