Bankroll Management Rules

May 10, 2009 by cal

Bankroll management is essential in poker because of the large swings where players experience volatile runs of cards. This is what makes poker an emotionally taxing grind of ups and downs. When things are at their worst proper bankroll management can be the only thing you have going for you. You need to play your best when things are at their worst. Maintaining bankroll requirements for the level you are playing enables you to accomplish this. No matter how bad things get, you must always keep the bigger picture in mind – playing for the long term.

Just how big of a bankroll do you need? The answer can depend on a variety of factors and will be unique to each player. Bankroll management is a strategy involving playing poker at limits you can handle by managing variance. The overall goal is to avoid going broke by taking on too much risk. The amount of risk will change with each person since people have unique mindsets and financial situations.

Some people can play on a relatively short bankroll while others need more cushioning to play at their best. They get peace of mind knowing they have a lot of cash left behind, allowing them to play without fear. Poker players need to recognize their own goals and comfort level. If you are constantly playing scared you probably won’t win, and chances are that you might be playing beyond your means. For the majority of players , conservative bankroll rules are most appropriate.

Common Bankroll Management Rules:

Never buy into a cash game or sit & go for more than 5% of your total bankroll.
Never buy into a multi-table tournament for more than 2% of your total bankroll.

Popular Full Tilt Poker professional Chris “Jesus” Ferguson recommends a minimum of 100 buy-ins for tournament play. He also advises never playing at cash tables with more than 5% of your bankroll at one time. Considered the most frugal and calculating poker player today, it certainly pays to listen to Chris Ferguson. He recently completed a bankroll challenge, turning 0$ into $10,000 in less than 2 years. He accomplished this feat by starting at the bottom by playing free-roll tournaments and obeying strict bankroll management rules.

Obviously, it takes a winning player for bankroll management to work properly. A poker player with a losing expectation will always lose, despite even the most disciplined bankroll management. Managing your poker bankroll is a means of coping with variance inherently found in poker. As you already know, you can get the money in good and it is still possible to lose. Bankroll management is a protective mechanism preventing you from going broke after poor runs of cards. The requirements you choose should reflect your mental state, experience and level of competition. Proper bankroll management will help winning players take on the correct amount of risk and help ensure long term prosperity at the tables.

Use Bankroll Management to Win at Full Tilt Poker

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