“Trapped Between Two Magnets — The Chop Zone Warning”
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Tuesday the market tested the waters after the long weekend.
Today we have a CLASSIC setup for indecision:
- #1 Strike: 680 (22M) — RIGHT BELOW US
- #2 Strike: 685 (21.4M) — ABOVE US
- Price: 681.78 — BETWEEN THEM
When price sits BETWEEN the #1 and #2 magnets, a strong trend is harder to form.
This is a CHOP WARNING.
Don’t force trades in the middle. Wait for the price to break ABOVE 685 or BELOW 680, then see structure.
The good news? Net Market Makers Hedge is only -34M today (4.84% weight) — MUCH lighter than last week’s -521M monster. The bears are still in control, but the grip is loosening.
☕ HOW TO USE THIS LETTER:
This Coffee With Q letter is a NEWSPAPER that comes out at night. Q wakes up at 4 AM, reads other markets, and does the pre-market update.
So with your coffee and croissant, consume this FAT-FREE DOSE to keep you LEAN and MEAN.
Read it. Study it. Apply it. Or become liquidity.
⚖️ DISCLAIMER – READ FIRST
This is not investment advisory. I’m not calling trades. I’m teaching you to think. These levels are NOT buy/sell signals. Trading involves substantial risk of loss. If you can’t afford to lose, don’t trade. No guarantees. Full disclaimer at bottom.
📋 To Be Fair to All:
- Do not post your trades publicly — only share with Gary or Q confidentially.
- The levels are key levels, but price can always change — no one controls the market. No crystal ball. No guarantees.
- We will post the tape after the fact — to avoid any misunderstanding during live calls.
- IF you create a student zoom room and you are bringing in paid members you are supposed to take permission. IKIGAI, Q or G and our associates and undertakings are not liable in any manner whatsoever directly or indirectly. Please review your agreement.
- We will not cherry pick. You will see the good, the bad, and the ugly.
- We’ll continue doing weekly calls to help you maintain clarity with structure.
🚨 WHAT ARE Q LEVELS? (READ THIS OR LOSE MONEY)
Q Levels are NOT support and resistance.
Q Levels are strikes where Market Makers who are EXPOSED will HEDGE. When price reaches these levels, MM activity creates reactions — but that does NOT mean you enter a trade.
Q Levels are 1 of 6 structure points. You need ALL 6 to make a trade decision:
| # | Structure Point | What It Tells You |
| 1 | Q Levels (Exposure) | Where MMs are exposed and will hedge |
| 2 | Liquidity Zones | Where stops are sitting (LQ Green / LQ Red) |
| 3 | Market Structure | Higher Highs, Lower Lows |
| 4 | Volume | Is money flowing in or out? |
| 5 | Time | Opening range, power hour, lunch chop |
| 6 | POI Confluence | Do multiple points align? |
❌ Q Levels alone = You will lose money ✅ Q Levels + 5 other structure points = You have an edge
Follow the education.
🚨 THE 5-MINUTE RULE (YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG)
WRONG: “Price hits 685, I wait 5 minutes, then I enter.”
RIGHT: “Price hits 685, I watch if it HOLDS above/below for 5+ minutes while checking structure. If it holds AND structure confirms, THEN I look for an entry.”
The 5 minutes is not a timer to enter. It’s a FILTER to see if the level is real.
| What You See | What It Means | What You Do |
| Price hits 685, immediately reverses | Level rejected, no hold | NO TRADE – wait |
| Price hits 685, chops around for 3 min, falls back | Failed to hold | NO TRADE – wait |
| Price breaks 685, holds above for 5+ min, structure confirms | Level accepted as support | NOW check your 6 points for entry |
The 5-minute hold is CONFIRMATION, not a green light.
