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Short Put Condor
Condor
Volatile
Defined risk
The all-put counterpart to a Short Call Condor, and the exact opposite trade of a Long Put Condor: collect a credit betting the underlying moves well away from the middle.
What is a Short Put Condor?
A Short Put Condor sells one put at the highest strike, buys one put at a mid-high strike, buys another put at a mid-low strike, and sells one more put at the lowest strike — the same four strikes a Long Put Condor uses, with every buy and sell reversed. It aims for the same outcome as a Short Call Condor: profit from a big move away from the middle, built entirely from puts instead.
The legs
Leg 1
Sell 1 Put (highest strike)
Leg 2
Buy 1 Put (mid-high strike)
Leg 3
Buy 1 Put (mid-low strike)
Leg 4
Sell 1 Put (lowest strike)
How does a Short Put Condor work?
The same five zones as a Long Put Condor, with profit and loss swapped:
- At or below the lowest strike — flat, maximum profit (the net credit collected).
- Between the lowest and mid-low strikes — profit shrinks as the underlying rises, crossing into loss at the lower breakeven.
- Between the mid-low and mid-high strikes — flat, maximum loss across this zone.
- Between the mid-high and highest strikes — loss shrinks as the underlying rises further, crossing back into profit at the upper breakeven.
- At or above the highest strike — flat, maximum profit again.
When to use it
A Short Put Condor fits the same "big move coming, direction uncertain" view as a Short Call Condor. The choice between building it from calls, puts, or a mix usually comes down to which set of strikes offers the best net pricing for the specific range being targeted.
Max profit, max loss, and breakeven
Max profit (at/beyond wings)
Net credit received
Max loss (middle zone)
A defined, calculable amount
Breakeven (lower)
Between lowest and mid-low strikes
Breakeven (upper)
Between mid-high and highest strikes
Short Put Condor Example: Step-by-Step
Suppose Nifty is trading at 24,000 with a weekly expiry coming up, and lot size is 65. You expect a significant move away from 24,000–24,300.
- Confirm the setup. You expect Nifty to move well outside the 24,000–24,300 range, direction uncertain.
- Sell 1 put at the 24,600 strike, collecting a premium of 590.
- Buy 1 put at the 24,300 strike for a premium of 320.
- Buy 1 put at the 24,000 strike for a premium of 140.
- Sell 1 put at the 23,700 strike, collecting a premium of 58.
- Calculate the net credit: (590 + 58) − (320 + 140) = 188 points, or ₹12,220 at this lot size — your maximum possible profit.
- Understand the middle zone: between 24,000 and 24,300, maximum loss of ₹7,280, flat across the whole zone.
- See how it resolves at expiry:
- Nifty finishes at or beyond 23,700 or 24,600 → maximum profit of ₹12,220.
- Nifty finishes between 24,000 and 24,300 → maximum loss of ₹7,280.
- Nifty finishes right at either breakeven → you exactly break even.
Quick reference for the same trade:
| Action | Option | Strike | Premium |
| Sell | Put | 24,600 | 590 |
| Buy | Put | 24,300 | 320 |
| Buy | Put | 24,000 | 140 |
| Sell | Put | 23,700 | 58 |
Net credit
188 pts (×65 = ₹12,220)
Breakevens
23,888 / 24,412
Short Put Condor Payoff Diagram
Based on the worked example above — the exact mirror image of the Long Put Condor page's diagram. Move the cursor over the chart to see profit/loss at any price.
Risks and things to watch
- Four separate legs mean higher execution cost than a simpler two-leg spread.
- This strategy needs a real move to be profitable — if the underlying simply sits near the middle through expiry, you take the maximum loss.
- Index options on NSE are typically European-style and cash-settled — no early-assignment risk on the short legs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Short Put Condor the opposite of a Long Put Condor?
Yes — exactly, when built on the same four strikes. Sell where that strategy buys, buy where it sells. Every profit and loss figure flips sign, and the breakevens stay in the same place.
What's the difference between a Short Put Condor and a Short Call Condor?
Nothing structural — both aim to profit from a big move away from the middle, using the same four-strike pattern. One is built entirely from puts, the other entirely from calls.
When does a Short Put Condor lose money?
When the underlying finishes between the two middle strikes at expiry — the flat maximum loss zone. It profits when the underlying moves well away from that range in either direction.
Related strategies
See this strategy priced with live data
Check real Max Profit, Max Loss, and Current P/L on the actual chain — not the example numbers above.
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