An 11-step framework for combining price action with dealer gamma positioning.
Before looking at any level, determine the regime. It controls how every level behaves.
The most important level on the chart. ZG is the price where dealer gamma exposure flips from positive to negative. Check spot vs ZG before every trade.
Dealers dampen moves. They sell into strength, buy into weakness. Mean-reversion dominates. Breakouts tend to fail. Reversals at walls are high-probability.
Dealers amplify moves. They buy into strength, sell into weakness. Trend-following dominates. Breakouts tend to follow through. Walls are more likely to break.
Regime Transitions
As price falls through Put Walls, dealers sell more futures to hedge (amplifying the selloff). But when price reclaims broken Put Walls on the way back up, dealers close their short hedges (forced buying). This buying fuels the rally. The deeper the selloff, the more explosive the snap-back. Never assume a move in negative gamma will continue indefinitely.
Every GEX level is either a Wall (repels price) or a Magnet (attracts price). The call/put ratio determines which.
Walls (C/P ratio < 0.60, one side dominates)
Magnets (C/P ratio > 0.60, balanced)
Calls and puts are roughly balanced. Dealer hedging from both sides creates gravitational attraction. Price is pulled toward magnets.
Walls in Different Regimes
Flipped Levels
When price crosses a wall, the wall flips. A Put Wall above spot becomes resistance. A Call Wall below spot becomes support. Flipped levels are weaker than native walls.
TLADe detects quality breakouts on four timeframes: Weekly (W), Daily (D), H4, H1.
Quality Breakout (BO) = Two Conditions
Triangle Markers on the Chart
H1 Bullish
H4 Bullish
D/W Bullish
H1 Bearish
H4 Bearish
D/W Bearish
More triangles = higher timeframe = stronger signal. Green = bullish, Red = bearish.
FVG (Fair Value Gap) Confirmation
The FVG forms one candle after the breakout. A gap between candle 1's high and candle 3's low = institutional commitment. The move was so decisive no one filled the price gap.
BO with +FVG is significantly stronger than BO alone.
Sessions anchor the volume and price context. AVWAP shows who controls each session. Boxes show where volatility concentrated.
Session AVWAP
18:00 ET
03:00 ET
09:30 ET
Prev Day RTH
Session Boxes
18:00 - 03:00 ET
03:00 - 08:00 ET
08:00 - 09:30 ET
09:30 - 17:00 ET
A breakout from a session box that aligns with a GEX level is a high-conviction move.
Statistical boundaries for the session derived from implied volatility.
Expected Move (EM)
Vol Bands
Centered on Zero Gamma (not spot):
The chart combines multiple layers. Here is what each visual element means.
GEX Profile Sidebar
Cyan bars (right) = Positive gamma (call-dominated). Dealers sell here on rallies -- resistance.
Pink bars (left) = Negative gamma (put-dominated). Dealers buy here on dips -- support.
Bar length = Magnitude of gamma at that strike. Longer = more dealer hedging activity.
C/P Toggle
Switch between net gamma and call vs put breakdown to see which side dominates at each strike.
Convexity Toggle (CONV)
Overlay the volatility smile. Steep left skew = bearish hedging demand. Right skew = bullish sentiment.
The table ranks all GEX levels by proximity to spot. Each row gives you everything you need at a glance.
| Strike | Label | Gamma | Distance | H% / B% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6100 | CALL WALL | +50 pts | H 72% B 28% | |
| 6020 | MAGNET | -30 pts | H 55% B 45% |
Strike: The price level
Label: What type of level -- Wall, Magnet, ZG, Max Pain (see Taxonomy)
Gamma Bar: Visual intensity of gamma at this strike
Distance: How far from current spot price (points)
H% / B%: Hold vs Break probability based on historical data
Click any level in the table to open its detail modal.
The gamma landscape changes dramatically based on which expirations you include.
0DTE -- Today Only
Gamma is concentrated and volatile. Levels are sharp, moves are fast. Best for intraday scalping and day trading.
5DTE -- Multi-Day
Gamma is distributed and smoother. Levels are broader, moves are gradual. Best for multi-day positioning and structure.
Highest conviction: Entry on 0DTE level that aligns with a 5DTE level. Use 0DTE for timing entries. Use 5DTE to understand the broader structural picture. A level that appears as a wall in 0DTE might not exist in 5DTE (different gamma).
The best setups occur when Price Action and GEX agree. Confluence = Conviction.
Step 1: Read the Regime
| Regime | Behavior | Preferred Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Positive (Spot > ZG) | Mean-reversion | Fade walls, target magnets |
| Negative (Spot < ZG) | Trend-following | Trade breakouts, avoid fading |
| Transition (near ZG) | Mixed | Reduced size, wait for clarity |
High-Probability Long
High-Probability Short
FVG + GEX Level Combinations
Positive Gamma Playbook
Negative Gamma Playbook
Internalize these before trading with the terminal.
Always check the regime first. Gamma positive or negative determines which setups work.
BO without FVG = setup. BO with FVG = high-conviction setup. FVG confirms institutional commitment.
Walls in positive gamma are strong. Walls in negative gamma are weak. Don't fade walls in negative gamma.
Magnets are targets, not entries. Price moves toward magnets. Use them for profit-taking.
AVWAP crossing = session regime shift. Above session AVWAP = buyers. Below = sellers.
Multi-timeframe alignment = highest conviction. W+D+H4 all in the same direction = strong trend.
ZG crossing = behavioral flip. Everything changes when spot crosses zero gamma. Adjust immediately.
EM bands are statistical, not deterministic. Price CAN exceed EM. In negative gamma, it often does.
Invalidated BOs disappear for a reason. If the marker is gone, the setup is gone. Don't hold.
Session boundaries matter. A breakout in Asia may fail in RTH. Context is everything.
Part of the TLADe Guide.
The data is objective. The levels are calculated. The confluences are visible.
You decide.
Still have questions? Read the FAQ or contact us.