⚙️ Q ALGO™ TIMEFRAME PRESSURE
Draw these 3 lines on your chart:
| Line | Value | Color | Meaning |
| MM Flip | 690 | 🟠 Orange | Above = Bulls in control. Below = Bears in control. |
| MM Ceiling | 686 | 🔴 Red | Break + hold above = See structure for LONG |
| MM Floor | 678 | 🟢 Green | Break + hold below = See structure for SHORT |
📍 TODAY: Price at 681.78 = 7.86 pts BELOW Flip = 🐻 BEAR COUNTY
Price trapped BETWEEN #1 (680) and #2 (685). Max Pain at 684 pulling slightly UP.
📊 YOUR LEVELS
TradingView String (Copy & Paste):
682,689,686,681.78,684,689.64,679,678,666,680
How to use: Paste into IKIGAI Master QZ Structure indicator.
Options Flow (Strike, Calls, Puts):
690, 6.2K, 0
689, 3K, 0
686, 2.8K, 0
685, 2.7K, 2.4K
684, 1.8K, 1.1K
683, 1.6K, 1.9K
682, 2.6K, 1.8K
681, 1.8K, 2.4K
680, 2.7K, 3.4K
679, 0.9K, 2.3K
678, 1K, 2.8K
666, 0, 15.5K
Look at the flow 👆 — Relatively BALANCED between 680-685. Puts dominate below 680. This is NOT as bearish as last week. The battlefield is more even.
🎯 WHAT THIS MEANS
BETWEEN THE MAGNETS — CHOP ZONE
- #1 Strike: 680 (22M) — BELOW US
- #2 Strike: 685 (21.4M) — ABOVE US
- Price BETWEEN #1 and #2 = Trend harder to form
This is the classic “no man’s land” setup.
Max Pain at 684 = 2.2 pts above. Could act as a magnet mid-week.
🐂 LONG LEVELS (See Structure for Long)
| Level | Name | GEX | What Must Happen |
| 685 | #2 Magnet | 21.4M | Break above + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 686 | P1 / Ceiling | 5.3M | After 685 holds, next target |
| 689-690 | Flip Zone | 4.4M | After 686 holds, reclaim bull territory |
⚠️ DO NOT buy just because “it bounced” or “it’s at support.” ✅ DO wait for break + hold + structure (all 6 points).
🐻 SHORT LEVELS (See Structure for Short)
| Level | Name | GEX | What Must Happen |
| 680 | #1 Magnet | 22M | Break below + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 678 | N2 / Floor | -6.7M | After 680 breaks, next target |
| 666 | N1 / Deep Support | -8.5M | After 678 breaks, next target |
⚠️ DO NOT short just because we’re in Bear County. ✅ DO wait for break + hold + structure (all 6 points).
☕ RANGE ZONE
| Zone | Why No Trade |
| 681-684 | BETWEEN #1 and #2 magnets. Classic chop zone. This is where the enemy cooks you 🍳 |
What to do: Wait for price to break above 685 (bullish) or break below 680 (bearish), then check ALL 6 structure points.
📊 SIMPLE DECISION TABLE
| Price Location | What To Do |
| Above 686 (break + holding) | See structure for LONG toward Flip |
| At 685 | Decision point – break or reject? |
| Between 681-684 | ☕ WE ARE HERE – CHOP ZONE – wait for edges |
| At 680 | Decision point – bounce or break? |
| Below 678 (and holding) | See structure for SHORT toward 666 |
Key question: Does 680 hold and we drift to Max Pain (684)? Or do we break down toward 678-666?
Today feels like a LEVEL-TO-LEVEL day, not a trend day.
⚖️ DISCLAIMER
This is not investment advisory. I’m not calling trades. I’m teaching you to think. Trading futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The IKIGAI Algo and any associated indicators, tools, or educational materials are provided for informational and educational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or trading advice. You should consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any trading decisions. Q Levels and affiliated parties are not registered investment advisors, broker-dealers, or financial planners. By participation, you acknowledge you are solely responsible for your own trading decisions and any resulting gains or losses. No guarantees of profit or specific results are made or implied. All sales are final. Please trade responsibly and only risk capital you can afford to lose.
— Q Levels Trading | Coffee With Q ☕🐻