~ B A N K R O L L M A N A G E M E N T ~
Bankroll Management Overview
~ From: What Is A Bankroll?
General suggestions and guidelines for creating an initial bankroll:
~ Use funds that would otherwise be spent recreationally or for unnecessary goods and services.
~ Do not use funds that are needed, or that may be needed in the future, for primary living expenses.
~ Choose an amount that you are comfortable with losing entirely.
~ Choose an amount that will enable you to play in games at a level you are comfortable with, and that are also available to you.
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General suggestions and guidelines for matching your bankroll with the games you play:
~ In general, begin at a level you are comfortable and confident at. Just because you have an extra $5 million laying around doesn't mean you should jump right in with the pros.
~ Play at or below your appropriate limits (see table below), never above.
~ Don't be too proud to drop down in limits if your bankroll takes a big hit, and also don't be afraid of moving up to the next level if you have the bankroll to do so.
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~ From: Playing Within Your Limits
Playing within your limits:
First of all note that we are talking first and foremost here about upper limits. There is no shame at all in playing below your limits, or even just freerolling for fun. This would still technically be playing within your limits. The table below should help though to give you an idea of the range of limits that would be ideal for your bankroll.
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Big Bets/Buy-Ins (% of Bankroll) |
| Game Type |
Safe |
Moderate |
Risky |
| Limit |
>400 BB (-) |
300-400 BB (-) |
<300 BB (-) |
| PL / NL |
>30 BI (<3%) |
20-30 BI (3-5%) |
<20 BI (>5%) |
| SNG |
>50 BI (<2%) |
35-50 BI (2-3%) |
<35 BI (>3%) |
| MTT |
>75 BI (<1%) |
50-75 BI (1-2%) |
<50 BI (>2%) |
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Calculate your limits 1 of 2 ways:
* BR = Bankroll, BI = Buy-Ins/Big Bets, LI = Limit
BR / BI = LI
ex: $400 / 400 BB = $1 ($.50/$1.00 Limit)
ex: $400 / 50 BI = $8 ($8 SNG's)
LI x BI = BR
ex: $25 x 30 = $750 (Bankroll for $25 NL)
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~ From: Moving Up In Limits
Things to remember when moving up limits:
~ Make certain that your bankroll is more than adequate to handle the new level of play.
~ Also make certain that you're mentally ready to make the move up.
~ Don't assume that you'll have to play any different than you normally would at lower levels.
~ Be prepared for more drastic swings in your bankroll, and don't be ashamed to drop back down if you encounter a crippling run of bad luck.
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~ From: Managing Your Bankroll
Essential bankroll tracking statistics:
~ General Game Info - record the poker variation, limits (buy-in, small bet/big bet, etc.), and if you'd like, when and where you played.
~ Input / Output - record how much you invested (bought in) and how much you returned (cashed out).
~ Net Profit - using the Input and Output variables you can calculate your net gain (+) or loss (-).
~ Total Bankroll - with each session, track the current amount of your bankroll following any gains or losses.
| Sample Bankroll Records |
| Session |
In |
Out |
Net |
Total |
| NLHE SNG |
$11 |
$0 |
-$11 |
$989 |
| NLHE $1/2 |
$100 |
$125 |
+$25 |
$1014 |
| NLHE MTT |
$11 |
$50 |
+$39 |
$1053 |
| NLHE $1/2 |
$100 |
$70 |
-$30 |
$1023 |
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Calculating Bankroll Stats:
ITM%: (# of Cashes / # of Tournaments Played)
ROI: (Net / Input * 100)
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~ From: Managing A Split Bankroll
Things to think about when managing a split bankroll:
~ Are my funds easily transferable from one host to another (i.e. from an online account to real cash, or from one online host to another)?
~ Do you intend to play each bankroll segment seperately, or as a whole? For example - playing $1/2 No Limit tables online with only $200 in your account because you have another $5000 elsewhere that you can transfer without a problem.
~ Are you able to keep track of your entire bankroll and corresponding statistics effectively so that you keep the big picture in mind when managing your funds?
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~ Related: Deposits & Withdrawals Overview - information regarding funds transfer options for online poker rooms.
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