Let me show you something you shouldn’t miss.
This is an example of a tradeable pattern that can make you money.
At 10:28 AM, over 2,000 May contracts hit the $8 strike on TMQ in a single block.
But don’t miss the real story unfolding here.
This wasn't just a trade. It wasn't someone taking a directional bet and hoping for the best.
It was a trap being set for market makers. And once you understand why, you’ll see how this creates an incredible opportunity.
The Four-Stage Ambush
Gamma squeezes follow a pattern most traders never learn. Two stages happen instantly. Two play out over weeks.
Stage one happened at 10:28. Someone bought 2000 contracts on May 8 strikes.
This took place while TMQ traded at $5.20. That's 53% out of the money with three months to expiration.
Stage two hit immediately. Market makers sold those calls and had to hedge. They bought shares. The stock ripped 25 cents in minutes. You could watch it happen in real time on the tape.
But here's what matters. Stages three and four are still coming.
Stage three requires TMQ to drift higher over the next few weeks. The stock is volatile enough that $8 is entirely plausible before May expiration. Stranger moves have happened on smaller catalysts.
Stage four is where market makers get squeezed. As TMQ approaches $8, those out-of-the-money calls start looking dangerous. Market makers need to buy more shares. The closer to $8, the more they buy. If it crosses $8, they could be forced to buy aggressively.
That's when price moves get violent.
The trade playing out on TMQ today is a textbook setup. Someone positioned for a multi-week squeeze with a three-month fuse. The initial pop was just market makers scrambling to hedge. The real move comes if TMQ trends toward that 8 strike over the next several weeks.
Why This Setup Matters
Most trading is reactive. You see a move, you chase it, you lose. Smart money positions ahead of forced buying. They create situations where others have to buy regardless of price.
That's what happened this morning. Those May 8 calls put market makers in a bind for three months. TMQ doesn't need to explode into a squeeze play tomorrow. It just needs to drift in the right direction while time works its magic.
The beauty is catching this in real time. The Ghost Prints Surveillance Console flagged the unusual options activity at 10:28. The immediate price reaction confirmed market maker hedging. Now we watch whether stages three and four develop.
This is the advantage institutional traders have. They see these setups forming before the crowd notices. They position early, then let market structure do the work.
See exactly how Ghost Prints reveals institutional positioning before the crowd catches on.
Brandon Chapman, CMT
Creator of Ghost Prints