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☕ SPY ZERO DTE February 23, 2026 EDGE News – VIP LEVELS ⚡ MONDAY – RIGHT AT THE FLIP ⚡
📰 THE MORNING LESSON
“Maverick Sits On The Runway — Waiting For Clearance”
We ended Friday pinned to 685 as expected. Over the weekend, futures climbed.
Now we’re sitting at 689.58 — RIGHT AT THE FLIP (689.73).
This is the RUNWAY. Maverick is in the cockpit. Engines are hot.
But we don’t have clearance yet.
- Above 690 and holding = Tower says GO. Bulls have the sky. 🛫
- Below 689 and failing = Abort mission. Back to 685 we go. 🛬
The chart above 689 is GREEN. The magnets above us (693, 694, 695) are pulling UP. Max Pain at 694 is pulling UP.
BUT… we’re not there yet. We’re ON the line. Not above it.
Don’t be the pilot who takes off without clearance.
Wait for the break. Wait for the hold. Wait for structure. THEN fly.
☕ Also read the PRE-MARKET update in your VIP room.
Q wakes up at 4 AM, reads futures, scans other markets, and posts the pre-market tactical summary. That’s where the LIVE context lives. This newsletter is the ROADMAP. The pre-market is the WEATHER REPORT.
Use both. Or fly blind.
⚖️ 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 690, I wait 5 minutes, then I enter.”
RIGHT: “Price hits 690, 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 690, immediately reverses | Level rejected, no hold | NO TRADE – wait |
| Price hits 690, chops around for 3 min, falls back | Failed to hold | NO TRADE – wait |
| Price breaks 690, 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 | 695 | 🔴 Red | Break + hold above = See structure for LONG |
| MM Floor | 675 | 🟢 Green | Break + hold below = See structure for SHORT |
📍 TODAY: Price at 689.58 = 0.15 pts BELOW Flip = ⚡ DECISION POINT
We’re sitting RIGHT ON THE LINE. This is not Bull County. This is not Bear County. This is THE RUNWAY.
📊 YOUR LEVELS
TradingView String (Copy & Paste):
693,695,694,689.58,694,689.73,671,670,675,685
How to use: Paste into IKIGAI Master QZ Structure indicator.
Options Flow (Strike, Calls, Puts):
700, 5.2K, 1.1K
695, 6.5K, 0.8K
694, 5.2K, 0.5K
693, 3.8K, 0.3K
690, 2.9K, 1.7K
688, 2.1K, 1.1K
686, 3.3K, 1.2K
685, 4.5K, 3.6K
684, 2.3K, 2.7K
683, 1.7K, 3.1K
680, 2.4K, 4.6K
675, 1.2K, 4.7K
670, 0.9K, 7K
Look at the flow 👆 — Calls dominate above 690. Puts dominate below 685. The FLIP at 690 is the dividing line. Choose your side.
🎯 WHAT THIS MEANS
RIGHT AT THE FLIP — DECISION DAY
- #1 Strike: 685 (27.3M) – BELOW us
- #2 Strike: 690 (21.8M) – RIGHT HERE
- Price BETWEEN #1 and #2 = Trend harder to form
BUT… we’re at the edge, not the middle.
Max Pain at 694 = 4.4 pts above. Pulling UP. Positive magnets at 693, 694, 695 = All above us. Pulling UP. Chart is GREEN above 690.
The setup LEANS bullish IF we break and hold 690.
Key question: Does 690 become SUPPORT? Or does it REJECT us back to 685?
🐂 LONG LEVELS (See Structure for Long)
| Level | Name | MM Exposure | What Must Happen |
| 690 | Flip / #2 Magnet | 21.8M | Break above + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 693 | P3 | 13.5M | After 690 holds, next target |
| 694 | P1 / Max Pain | 14.9M | After 693 holds, next target |
| 695 | P2 / Ceiling | 14M | After 694 holds, extension |
⚠️ DO NOT buy just because chart looks green above. ✅ DO wait for break of 690 + hold + structure (all 6 points).
🐻 SHORT LEVELS (See Structure for Short)
| Level | Name | MM Exposure | What Must Happen |
| 688 | First crack | 14M | Break below + hold 5 min + structure confirms |
| 685 | #1 Monster | 27.3M | After 688 breaks, next target |
| 680 | Support shelf | — | After 685 breaks, next target |
| 675 | N1 / Floor | -5.8M | After 680 breaks, next target |
⚠️ DO NOT short just because we’re below Flip by 0.15 pts. ✅ DO wait for rejection + break + structure (all 6 points).
☕ NO TRADE ZONE
| Zone | Why No Trade |
| 688-691 | Decision zone around Flip. Wait for resolution. This is where the enemy cooks you 🍳 |
What to do: Wait for price to break and hold above 690 (bullish) OR reject and break below 688 (bearish), then check ALL 6 structure points.
📊 SIMPLE DECISION TABLE
| Price Location | What To Do |
| Above 693 (break + holding) | See structure for LONG toward 694-695 |
| At 690-692 | Bullish IF holding — watch for continuation |
| Between 688-690 | ⚡ WE ARE HERE — DECISION ZONE |
| At 685-687 | Bearish IF rejecting — back to #1 Monster |
| Below 685 (and holding) | See structure for SHORT toward 680-675 |
🔥 MONDAY FACTOR
| Friday | Monday |
| Pinned at 685 | Futures climbed to 689.58 |
| Triple magnet pin | Now testing the FLIP |
| Put skew 33.88% | Bulls trying to take control |
New week. Fresh positioning. Decision time.
If bulls can hold 690, Max Pain at 694 becomes the target. If bears defend 690, we slide back to the 685 battlefield.
✈️ MAVERICK’S CHECKLIST
Before you engage:
- [ ] Clearance from Tower — Did 690 break AND hold?
- [ ] Structure confirmed — CHoCH/BOS on 5/15 min?
- [ ] Fuel check — Volume confirming?
- [ ] Radar clear — No LQ trap ahead?
- [ ] Timing right — Good trading window?
- [ ] Wingman ready — All 6 points aligned?
If any box unchecked = STAY ON THE RUNWAY
⚖️ 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 ☕⚡