Bankroll Management Fundamentals
by Priya Krishnamurthy ·
Why Bankroll Management Matters
Poker is a long-term game played through short-term swings. Even the world's best players go through extended downswings. Without proper bankroll management, a perfectly played game can bust your roll.
Bankroll management isn't just about risk—it's about giving yourself the time to play enough hands for your edge to materialize.
The Basic Rules
Cash games: Keep 20–30 buy-ins at your current stake. Playing $1/$2 with a $200 max buy-in? You need $4,000–$6,000 as your dedicated poker bankroll.
Tournaments: Keep 50–100 buy-ins. Tournaments are higher variance than cash. A shot at a $100 tournament requires $5,000–$10,000 in your bankroll.
SNGs (Sit and Gos): 30–50 buy-ins is the standard recommendation.
Move Up and Move Down Rules
- Set clear thresholds before you start:
- Move up: When you reach 30 buy-ins for the next stake
- Move down: When your roll drops below 20 buy-ins at your current stake
These rules remove emotion from your decisions. Variance will hit you. Having pre-committed rules prevents tilt-driven decisions.
Separating Poker Bankroll from Life Money
This is non-negotiable. Your poker bankroll is money you can afford to lose entirely. It doesn't pay rent. It doesn't fund emergencies. If you play with money you can't afford to lose, fear distorts your decisions.
The Stop-Loss
Consider a daily stop-loss—a predetermined amount you're willing to lose in a session before you stop playing. Common choices: 2 or 3 buy-ins.
Tilt is expensive. A stop-loss is cheap insurance.
Rake and Its Effect on Bankroll
Online games take rake—typically 2.5–5% of the pot, capped per hand. At microstakes, rake is a significant portion of the pot. Your win-rate must exceed the rake to be profitable. Consider this when choosing sites and stake sizes.
Surviving Downswings
A 10–20 buy-in downswing is normal at any stake. Statistically certain, even for winning players. Your job during a downswing is to:
1. Review your play for actual leaks 2. Avoid major stake increases 3. Stay mentally stable 4. Trust the sample size
The math doesn't lie. Enough hands at a positive edge yields profit.