The 0DTE Pre-Trade Checklist
Run this before every entry. It takes ninety seconds and it exists for one reason: every box checked, or there is no trade. Most losing trades fail one of these checks before the order is ever placed.
One page. Print it, tape it next to your monitor, run it before every trade.
1 · Market Context (before the open)
- ☐ Prior-day high and low marked on the chart
- ☐ Key strike / GEX levels noted — know where the battle lines are
- ☐ Economic calendar checked (FOMC, CPI, Fed speakers today?)
- ☐ Opening range (first 15–30 min) allowed to form — watched, not traded
2 · Trend & Structure
- ☐ Price above or below VWAP — and pullbacks respecting it?
- ☐ Trend day or range day? Tactics are opposite — pick one read
- ☐ CVD / delta behavior confirms the directional bias
3 · Volume Confirmation
- ☐ Move backed by expanding volume — no breakouts on air
- ☐ Not entering during lunch chop (roughly 11:30 AM–1:30 PM ET)
4 · Contract Selection
- ☐ Delta 0.30–0.50 at entry — never below 0.15
- ☐ IV checked — not buying into a spike (FOMC/CPI caution)
- ☐ Bid/ask spread tight enough to exit cleanly
- ☐ Time of day vs. theta: after 1:30 PM, A+ setups only
5 · Risk — Decided Before Entry
- ☐ Position size no more than 1–2% of account — a full loss wouldn’t matter
- ☐ Stop defined: price level + premium stop (30–50%) + time stop
- ☐ Targets set (T1 / T2) — partial exit plan at the strike
- ☐ Daily loss limit not hit — and this is not a revenge trade
Any box unchecked = no trade. The market reopens tomorrow.
New to any of these terms? Work through the training path first — every check on this list is explained in the curriculum.
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Educational only — not investment advice. Options involve substantial risk; 0DTE contracts can expire worthless. See the full disclaimer.
0DTE Hunter 