Bankroll Management: Surviving the Swings
The best strategy in the world can't help you if you go broke during a normal downswing. Bankroll management keeps you in the game.
Why bankroll management matters
Poker has brutal short-term variance. Even a strong winner endures stretches of 20+ buy-in downswings. A bankroll is the cushion that lets you keep making +EV decisions without the fear (or the reality) of busting. Playing stakes too high for your roll is the most common reason good players go broke.
How many buy-ins do you need?
| Format | Conservative | Aggressive |
|---|---|---|
| Cash games (NL) | 40–50 buy-ins | 20–30 buy-ins |
| Single-table SNGs | 50 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins |
| Multi-table tournaments | 100+ buy-ins | 50–75 buy-ins |
Tournaments need far more buy-ins because the variance is enormous — you can go many events without a cash even while playing well.
Heads upThese are bankroll minimums for taking the games seriously, not amounts you should be willing to lose carelessly. Only ever play with money you can afford to lose — see our responsible gambling page.
Moving up and down
- Move up when you have the buy-ins for the next level and a proven win-rate at your current one.
- Move down without ego the moment a downswing drops you below your threshold for the current stake. Protecting the roll always wins.
- Keep records. You can't manage what you don't measure. Track results to know your true win-rate and variance.