What a bankroll is
Your bankroll is money set aside only for poker, separate from rent, savings and everything else in your life. It should be money you can afford to lose entirely. If losing it would change your life, it is not a bankroll, and you should read our responsible gaming guide before you play.
Recommended buy-ins by format
| Format | Conservative | Standard | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-limit Hold'em cash | 50 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins | 20 buy-ins |
| Pot-limit Omaha cash | 80 buy-ins | 50 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins |
| Sit-and-go (single table) | 100 buy-ins | 60 buy-ins | 40 buy-ins |
| Multi-table tournaments | 300+ buy-ins | 150 buy-ins | 100 buy-ins |
One buy-in in a cash game is usually 100 big blinds. So for a $1/$2 game with a $200 buy-in, a standard bankroll is about $6,000.
Why the numbers are so large
Variance in poker is larger than almost everyone expects. A solid winning cash-game player can lose for tens of thousands of hands purely through bad luck. Tournament players can go months without a significant cash. A bankroll is what lets your skill survive those stretches.
Moving up and down
- Decide your move-up and move-down points before you play, while you are calm.
- Take "shots" at higher stakes with a small, fixed portion of your bankroll, and step back down if you lose it.
- Don't move up after a single good night. Move up because your results over thousands of hands support it.
Session discipline
Bankroll management is also about time and emotion. Set a stop-loss for each session, stop when you are tired, and keep a record of every session: date, stakes, hours and result. A spreadsheet is one of the most valuable poker tools you can own.
Frequently asked questions
How many buy-ins do you need for cash games?
A common guideline is 20 to 40 buy-ins for the stake you play. Recreational players with income to top up can be looser; professionals should be stricter.
How big should a tournament bankroll be?
Tournaments are far more volatile. Many players keep at least 100 buy-ins, and 200 or more for large-field online events.
When should I move down in stakes?
Set a rule in advance, such as moving down when you fall below 20 buy-ins for your current level, and follow it without exceptions.