Poker School · lesson 5 of 7 · 4 min
How much you need behind you to survive ordinary bad luck.
Why the number is larger than it feels
Poker results swing hard over any stretch short enough to care about. A winning player can lose for weeks. Bankroll rules exist so that an ordinary run of bad luck cannot end your ability to keep playing the game you are actually good at.
Rough guidance
Tournaments need far more because you cash in roughly one game in seven and most of the money sits in the top few places. Long stretches with no return are normal there, not a sign anything is wrong.
| Format | Buy-ins to keep behind you |
|---|---|
| Cash games | 20 to 40 buy-ins for the stake you play |
| Single-table sit and gos | 50 or more |
| Multi-table tournaments | 100 or more, and that is not conservative |
The rules that actually protect you
- Keep the poker money separate from money you need for anything else.
- Set a deposit limit in the room's own settings before you need one, not after.
- Move down in stakes when the roll drops. Nobody does this, and it is the single thing that keeps players solvent.
- Never top up mid-session to chase a loss back.
If losing the money would change your week, the stake is too high, whatever the bankroll table says.
