Alpaca Options Agent

Paper trading · auto-refreshes every 30s

Competition result — 2026-08-31 to 2026-09-03 (judged window)

Final equity
$99,383
P&L
-617
Return
-0.62%
Closed
6
Win rate
33%

Official P&L window: 31 Aug 09:30 ET → 4 Sep 09:30 ET, scored on total account equity at the EOD 3 Sep snapshot. Started at $100,000.

Live now — since 2026-09-13

Equity
$100,894
Realised P&L
+510
Open
2
Closed
20
Win rate
40%

A fresh paper account, trading since 2026-09-13. Until 2026-09-19 it ran the competition strategy unchanged (multi-day holds); from 2026-09-19 it is intraday-only: entries 10:00–14:30 ET, everything closed by 15:45 ET. The database was reset for the account switch (audit tables cleared, market history kept), so everything below this line belongs to this account only.

Open positions

contractunderlyingrightqtyentrystoptargetexpirythesis
JPM260925P00337500JPMput62.90351.32314.242026-09-25JPM has already moved -1.88 ADR with elevated RVOL 1.68, showing genuine momentum/selling pressure, and the near-the-money put (delta -0.42) offers reasonable leverage with acceptable spread; but the 3 DTE window means this is a same-day continuation bet only, so size and confidence stay moderate given the move is already fairly extended.
XLF260930P00055000XLFput410.4855.0254.702026-09-30XLF is down 1.46 ADR on elevated RVOL (1.94) with price sitting right at the 55 strike, giving a near-ATM put good gamma exposure to continued downside; spread is tight (6.3%) and delta -0.51 confirms alignment with the move, though 8 DTE means some extra premium at risk for an intraday-only hold.

Closed positions — competition window (frozen)

contractqtyentryexitP&Lreason
TSLA260911C0037000028.254.80-690premium -42% at or below -40%
AAPL260909C0032000035.259.40+1,245premium +85% at or above 80%
TSLA260918C00365000111.706.95-475premium -41% at or below -40%
IWM260918P0029000063.282.18-660underlying 295.81 broke stop 295.34
AVGO260918P0034500019.956.05-390underlying 353.64 broke stop 353.51
MSTR260918C0014000028.759.95+240underlying 142.72 reached target 142.69

Closed positions — since 2026-09-13

contractqtyentryexitP&Lreason
META260925C00760000113.908.15-575underlying 739.38 broke stop 739.66
XLF260930P00055000370.520.44-296underlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
SHOP260925C0015000054.002.32-840premium -40% at or below -40%
QQQ260925C0074000035.706.84+342end of day: flat by 15:45 ET (intraday-only)
ARM260925C00310000112.3518.70+635end of day: flat by 15:45 ET (intraday-only)
META260925C00730000119.5529.60+1,005end of day: flat by 15:45 ET (intraday-only)
QQQ260925C0073900035.146.22+324underlying 740.58 reached target 740.44
META260925C00710000116.3531.80+1,545premium +95% at or above 80%
QQQ260924C0073300044.387.86+1,392premium +80% at or above 80%
AVGO261016C00370000111.057.60-345held past its entry day (intraday-only, entered 2026-09-18)
MSTR261016C0015000019.0021.40+1,240held past its entry day (intraday-only, entered 2026-09-18)
COIN261016C00200000110.2516.95+670held past its entry day (intraday-only, entered 2026-09-18)
SMCI261016C0004200062.931.70-738premium -40% at or below -40%
AMD260925C00550000114.5012.95-155underlying 543.19 broke stop 543.76
AMD260925C00550000117.9514.15-380underlying 544.86 broke stop 544.87
TSLA260925C0038000027.054.15-580premium -40% at or below -40%
GOOGL261016C00350000111.208.40-280underlying 341.89 broke stop 342.35
COIN260918P0016500053.601.98-810premium -45% at or below -40%
COIN260918C0019250035.252.35-870premium -53% at or below -40%
NFLX260925C0008000092.041.18-774premium -41% at or below -40%

