MattRyder
🍏 Tech That Works!
Bronze Level
Depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
Most of us are going to be net losers over time so if you just want to play recreationally the answer is how much disposable income you are easily able to throw away in a night to have some fun.
I say “night” because you want to reassess after each night what you think your potential is to maybe make money at it. And, whether you could have just as much fun putting your money into some other activity.
As long as you have plenty of money left over for rent, food, transportation, fitness, health and ALL family/children obligations.
I like to play $2 buy-in 6-seat online STTs. They last longer and are not nearly as cut-throat as cash tables at the same buy-in.
Most of us are going to be net losers over time so if you just want to play recreationally the answer is how much disposable income you are easily able to throw away in a night to have some fun.
I say “night” because you want to reassess after each night what you think your potential is to maybe make money at it. And, whether you could have just as much fun putting your money into some other activity.
As long as you have plenty of money left over for rent, food, transportation, fitness, health and ALL family/children obligations.
I like to play $2 buy-in 6-seat online STTs. They last longer and are not nearly as cut-throat as cash tables at the same buy-in.
Last edited:
D0nk3y Hunt3r
Visionary
Bronze Level
I was doing an experiment on one small site, going all in every time I caught top pair on flop, I lost then more then 20 buy ins and I obviously was convinced that site is rigged.
According to primedope usually around 10 bis would do and I agree with that.
According to primedope usually around 10 bis would do and I agree with that.
azteca6
Rock Star
Bronze Level
Personally, to enter an SNG cash table, I try to enter with a minimum of 10 BB as a base so that I can keep up with those who are already there and be able to generate a profit if I play a good hand, but at least I enter with 10BB and that's what I apply it to both virtual and live desks
messats
Rock Star
Bronze Level
interesting topic, for me i think having 50 times the buy in youre looking to enter in because cash games can swing either way profit or loss
E
EarnDAStack
Visionary
Platinum Level
This is a really difficult question to answer. As Matt said up above most people are net losing players, so in theory there is no amount of buy-ins to be able to be properly rolled as you'll have to add real world money if you want to keep playing.
Once you have established yourself as a winning player at a stake it depends what you're trying to get out of the game and how your outside financial situation is.
If you have a comfortable financial situation away from poker you can use a more aggressive approach for moving up the stakes, somewhere between 30-40 buy-ins and taking a 3-5 buy in shot should be fine so long as you know you're beating the level below it and can drop back down if your shot doesn't go well. However if you can't deposit again for a while you will want to take a much more conservative approach, maybe something closer to 50-60 before taking a 4-5 buy-in shot at the level above. And then thirdly if you're looking to take money out of poker monthly for your everyday bills you should have something closer to 100 buy-ins at the level you want to be playing before you risk having to drop to a lower stake if you have to withdraw to pay bills in a break even or losing month.
These are more just guidelines than anything else, but the things I've tried to highlight are things you should think about when trying to create the plan for your bankroll.
As said above primedope is a fantastic resource once to see how bad or how good someone can run and how it's very hard to get a full understanding of your win rate over short periods but should give you a reasonable idea to make some projections.
T
Once you have established yourself as a winning player at a stake it depends what you're trying to get out of the game and how your outside financial situation is.
If you have a comfortable financial situation away from poker you can use a more aggressive approach for moving up the stakes, somewhere between 30-40 buy-ins and taking a 3-5 buy in shot should be fine so long as you know you're beating the level below it and can drop back down if your shot doesn't go well. However if you can't deposit again for a while you will want to take a much more conservative approach, maybe something closer to 50-60 before taking a 4-5 buy-in shot at the level above. And then thirdly if you're looking to take money out of poker monthly for your everyday bills you should have something closer to 100 buy-ins at the level you want to be playing before you risk having to drop to a lower stake if you have to withdraw to pay bills in a break even or losing month.
These are more just guidelines than anything else, but the things I've tried to highlight are things you should think about when trying to create the plan for your bankroll.
As said above primedope is a fantastic resource once to see how bad or how good someone can run and how it's very hard to get a full understanding of your win rate over short periods but should give you a reasonable idea to make some projections.
T
D0nk3y Hunt3r
Visionary
Bronze Level
About those shots I'm doing things like this from time to time.
Shortcuts I use: LBI = lower buyin, HBI = higher buy in, P = profit from session over 1 buyin.
- you start at your level of comfort,
- you try to collect P = 2HBI,
- you take a shot for higher stakes for 1HBI (keeping 1HBI as "savings"),
- if you lose 1HBI, you get back to lower stakes repeating procedure , trying to collect once again P=2HBI (you already have 1HBI intact, as savings, you add additional 1HBI if you score)
This strategy can be very profitable if you don't experience many bad beats.
nasty bent gorilla
Visionary
Platinum Level
At lowest micro stakes I wouldn't worry about my bankroll. Just try to beat the game of choice by ten buy-ins, then consider moving up if you feel comfortable. If you find yourself playing with scared money, move down a level.
Gallarado777
Legend
Bronze Level
it's better to spend the same money on tournaments in which you can win cash games is still more difficult because of the big difference who is lucky today, my friend decides there is enough to have $100 if you play $1 in x100 you always take and play boldly
johnnylawford
Visionary
Bronze Level
If you're interested in learning more about bank roll management for cash or tournaments I would recommend watching this video from the folks at GTO Wizard:
Bankroll Management Overview
Bankroll Management Overview
BelFish
Legend
Loyaler
In fact, the question is not so difficult from the point of view of mathematics
Knowing your win rate and std.dev over a long playing distance (from the tracker), you can absolutely determine what bankroll is required in order to have a certain risk of ruin, which everyone chooses for himself. For example, it is good to choose the risk of ruin R=5%, otherwise it will be an overly conservative game. But if poker is your profession, then it is better to choose the risk of ruin no more than 1%-2%
The formula that is used in the primedope calculator is completely accurate and works for any type of game:
BR = {D/2m}*Ln(1/R)
D - dispersion
m - win rate
R - risk of ruin
D=[std.dev]^2
If R is chosen equal to 2%, then Ln(1/R)=Ln(1/0.02)=Ln(50)=3.912
For example, your indicators in the tracker are: m=7BB/100, std.dev=90BB/100
Then BR= {(90^2)/(2*7)}*3.912=2263.4BB or about 23 stacks of 100BB each. It is with this BRM for a player with a win rate of 7BB/100 and std.dev = 90BB/100, the risk of ruin will be equal to 2%
And if we consider a player with indicators m=2BB/100, std.dev=100BB/100, then in order for him to have a ruin risk of no more than 2%, a much larger bankroll will be required:
BR= {(100^2)/(2*2)}*3.912=9780bb or almost 100 full stacks of 100bb each.
