{"id":82174,"date":"2020-03-25T09:32:17","date_gmt":"2020-03-25T09:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.partypoker.com\/blog?p=82174"},"modified":"2020-09-04T15:18:24","modified_gmt":"2020-09-04T15:18:24","slug":"the-importance-of-poker-bankroll-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.partypoker.com\/blog\/en\/the-importance-of-poker-bankroll-management.html","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Poker Bankroll Management"},"content":{"rendered":"

You need to make sure you’re playing responsibly and within your means whenever you play poker. One way to do this is to follow a bankroll management strategy.<\/p>\n

The biggest reason poker players go broke, a lack of skill aside is because of poor bankroll management. They don\u2019t keep enough money to one side to see them through downswings. This or they play stakes too high for the funds they have available.<\/p>\n

Practising good bankroll management<\/a> is like budgeting in your everyday life. Bills will catch up to you if you continually live outside your means in the \u201creal world.\u201d The same is true in the poker world. Things can and will come crashing down if you\u2019re not careful.<\/p>\n

What is a Bankroll?<\/h2>\n

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Many of you reading this will be seasoned players who are aware of what a bankroll is. Others may be new to online poker having either only played live or be completely new to the game. Whichever best describes you doesn\u2019t matter because it\u2019s worth reading this next bit. Much like when you\u2019re about to take off on a plane, watching the emergency procedures is a good idea even if you think<\/em> you know them off by heart.<\/p>\n

Your bankroll is the total money you have at your disposal for playing poker<\/a>. This next bit is crucial, so listen carefully. Your bankroll is made up of only money you can afford to lose<\/strong>. It\u2019s money that, if lost, doesn\u2019t affect anything or anyone in your life. Your bankroll is made up entirely of disposable income.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For example, if you think you have a $300 bankroll but you\u2019ve got a $50 bill looming that you need money for, you\u2019ve actually got a $250 bankroll.<\/p>\n

Under no circumstances<\/strong> ever should your bankroll contain funds that are earmarked for elsewhere. It\u2019s sometimes tempting to play poker or gamble with all your money, especially in testing, difficult times like many of us are currently experiencing, but don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Play lower stakes if you have to. Your bankroll dictates the stakes you should play. That\u2019s the cardinal rule of poker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why Is Bankroll Management Important?<\/h2>\n

There are several reasons why bankroll management is important. One is it limits the risk of you going broke.<\/p>\n

Going broke is disastrous for a poker player<\/strong> because it means you cannot play poker. At least not until you reload your account again. Imagine being a carpenter with no tools, it\u2019s similar to being a poker player with no bankroll.<\/p>\n

Following bankroll management also means you don\u2019t immediately have to drop down in stakes if you hit a losing spell. You will go on a major losing stretch, or downswing, at some point in your poker career. Having a large enough bankroll to soak up these losses before Lady Luck starts shining on you again keeps you in the game.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, practising good bankroll management prevents you from moving up stakes too fast while keeping you in games you can beat<\/strong>. Moving down stakes is just as important as moving up as it keeps you in the game.<\/p>\n

How Large Should Your Bankroll Be?<\/h2>\n

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You need to ask yourself a few simple questions before deciding how large your bankroll should be. Those questions are found below:<\/p>\n