Decision log

time (UTC)symbolactiondetailthesis
2026-09-22T18:19:57ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move is already extended at -1.7 ADR with decent RVOL, but the contract's 7.4% spread is wide for an intraday scalp and 3DTE means paying extra time value while needing continuation on an already-stretched move; better to wait for confirmation or a cleaner setup.
2026-09-22T18:18:51ZJPM260925P00340000rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T18:17:44ZJPMskipconfidence 0.62A -1.65 ADR move with RVOL 1.95 is a real but not extreme momentum signal, and with only 3 DTE and ~8.5% spreads on both strikes, the entry cost/theta risk outweighs the marginal edge; better to wait for a cleaner continuation signal or tighter spread before committing capital.
2026-09-22T18:16:36ZJPMskipconfidence 0.30Move is already -1.65 ADR extended intraday, so much of the downside momentum may be priced in; entering a put now risks chasing a stretched move with a 3 DTE contract that decays fast if price stalls or bounces before the close.
2026-09-22T18:15:29ZJPM260925P00340000rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T18:14:23ZJPM260925P00340000rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T18:13:17ZJPM260925P00340000rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T18:09:40ZXLF260930P00055000entry41x @ 0.49, delta -0.51XLF is down 1.46 ADR on elevated RVOL (1.94) with price sitting right at the 55 strike, giving a near-ATM put good gamma exposure to continued downside; spread is tight (6.3%) and delta -0.51 confirms alignment with the move, though 8 DTE means some extra premium at risk for an intraday-only hold.
2026-09-22T18:09:40ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move of -1.67 ADR with RVOL 1.95 is a real but not extreme intraday dislocation in a mega-cap that tends to mean-revert; with only 3 DTE and no catalyst mentioned, chasing puts here risks buying into an already-extended move rather than the start of one.
2026-09-22T18:08:34ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:08:34ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move already extended at -1.68 ADR with only 3 DTE and a wide 9.2% spread eating into edge; better to avoid chasing a stretched intraday move on a costly contract.
2026-09-22T18:07:27ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:07:27ZJPMskipconfidence 0.30Move is already extended at -1.69 ADR with a 3 DTE contract carrying meaningful spread (6%) and time decay risk; chasing this intraday for a same-day close offers poor reward relative to the risk of a mean-reversion bounce.
2026-09-22T18:06:20ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:06:20ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move is already extended at -1.66 ADR with elevated RVOL, meaning much of the downside may be priced in intraday; entering a put here risks chasing a stretched move with only a same-day window to close, and the 3 DTE contract still carries meaningful extrinsic value (spread 4.2%) that decays against a fading momentum thesis.
2026-09-22T18:05:17ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:05:17ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:04:12ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:04:12ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:03:09ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:03:09ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:02:06ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T18:02:06ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:49:31ZMETA260925C00760000exitunderlying 739.38 broke stop 739.66
2026-09-22T17:46:22ZXLF260930P00055000exitunderlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
2026-09-22T17:44:19ZXLF260930P00055000exit_failedstatus=abandonedunderlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
2026-09-22T17:44:19ZXLF260930P00055000exitunderlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
2026-09-22T17:44:19ZXLF260930P00055000canceledaoa-XLF260930P00055000-sell-202609221744-r @ 0.46 unfilled, canceled
2026-09-22T17:39:08ZXLF260930P00055000exit_failedstatus=abandonedunderlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
2026-09-22T17:39:08ZXLF260930P00055000exitunderlying 54.94 broke stop 54.94
2026-09-22T17:39:08ZXLF260930P00055000canceledaoa-XLF260930P00055000-sell-202609221739-r @ 0.46 unfilled, canceled
2026-09-22T17:14:56ZXLF260930P00055000entry37x @ 0.54, delta -0.53XLF is showing a strong intraday down move (-1.55 ADR) with elevated RVOL 2.10, confirming momentum; the near-the-money put has reasonable delta (-0.53), acceptable spread (7.7%), and decent liquidity for an intraday play. Risk is that the move is already extended, so size should stay modest and exit if momentum stalls.
2026-09-22T17:14:56ZJPMskipconfidence 0.65Move is already extended at -1.74 ADR with RVOL 2.0, meaning much of the intraday downside may be priced in; entering puts here risks chasing a stretched move with 3 DTE decay and mediocre spreads (6-8%), so better to wait for confirmation or pullback rather than force a trade.
