Poker Bankroll Management: The Complete Guide to Never Going Broke

There's a reason why so many talented poker players end up broke. It's not that they lack skill at the tables—it's that they never learned to manage their money properly. I've seen players crush $2/$5 games for months, only to lose everything in a single week because they took shots at $10/$20 without the bankroll to support it.

Let me share what I've learned over years of playing and tracking my results.

The Buy-In Rule: Your Foundation

The first thing every poker player needs to understand is the buy-in rule. This isn't complicated, but it requires discipline.

For cash games, you need a minimum of 20-30 buy-ins for your regular stakes. Playing $1/$2 with $200 buy-ins? You need at least $4,000-$6,000 dedicated to poker. This might seem like a lot, but variance in poker is brutal. Even winning players can experience downswings of 10 buy-ins or more.

For tournaments, the requirements are even stricter. You should have at least 100 buy-ins for your average tournament entry. Tournaments have massive variance—even the best players in the world go on lengthy dry spells. If you're playing $50 tournaments, you need $5,000 set aside.

Why These Numbers Matter

Poker is a game of small edges played out over thousands of hands. Your skill advantage might only translate to 5-10 big blinds per 100 hands in cash games. That's a healthy win rate, but it means you'll have plenty of losing sessions along the way.

Without proper bankroll management, a normal downswing can wipe you out before your edge has time to materialize.

Tracking Every Session

You can't manage what you don't measure. Recording every session is non-negotiable if you're serious about poker.

Here's what you should track:

• Date and time: When did you play?
• Stakes and game type: What were you playing?
• Hours played: How long was the session?
• Profit or loss: What was the bottom line?
• Notes: Any significant hands or observations?

After a few months of data, you'll start seeing patterns. Maybe you play worse on weekday nights when you're tired from work. Maybe you crush weekend afternoon games when the recreational players show up. This information is gold.

Moving Up in Stakes: The Right Way

Everyone wants to move up to bigger games. The money is better, and there's something satisfying about competing at higher levels. But moving up too quickly is one of the fastest ways to destroy a bankroll.

Here's my approach:

The 30 Buy-In Rule for Moving Up: Only move to the next level when you have 30 buy-ins for that stake AND you've been beating your current level for at least 50,000 hands (or 3-6 months of regular play).

For example, if you're crushing $1/$2 and want to try $2/$5, make sure you have $15,000 in your poker bankroll first. And I mean dedicated poker money—not your rent or emergency fund.

The 20 Buy-In Rule for Moving Down: If you drop to 20 buy-ins for your current level, swallow your pride and move down. This isn't failure—it's smart money management. You can always move back up once you rebuild.

Shot-Taking: Calculated Risks

Occasionally taking shots at higher stakes is fine, but do it strategically:

• Only use 1-2 buy-ins from your regular bankroll for shots
• Choose games that look exceptionally soft
• Set a stop-loss before you start (usually that 1-2 buy-in limit)
• If you win, don't suddenly think you belong at that level. Go back to your regular stakes and continue building

I've taken many shots over the years. Some worked out, most didn't. But because I always had my main bankroll protected, those failed shots were just small setbacks rather than devastating blows.

The Mental Game Connection

Bankroll management and mental game are deeply connected. When you're playing with scared money, you make scared decisions. You fold when you should call, you don't value bet thin, you don't bluff enough.

Playing within your bankroll gives you the freedom to make the correct play without worrying about the financial consequences. That psychological freedom is worth more than any strategy guide.

Separating Poker Money from Life Money

This is crucial: your poker bankroll should be completely separate from your regular finances. Open a dedicated account if you have to. This separation serves several purposes:

1. Clear tracking: You always know exactly where you stand
2. No temptation: You won't dip into poker funds for non-poker expenses
3. True assessment: You can accurately evaluate your poker performance

If you're withdrawing from your poker bankroll to pay bills, you're not properly rolled for the stakes you're playing. Either move down or find another source of income for expenses.

Dealing with Downswings

Every poker player faces downswings. The question is how you handle them.

First, don't panic. If you've been a winning player for months or years, a 10-15 buy-in downswing doesn't mean you've suddenly become a losing player. Variance happens.

Second, review your play. While downswings are often just variance, sometimes they reveal leaks. Are you playing tired? Have you developed bad habits? Did the player pool change?

Third, consider moving down. There's no shame in dropping stakes during a rough stretch. It protects your bankroll and often helps you regain confidence.

Fourth, take breaks. Sometimes the best thing you can do is step away from the tables for a few days or a week. Come back refreshed.

The Professional Approach

If you're thinking about playing poker professionally or semi-professionally, your bankroll requirements increase significantly.

Professional players typically maintain:

• 50-100 buy-ins for cash games
• 200-300 buy-ins for tournaments
• 6-12 months of living expenses separate from their poker bankroll

This buffer protects against extended downswings and removes the pressure of needing to win to pay rent.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Playing too high: The most common bankroll mistake. Just because you had a great month doesn't mean you should jump three levels.

Not tracking: Flying blind makes proper management impossible.

Mixing finances: Using poker money for living expenses or vice versa creates confusion and risk.

Ignoring game selection: Part of bankroll management is choosing the right games. A tough $2/$5 game might be worse for your bankroll than a soft $1/$2 game.

Ego over logic: Moving down feels bad, but going broke feels worse.

Putting It All Together

Bankroll management isn't glamorous. It won't get you invited to high-stakes home games or featured on poker shows. But it's the foundation that makes everything else possible.

The players who last in this game—the ones still grinding years from now—are the ones who respect their bankrolls. They understand that poker is a marathon, not a sprint. They know that protecting their capital during the tough times is what allows them to thrive during the good times.

Start tracking your sessions today. Know exactly how much you have to play with. Set clear rules for moving up and down. Treat your poker money with respect.

Your future self will thank you.