Protect Your Poker Money
Bankroll management is the most overlooked skill in poker. Even winning players go broke if they play stakes too high for their bankroll. Variance is real — even the best players have losing streaks that last weeks or months.
What Is a Bankroll?
Your bankroll is money set aside exclusively for poker. It's separate from your living expenses — never play with rent money or savings you can't afford to lose.
How Many Buy-ins Do You Need?
Cash Games
20-30 buy-ins minimum. At $1/$2 (200 buy-in), that's $4,000-$6,000.
Tournaments
50-100 buy-ins. Higher variance requires a bigger cushion.
Sit & Go's
30-50 buy-ins. Less variance than MTTs but more than cash.
Moving Up and Down in Stakes
- Move up when your bankroll reaches 30+ buy-ins for the next level.
- Move down when you drop below 20 buy-ins for your current level.
- Never take shots at higher stakes with your entire bankroll.
Session Management
- Set a stop-loss: If you lose 3 buy-ins in a session, stop. You're likely tilting.
- Time limits: Long sessions lead to fatigue and bad decisions. Take breaks every 1-2 hours.
- Don't chase losses: Moving up stakes to "win it back" is the fastest path to going broke.
The Math of Ruin
Even a player with a 5 big-blind-per-hour win rate will occasionally experience 10+ buy-in downswings. With only 10 buy-ins, there's a significant chance of going broke. With 30 buy-ins, the risk drops dramatically.
Bankroll Rules Summary
- Only play with money you can 100% afford to lose.
- Keep at least 20-30 buy-ins for cash games, 50-100 for tournaments.
- Move down in stakes before you go broke — protect your bankroll.
- Set stop-losses per session (e.g., 3 buy-ins max).
- Track your results to know your actual win rate.