2026-09-22T17:13:46ZXLFskipconfidence 0.65A -1.54 ADR move with RVOL 2.10 is a real but not extreme intraday extension, and with 8 DTE (not truly 0DTE) the contract carries extra time value that will decay unfavorably if the move stalls into the close; the 8.3% spread also eats into an already modest edge for an intraday-only trade.
2026-09-22T17:13:46ZJPMskipconfidence 0.62Move is already -1.73 ADR from open with RVOL 2.01, meaning much of the intraday downside momentum may be priced in; entering now risks chasing an extended move with limited intraday runway left given 3DTE contracts and this is a same-day close constraint. Spreads (5.9-8.2%) and modest prior-day volume add execution cost without a fresh confirmation trigger, so better to wait for a pullback/continuation confirmation rather than force a trade.
2026-09-22T17:12:35ZXLFskipconfidence 0.65Move is already extended at -1.53 ADR with RVOL 2.1, so much of the intraday downside may be priced in; an 8 DTE contract with 8.3% spread adds unnecessary theta/slippage cost for a same-day close strategy on a low-beta index ETF like XLF. Better to wait for a fresh momentum trigger or tighter spread setup rather than chase this extended move.
2026-09-22T17:12:35ZJPM260925P00340000rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T17:11:24ZXLFskipconfidence 0.60Move is already extended at -1.55 ADR with RVOL 2.10, so much of the intraday downside may be priced in for a same-day close; an 8-day dated contract with 8.3% spread offers little edge for a pure intraday momentum continuation play, better to wait for a fresh trigger or pullback entry.
2026-09-22T17:11:24ZJPMskipconfidence 0.65Move is already extended at -1.74 ADR with RVOL 2.01, meaning much of the downside momentum may be priced in intraday; entering a put here risks chasing a stretched move with mediocre spreads (7.6-9.5%) rather than catching fresh momentum. Better to wait for confirmation of continuation or a pullback/reset rather than force a contract into a name that's already moved this far.
2026-09-22T17:10:17ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:10:17ZJPMskipconfidence 0.62Move is already extended at -1.71 ADR with 3 DTE (not truly intraday-cheap theta), and a 7.6% spread on a 0.37-delta put erodes edge; better to wait for a fresh trigger than chase an extended move with mediocre contract quality.
2026-09-22T17:09:10ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:09:10ZJPM260925P00337500rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T17:08:04ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:08:04ZJPM260925P00337500rejectedJPM already has 1 open position(s) (cap 1)
2026-09-22T17:06:57ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:06:57ZJPMskipconfidence 0.65Move is already extended at -1.72 ADR with RVOL 2.03, so much of the intraday momentum may be priced in; the 8.7% spread and 3 DTE (not truly intraday-only expiry) erode edge, and entering a put chasing a move already this stretched risks a mean-reversion snapback before close.
2026-09-22T17:03:51ZXLF260930P00055000canceledaoa-XLF260930P00055000-buy-202609221703-r @ 0.49 unfilled, canceled
2026-09-22T17:03:50ZXLF260930P00055000canceledaoa-XLF260930P00055000-buy-202609221703 @ 0.49 unfilled, canceled
2026-09-22T17:03:50ZXLF260930P00055000abandoned41x @ 0.49, delta -0.53XLF is down 1.5 ADRs with RVOL over 2x, showing genuine intraday momentum, and the near-the-money put has a tight 2.1% spread with solid delta -0.53 for clean directional exposure. Size modestly given 8 DTE time value and already extended move, using tight risk control since much of the drop may already be priced in.
2026-09-22T17:02:43ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T17:02:43ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move is already extended (-1.70 ADR) with RVOL only moderate, and the contract's 9.4% spread is wide for an intraday scalp with 3 DTE, eroding edge on entry/exit; better to wait for a fresh confirmation or tighter spread setup.
2026-09-22T16:59:32ZJPMskipconfidence 0.65Move is already extended (-1.70 ADR) with elevated RVOL, meaning much of the intraday downside may be priced in, while the 9% spread and 3 DTE add cost drag for an intraday-only strategy; risk/reward for chasing this specific contract now is unfavorable.
2026-09-22T16:57:27ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T16:55:21ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T16:54:15ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T16:54:15ZJPMskipconfidence 0.60Move is already extended at -1.72 ADR with strong RVOL, but the contract has 3 DTE (not truly 0DTE intraday-only pricing) and a 7.7% spread that erodes edge; chasing a stretched move with elevated theta/spread cost intraday isn't compelling enough to enter.
2026-09-22T16:49:02ZXLFskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T16:49:02ZJPMskipconfidence 0.00no viable contracts to choose from
2026-09-22T16:47:55ZXLFskipconfidence 0.62Move is already extended at -1.51 ADR with RVOL 2.03, so much of the intraday downside may be priced in for a same-day close; entering a near-the-money put here chases an extended move rather than catching fresh momentum, and 8 DTE means paying extra time value without extra time to be right intraday.