A Sample Bankroll Strategy
Let's develop a bankroll strategy for the average player who wants to start playing
Hold'em but can't afford to lose a great deal of money. This player would eventually
like to earn a second income playing poker on the Internet, but can't risk any hard-
earned savings or their spouse will quickly put an end to their playing days, lol. For
example purposes, let's say this player has $500 to risk.
We assume that since this player is just starting out, he is not at an expert level;
however, he has read and studied this book and therefore has the potential to be a
solid player, :). The first goal for this player is to demonstrate that he can win. $500
ought to be enough to win at $.50-$1 limits. If you lose $500 at these limits, then
Hold'em is probably not for you. You should demonstrate that you can win at least
100 big bets before moving on to another limit; therefore, this player should build
his bankroll to $600 to demonstrate to himself that he can win.
For some people it may be difficult to play at these low limits. You can only expect
to earn about $1 an hour on average if you play well, and for many people this may
seem insignificant. However, it is better to gain experience at the lower limits before
you start risking your bankroll at the higher limits. You could lose $500 very quickly
at $l-$2 if you have a bad run of cards and/or you are still learning the basic
concepts of the game. Hold'em is a game of patience and if you want to succeed
within the confines of your bankroll, you must demonstrate patience before reaping
rewards. This is no different than if you were investing in the stock market or trying
to grow a business.
It should take about 100 hours of play to build this player's bankroll up to $600.
Later we will talk about deposit bonuses in the \"Promotions\" chapter, but these
bonuses might increase his bankroll up to $800. Now that the player has
demonstrated success, he can begin to move up to higher limits. He can now play
$l-$2, and if his bankroll drops down to $500 again, he should drop back down to
$.50-$1 and start all over again. Once he earns another 100 big bets an hour at $1-
$2 or $200, he should have a bankroll around $ 1000. Add another $200 for deposit
bonuses for a total of $1200. With $1200 he can move up to $2-$4 limits. If he
drops down to $800, then again he should drop down a limit.
Once he earns another 100 big bets at the new limit, he can move up another limit
and so forth. You need about $2500 to begin playing $5-$10. You will probably
experience a distinct increase in the level of competition at this limit, so I suggest
playing a little more time at this level to demonstrate you can win against better
players. Once you reach $5000. you will have demonstrated that you can beat the
game at the lower limits.
Keep following the same process until you reach a limit that you are comfortable
with. The following chart shows recommended bankrolls needed for moving up and
down limits:
| |
Bankroll* |
Avg Hours of Play |
| $.50-$1 |
$500 |
100 |
| $1-$2 |
$800 |
100 |
| $2-$4 |
$1200 |
100 |
| $3-$6 |
$1800 |
100 |
| $5-$10 |
$2500 |
225 |
| $10-$20 |
$5000 |
125 |
| $15-$30 |
$7500 |
100 |
| $20-$40 |
$10,000 |
|
*Includes deposit bonuses opportunities
Please note that this strategy is for someone who doesn't want to risk losing his
entire bankroll, while also allowing you to move up limits rather quickly if you are
doing well. If things start to go bad, you need to be sure to drop down to the limit
indicated.
Each person has different levels of risk they are willing to assume. For example,
some people could not handle losing $500 in a day. If this is the case, you should
never play above $2-$4. It is possible, although rare if you are a good player, to
lose up to 100 times the big bet in any given session; therefore, be sure you are
comfortable with the limit you are playing. Once you reach a limit you are
comfortable with and have a bankroll of about 350 times the big bet, you should be
able to play forever without going broke, assuming you are a player who earns one
big bet an hour on average.
Some players might also have higher bankrolls to start with. If this is the case, you
can start where the table suggests, but realize that you still need to build some
experience. If you begin losing, you should probably drop down a limit quicker than
the chart indicates. Some people may be more willing to risk everything and say, "I
only have $1000 to lose, but I can't play for $25 pots; therefore, I am going to risk it
and play $10-$20. If I lose it all, that is OK. with me." If you are that person, that is
fine. Just realize that if you hit a bad run of cards, you could lose your entire
bankroll in one session and be finished.
Like anything in life, to be successful you need to make a plan. What are your goals
playing poker? How much would you like to earn per week? Once you know your
bankroll and the hours you expect to play, you can estimate how long it will take to
reach your goals.
The sample plan above suggests that you will need to play 800 hours on average
before you can begin to play $20-$40 when starting out with a $500 bankroll. If you
have a $2500 bankroll, you could begin playing $20-$40 within 500 hours. Once
you reach $20-$40, you could add over $1600 a month to your income playing as
little as 10 hours a week.
Each person will have different goals. Just be sure to make a plan that is realistic
given your bankroll, the limits you are comfortable playing, and the time you are
willing to invest.
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