More thoughts on bankroll management.

I am still playing at the micro and low levels at the online tables. My live play is done at a poker room in Seabrook NH, close to where I live. There, I play in the $2/4 Limit Hold ‘Em tables.

Many different people have many different ideas as to when to move up a level. As I play mostly Limit Hold ‘Em cash games,  I use a figure of 500 big blinds (BB) for my Limit Hold ‘Em bankroll and 2000 big blinds (BB) for No Limit. I also use a percentage figure of 2% of my bankroll to determine the maximum buy-in to tournaments.

Assuming that I have  a $2,500 bankroll, I can play in Limit Cash games with a maximum big blind of $5.00 (2500/500 = 5.00.)  In No Limit Games with big blinds of no more than $1.25 or rounded down to a $1.00. Using the 2% rule, I can play in a tourney of up to a $50 dollar buy in (2% times 2500 = $50.)  If my bankroll increases, I can move up using the same 500BB – 2000BB – 2% formula.

Depending on your success at the tables, your acceptable levels risk may vary. Just what percentages you use might be different than mine. If I were a great player, I might only need 150BB  for limit, 300BB for no limit and could play for buy-ins for up to 5% in tourneys.  If I were a worse, but still winning player, I might have to use 1000BB – 5000BB – .50% figures.

The idea behind bankroll management is to allow you to play without going broke during those times when you will run bad. However, if you are a losing player, no amount of bankroll mangement will keep you from going broke. Again, the guidelines that I use were culled from suggestions made by various “poker pros” in the many books and videos I have read and watched.

How do you manage your bankroll? What percentages do you use? Do you ever play in games above your level? Do you step down in levels when your bankroll goes down?