Black-Scholes Gamma Scalping Strategy# Black-Scholes Gamma Scalping Strategy
## Overview
This strategy applies options market-making principles to spot/futures trading using the Black-Scholes pricing model. It simulates the behavior of a delta-hedged straddle position, generating buy and sell signals based on how a market maker would hedge their gamma exposure.
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## The Concept: Gamma Scalping
Professional options traders who hold long straddles (long call + long put at the same strike) profit when the underlying moves significantly in either direction. Here's why:
- A straddle has **positive gamma**, meaning its delta increases as price rises and decreases as price falls
- To stay delta-neutral, traders must **buy after dips** and **sell after rallies**
- If **realized volatility > implied volatility**, the profits from these hedging trades exceed the daily theta (time decay) cost
This strategy captures that edge by:
1. Calculating theoretical Greeks using Black-Scholes
2. Monitoring when delta deviates from neutral
3. Trading to "hedge" back to neutral — buying weakness, selling strength
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## Black-Scholes Greeks Calculated
| Greek | Symbol | What It Measures |
|-------|--------|------------------|
| Delta | Δ | Directional exposure |
| Gamma | Γ | Rate of delta change |
| Vega | ν | Sensitivity to volatility |
| Theta | Θ | Time decay per day |
All Greeks are calculated in real-time using the standard Black-Scholes formula with configurable inputs for strike, expiration, implied volatility, and risk-free rate.
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## Entry Signals
**Long Entry** (buy the underlying):
- Price drops significantly (gamma scalp trigger), OR
- Straddle delta falls below the lower hedge band
- Volatility filter confirms favorable regime (HV > IV)
**Short Entry** (sell the underlying):
- Price rises significantly (gamma scalp trigger), OR
- Straddle delta rises above the upper hedge band
- Volatility filter confirms favorable regime
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## Volatility Regime Filter
The strategy compares **Historical Volatility (HV)** to **Implied Volatility (IV)**:
- **HV/IV > 1.2** → Long volatility regime (gamma scalping profitable) → Trading enabled
- **HV/IV < 0.8** → Short volatility regime (theta wins) → Trading paused or reversed
- **Between** → Neutral, proceed with caution
This filter helps avoid trading when market conditions don't favor the strategy.
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## Key Inputs
**Option Parameters:**
- Strike Offset % — Distance from ATM (0 = at-the-money)
- Days to Expiration — Synthetic option tenor (affects gamma magnitude)
- Implied Volatility — Your estimate of fair IV
- Risk-Free Rate — For BS calculation
**Trading Parameters:**
- Gamma Scalp Threshold — ATR multiple to trigger trades
- Delta Hedge Band % — How far delta must deviate to signal
- Volatility Regime Filter — Enable/disable HV/IV filter
**Risk Management:**
- Stop Loss / Take Profit (ATR multiples)
- Max Drawdown % — Pauses trading if exceeded
- Max Concurrent Positions
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## How to Use
1. **Set Implied Volatility** to match current market IV (check options chain or VIX for reference)
2. **Adjust Days to Expiration** — Shorter = higher gamma, more signals; Longer = smoother
3. **Tune the Hedge Band** — Tighter bands = more trades; Wider = fewer, larger moves
4. **Enable Volatility Filter** for trend-following vol regimes, disable for pure mean-reversion
**Best suited for:**
- Range-bound or choppy markets
- High realized volatility environments
- Liquid instruments with tight spreads
**Avoid using when:**
- Strong directional trends (gamma scalping loses to delta)
- Volatility is collapsing
- Low liquidity / wide spreads
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## Information Table
The on-chart table displays real-time:
- Current strike price
- Straddle Delta, Gamma, Vega, Theta
- Historical vs Implied Volatility
- HV/IV Ratio
- Current volatility regime
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## Alerts
Built-in alert conditions for:
- Long entry signals
- Short entry signals
- Max drawdown protection triggered
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## Disclaimer
This strategy is provided for **educational purposes only**. It demonstrates how Black-Scholes option pricing theory can be applied to generate trading signals.
- Past performance does not guarantee future results
- Backtest results may not reflect live trading conditions
- Always use proper position sizing and risk management
- Paper trade extensively before using real capital
**No financial advice is given or implied.**
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## Credits
Based on the Black-Scholes-Merton option pricing model (1973) and gamma scalping techniques used by professional options market makers.
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