Bankroll management in poker: the secret of success for every player

Bankroll management is not just a set of financial rules, but a philosophy underlying the successful game of poker. The term refers to the management of your playing capital (bankroll) to minimize risk and maintain stability in the game.

The main goal is to ensure that you are able to play for the long haul, even if you temporarily experience a downturn.

Think of a bankroll as a kind of insurance policy. Without proper bankroll management, even an experienced player can find himself in a difficult situation, losing all of his capital because of a few bad hands.

Why do I need bankroll management in poker?

Poker is not just a game of luck or random numbers. It is a strategic discipline where it is important to consider probabilities, analyze the actions of opponents and constantly work on your game. However, even the best players are not immune to losing due to variance.

Competent bankroll management fulfills several key functions:

• Stress reduction. If you know that your budget is calculated taking into account possible losses, the game becomes more relaxed.
• Resilience to downturns. A bankroll helps you to withstand temporary setbacks and make it to the upside over the long haul.
• Constant progress. The ability to properly allocate funds allows you to gradually increase limits and improve results.

✅ Choosing the right limits

This is one of the most important aspects of management. Playing at limits that are too high can lead to catastrophic losses, especially if your bankroll does not allow you to cover possible losses. Recommended:

• Start with low limits.
• Raise limits only after your bankroll has increased steadily.
• Use the 50-100 buy-ins rule for each limit.

✅ Set Stop Losses

A stop loss is a loss limit that you set before you start a session. For example, if your bankroll is $1000, you can limit your losses per session to $50.

✅ Keeping statistics

Tracking your game results is key to progress. Use apps or spreadsheets to record wins, losses, and key moments in the game. This will help:

1. Identify weaknesses.
2. Evaluate the success of strategies.
3. Analyze the impact of variance on your game.

✅ Diversify your playing budget

If you play different formats of poker (cash games, tournaments, sit-and-go), divide your bankroll into separate parts. This will avoid losing money completely when you fail in one format.

✅ Plan for the long haul

In poker, it's not the result of a single session that matters, but stability over time. Analyze your results over months or even years rather than over a few games.

❕Ignoring Management Rules
Misallocating funds, playing at high limits, or neglecting stop-losses can quickly drain your bankroll.

❕Insufficient Funds
Playing with a small bankroll increases the risk of losing all your capital. Even a short losing streak can be fatal.

❕Chasing Losses
Emotional decisions, such as trying to recover losses quickly, often lead to even greater losses.

➡️ Conservative Approach
Ideal for beginners and players who prefer minimal risks. This approach requires 50 to 100 buy-ins per limit. Players start at lower limits and only move up after significantly increasing their bankroll.

➡️ Aggressive Strategy
Used by experienced players willing to take risks for faster bankroll growth. This usually requires 20–30 buy-ins.

➡️ Flexible Method
Combines elements of both approaches, depending on the situation and game format. Suitable for professionals who can adapt to changing conditions and deeply understand the game.

Discipline is a key element of successful bankroll management. Analyzing your games helps you identify mistakes and improve your results.

Tips for beginners:

1. Start with low limits.
2. Set strict financial limits.
3. Analyze your games.

The choice depends on your skill level, goals and willingness to take risks. Beginners should start with a conservative strategy.

It is important to add that in addition to the standard setting in the number of buy-ins it is worth taking into account your result, and accordingly the possible deviations of variance. Here is an example of two players, one playing 3bb/100 and the other 9bb/100.

Regular with 3bb/100

Regular with the result 9bb/100

It turns out that in the first case the player needs to have 50 BI of bankroll in order for the risk of ruin to be less than 5%.In the second case it is only 16.5 BI.

1️⃣ Player A: Winrate 9bb/100 hands

Dispersion: Due to his high win rate, Player A wins more often than he loses. Even if he loses several hands in a row, his overall result will be more stable.

▫️Example: Imagine that Player A plays 1,000 hands. On average, he should make 90 bb. Even if he loses a few big hands, his overall score will be within the expected range (maybe 70-90 bb).

2️⃣ Player B: Winrate 3 bb/100 hands

Variance: Due to his low win rate, Player B loses more often than he wins.Even small fluctuations in the success of his hands can greatly affect his overall results.

▫️Example: Player B also plays 1000 hands. On average, he should earn 30 bb. However, if he loses a few big hands, he could be at a disadvantage even though he should be winning on average.

Calculators such as Primedope allow you to estimate the probability of success over the long haul and optimize your bankroll. For starters, try calculating your result yourself with their values.

Why is bankroll management more than just finances?

The ability to control money affects a player's confidence and emotional state. This makes bankroll management a key tool for success.