20 is more aggressive, 40 is more conservative; if variance is high or part-time, suggest 30+.

Is it the same for MTT?

MTT variance is larger, often requiring 100–200 buy-ins.

Can I make an exception and buy more?

Occasionally it's okay, but frequent exceptions indicate BRM is ineffective.

Can I drop down if my bankroll is insufficient?

Drop down. When below the recommended buy-in multiples, variance will break through your psychological and bankroll limits.

Are professional and amateur BRM the same?

Professionals are often more conservative; amateurs can use slightly fewer buy-ins, but don't make an exception to add more when on tilt.

Bankroll Management Calculator

Poker Bankroll Management Calculator: Calculate recommended total bankroll and stop-loss based on buy-in multiples. Includes BRM principles, examples, and FAQ.

Calculator

What is Bankroll Management Calculator

Common advice: 20–40 buy-ins for cash games, 100+ buy-ins for MTTs. A single session stop-loss of around 3 buy-ins helps control tilt and daily variance.

Deep dive

Cash games typically require 20–40 buy-ins; MTTs due to higher variance often need 100+ buy-ins. Long-term EV, ROI, rakeback, and orbit-cost jointly determine real hourly rate; stake selection should keep variance within psychological and bankroll tolerance. Use the calculator on this page to instantly compute break-even win rate, then cross-check the numbers against opponent ranges, position, and turn/river plans to avoid memorizing formulas without applying them at the table. Common Misconceptions Moving up in stakes after a loss to chase; declaring +EV or dismissing skill with insufficient sample size. Ignoring rakeback makes marginal strategies actually negative. Using recreational funds at professional stakes; variance breaks BRM. Also, don't treat Solver frequencies as infallible without pot odds verification; when information is incomplete, ICM and SPR remain the first principles of tournaments. Learning Suggestions Record buy-ins, stakes, duration, and ROI by game type. Cross-check against variance and tournament ROI; adjust stakes only with sufficient sample. Write down move-up/move-down trigger conditions; they matter more for long-term survival than single-hand technique. Each week, pick five real hand histories to recalculate using the same tool, and revisit the glossary to review concepts like pot odds, ICM, SPR which are auto-linked.

Worked examples

NL50 cash game BRM

Scenario：NL50 single table buy-in $50, choose 30 buy-in rule.

Recommended total bankroll = 50 × 30 = $1,500
Single session stop-loss ≈ 3 buy-ins = $150
Below 20 buy-in, consider moving down.

Conclusion：$1,500 can stably play NL50; strictly implement stop-loss.

After consecutive losses, should you move up in stakes?

Scenario：NL25 lost 5 buy-ins in a row, want to move up to NL50 to recover.

Moving up in stakes amplifies variance and emotional risk.
Check whether BRM still meets 20+ buy-in
Should first reduce bets or stop and review

Conclusion：After consecutive losses, raising bets violates BRM; lowering bets or taking a break is a better choice.

When to use

Tool when-to-use: bankroll Assess before moving up or down stakes
Set session stop-loss
Tool when-to-use: bankroll New players establish BRM discipline
Evaluate whether current bankroll is suitable for the level

FAQ

: 20 is more aggressive, 40 is more conservative; if variance is high or part-time, suggest 30+.

Glossary