Bankroll Management

You can read piles of books and use a Hand Converter to analyse your play, but one of the questions asked most often by beginning players is: "What level should I be playing if I have X amount of money". The answer to this question varies, depending on what you're trying to get out of poker. If you are a recreational player and put a poker deposit into your account every couple weeks, just for fun, then play whatever you want. However, if you'd like to become a great poker player and don't want to keep losing money, then bankroll management is not only important, it is vital.

So here are some bankroll management tips for the serious beginning player:

Cash Games

It's important to have about 20 buy-ins for whatever level you'd like to play. 100 big blinds is generally the amount accepted as the buy-in. So if you want to play the .02/.05 NL level you would need a minimum of $100 (20 buy-ins x .05 big blind x 100). If you have $50 you should be playing .01/.02 until you get to one hundred dollars, then you're allowed to play at level .02/.05. While trying your hand at a higher level, don't feel bad if you have to drop down a level if things don't go well. Here is an example: With your $100 bankroll you've just made it to the .02/.05 level. If you're on a stretch of bad luck and you just aren't getting the poker hand order you need, it's imperative to drop a level to .01/.02 if you fall to 15 buy-ins ($75). When you climb back up to $100, you can play the higher level again. I haven't come across anyone who has played the game long enough that did not have to drop in levels. Some players find themselves bankrupt because they were too bull headed to move down. Most people will use Hand Converter tools and slide back and forth between almost every different level they try until they get accustomed to the type of play the next level brings. Even incorporating a deal like the Full Tilt bonus code it’s still sensible to move down when the going gets tough.



As you move up to levels of about 100nl and higher, guard your bankroll more closely and probably a minimum of 30 buy-ins would be a better idea.

Sit n' Go Tourneys (SNGs)

The order of poker hands in Tourneys most likely have a little more variance than ring games. As such, you should have a larger bankroll to counter the higher variance. It's a good rule of thumb to have about 40 buy-ins for SNGs. With a $100 bankroll, you should be playing somewhere around a $2.20 buy-in until you get up to about $130. Then try some $3 games and test the waters. Like with cash games, don't be afraid to drop some levels if you are not getting good runs.

Multi-Table Tournaments (MTTs)

Multi-Table Tournaments are tempting for many people since they can provide some great payouts if you finish high. It's important to note, the variance in poker hands order is very high with MTTs and you can easily go on very long streaks out of the money. Because of this it is good practice to have a minimum of 100 buy-ins to play MTTs. Remember if playing re-buys that you should plan on at least 1 re-buy and 1 add-on into the cost of the tournament. Generally you'll need even more than that to place so be cautious of that. For instance, to play a $3 re-buy MTT you should be prepared to spend a minimum of $9 and when you multiply that by the 100 buy-ins rule you'll see that you'd need a minimum of $900 in your bankroll to play.

Here's some information for people on a limited poker deposit looking to play MTTs: consider playing satellites. They usually have very low buy-ins and many of the other players tend to be quite poor, so this can be a good way to increase experience and possibly win a ticket worth more than your bankroll will allow you to play. If you happen to win a satellite you may find it to be tempting to take a shot at a bigger tourney. Temptation is not good! Instead, take the tournament money and grind out more games within your bankroll.

An Easy Way to Help the Bankroll

The most effective method of increasing your bankroll is, of course, to play several poker hands. Using a Hand History Converter and other tools, you can turn this experience into an effective teaching tool. An effective way to help pad the bankroll along the way is to get bonuses at the sites you play. One of the most popular options is the no deposit poker bonus that some sites feature. This is a risk free method of starting off the bankroll if you’re a new player or to give the bankroll a boost if you’re stuck at micro stakes. If you reside in the United States, you’ll most certainly want to know about the best US poker sites. The largest of these online rooms are PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker. The most generous PokerStars bonus is the first deposit bonus of 100% up to $600 if you use the PokerStars marketing code. They also frequently provide reload bonuses and freeroll options. If you’d rather make a Full Tilt Poker download, their deposit bonus is the same with a Full Tilt bonus code : 100% bonus up to $600. Full Tilt features $800 in monthly tournaments.

Parting Words on Bankroll Management

It's too easy to slip and to play higher levels than your bankroll will allow. Stay centered, never stray from the plan, use poker hand converter technology, and you shouldn't have to worry about depositing money ever again! Don't worry about what levels other people are playing or what others feel about the game you're playing. Simply stick to whatever your bankroll allows, or watch your money dwindle. Staying safe and being cautious is key. It's all about risk management. However, if you're well above these bankroll thresholds and are just nervous to increase the stakes, you'll need to let go of the fear in order to make progress. So take some shots when the time is right, and don't be afraid to climb up and down. Before you know it you'll be a regular at the mid-stakes games with a heavy bankroll.



There are plenty of free poker tools, poker forums, and other free resources available to you on the internet to help you develop your poker game. This is a free hand converter to analyze online poker hands, and here are free poker videos to watch others play online poker!

Wanna try playing some online poker? Check out PokerStars for play money! But be sure to use this PokerStars marketing code and PokerStars bonus code if you may play for real money, because you can get some free bonus money!