Managing your bankroll means knowing how much you can risk without losing everything. It is an important skill that every poker player must acquire, but it is often the source of the first mistakes almost all players make when they start playing poker.
<span class="inarticle_section">ℹ️ Definition: A bankroll is the sum of money you set aside exclusively for playing poker. It should be separate from your personal finances, so you can play without compromising your budget.</span>
The main interest is to play sustainably. By properly allocating your funds, you ensure you can withstand the inevitable variance periods in poker. It also helps you avoid impulsive decisions driven by the emotions of winning or losing streaks.
<span class="inarticle_section">🧘🏼 Bankroll management is a discipline that helps you extend your poker experience by reducing the risk of losing all your funds.</span>
Begin by estimating an amount you can allocate to poker. This should be a sum you're willing to lose without affecting your daily life. It may vary depending on your experience level and goals.
For example, if you're a beginner, you might start with a smaller amount, while a more experienced player, who knows they are already profitable in the long term, may opt for a larger amount. The idea is to set a realistic base, tailored to your personal situation and ambitions.
It's crucial to keep your bankroll separate from your personal finances. This allows you to play without stress or pressure and not jeopardize your daily resources.
For casual players, the bankroll might simply be the amount of money deposited on an online poker site, which remains there for playing.
For more regular or professional players, it’s not uncommon to have a bank account dedicated exclusively to poker bankroll or use financial management software to track wins and losses accurately.
This mental and practical separation helps maintain discipline, as you know that this money is strictly reserved for your poker sessions.
<span class="inarticle_section">🚨 This point should not be underestimated; even if you don't have financial problems, significant losses due to bad luck will hit you even harder if you don’t clearly separate your personal finances from your poker-dedicated bankroll.</span>
The next step is to define a percentage of your bankroll that you're willing to risk during each session.
Since every player has a different risk tolerance, there is no fixed rule regarding this amount. Generally, it is recommended not to risk more than 5% of your bankroll in a single session, to absorb losses and stay calm.
More specifically, here’s a table that presents the approximate number of recommended buy-ins in the main poker formats if you want to play with peace of mind:
<span class="inarticle_section">➡️ The size of your bankroll will thus determine the limit at which you can play confidently without risking everything.</span>
It’s easy to get carried away by euphoria after a winning streak or to want to "chase losses" after a losing streak. The key is to stay disciplined and stick to the limits you’ve set.
In case of a win, avoid playing beyond your means. In case of a loss, don’t give in to the urge to immediately recover your money, as this can lead to even greater losses.
Late registrations may seem like a good idea to avoid the early hours, but in reality, they often reduce your chances of success. You enter the tournament with a smaller stack than other players, increasing variance.
It is tempting to participate in high buy-in tournaments to try to quickly double your bankroll, or worse, to risk your entire funds on a single tournament. However, this approach also significantly increases variance. You could just as easily multiply your gains as you could quickly deplete your bankroll.
These tournaments allow you to buy additional chips when you are eliminated. While they may seem appealing to "recover," they can quickly blow up your expenses if you don't set a strict rebuy limit. Limit the number of rebuys you allow yourself to protect your bankroll.
Whether after a series of bad beats or accumulated frustration, playing on tilt often leads to poor decisions, such as playing above your means or committing too many buy-ins in a session. Take a break when you feel you are losing control.
The secret to growing a bankroll steadily is patience. Many players try to double or triple their bankroll quickly, but this approach can lead to significant losses.
Unlike chess, poker is a game where luck plays at least as much of a role as your edge over your opponents. Wins are not guaranteed. You will only have a slight advantage, of just a few percentages, over your opponents. Under these conditions, your bankroll can only grow gradually, buy-in by buy-in.
<span class="inarticle_section">⏱️ Be realistic with your expectations and try to align them as best as possible with the reality of potential earnings. Winning one tournament out of ten, among hundreds of registered players, is close to impossible.</span>
In multi-table tournaments, variance is higher, so it is crucial to adopt a conservative approach. As seen in the table earlier in the article, a good rule of thumb is to never spend more than 1 to 2% of your bankroll on a tournament.
Also, select your tournaments carefully, favoring those with fewer players.
Finally, your volume of play will be very decisive: the more tournaments you play, the more you will mitigate the effects of variance.
These formats have high volatility, but by strictly adhering to your bankroll management, you can exploit them in the long term.
Like MTTs, Spins are formats where volume of play is essential. For example, 300 games do not represent the long term: you could make money without being particularly good, or, conversely, lose money despite excellent play.
In cash games, the key is to choose the right tables. Try to play against opponents at your level or below. Then, if you see consistent winnings, cautiously reinvest those profits to gradually move up in stakes.
You can consider moving up in limits if you have a stable bankroll, win consistently, and feel confident in your game at the current limit.
A good indicator would be to have at least 50% more buy-ins than the recommended number for the format you are playing.
<span class="inarticle_section">⏱️ Take your time: only move to higher stakes if you feel psychologically comfortable with this decision.</span>
Shots for gradual progression
Taking a "shot" means playing at a higher limit than usual, but in a temporary and controlled way. This can be a good way to test new limits without risking your entire bankroll. To do this, it’s important to set clear limits, such as a number of games or a buy-in threshold.
It can be hard for a player to admit they need to move down in limits because it can be perceived as a personal failure or a regression. Yet, sometimes, moving down temporarily is a good decision that protects your bankroll.
Maybe you simply overestimated your current level and/or underestimated the importance and impact of variance.
In any case, by moving down, you find an environment where you feel more comfortable and are less exposed to large fluctuations. This allows you to regain confidence, stabilize your results, and rebuild a sufficient bankroll to try moving up again later.
Finally, here are some tools that can help you manage your bankroll effectively.
<span class="inarticle_section">ℹ️ Nothing is mandatory, of course, but if you feel the need, they can help you track your finances, analyze your performance, and adjust your strategy.</span>
