Bankroll management (BRM) is the practice of only risking a small percentage of your poker funds in any single game, ensuring you can survive the natural variance of poker.
Bankroll = Your dedicated poker money, separate from life expenses
| Reason |
Explanation |
| Variance is real |
Even winners have losing streaks |
| Emotional protection |
Less money = less pressure |
| Longevity |
Stay in the game long-term |
| Avoid going broke |
Survive downswings |
| Format |
Buy-Ins Needed |
Risk Level |
| Cash Games |
20-30 buy-ins |
Medium |
| MTTs |
50-100 buy-ins |
High variance |
| SNGs |
30-50 buy-ins |
Medium-High |
| Hyper-Turbos |
100+ buy-ins |
Very High |
| Stakes |
Buy-In (100 BB) |
Bankroll (25 BI) |
| $0.01/$0.02 |
$2 |
$50 |
| $0.05/$0.10 |
$10 |
$250 |
| $0.25/$0.50 |
$50 |
$1,250 |
| $1/$2 |
$200 |
$5,000 |
| Buy-In |
Bankroll (50 BI) |
| $1 |
$50 |
| $5 |
$250 |
| $20 |
$1,000 |
| $100 |
$5,000 |
| Action |
Rule |
| Move up |
Have required buy-ins for next level |
| Move down |
Drop below 20 buy-ins |
| Take shots |
Use 1-2 buy-ins, no more |
| Current |
Bankroll |
Action |
| $0.05/$0.10 |
$250 |
Play current stake |
| $0.05/$0.10 |
$350 |
Can take a shot at $0.10/$0.25 |
| $0.10/$0.25 |
<$250 |
Drop back to $0.05/$0.10 |
| Mistake |
Problem |
| Playing too high |
One downswing = broke |
| Ignoring rules when winning |
Overconfidence |
| Chasing losses |
Moving up to recover |
| Not separating funds |
Poker money vs life money |
| Approach |
Buy-Ins |
Best For |
| Conservative |
30-50 |
Recreational, risk-averse |
| Standard |
20-30 |
Most players |
| Aggressive |
15-20 |
Pros with income backup |
Bankroll management protects you from variance. Keep 20-30 buy-ins for cash, 50+ for tournaments. Move down when you hit your stop-loss, move up when you have the roll. Never risk money you can't afford to lose.