Bankroll - what strategy do you actually follow!

Imposter

This is just out of curiousity rather than any real need to know but maybe it can help others:

I was just reading this excellent blog post and I got to thinking! There's been quite a few here that seem to have moved up the levels quite fast and others who seem to remain quite static for ages, so what sort of br management strategies are you actually using?

I've recently moved up to 1/2 NL after an age at .50/1 despite being adequately bankrolled for 1/2. As it stands a good run and I could be bankrolled for 2/4 relatively soon! (Whether my game is ready for it is another question) My time at .50/1 wasn't really wasted though as i've learned other games in the meantime and feel my game has come on a lot because of this.

For moving up down: Do people try to play a minimum amount of hands at a level before moving ot the next one or does the amount in the bankroll determine when they should move up? Does it work the same moving down?

Anybody got any interesting approaches to taking shots at higher levels?

Anyone use a strategy that isn't 20-30 buy-ins for NL (or 300-400BB's for limit) cash games? HOw many buy-ins do people like having for STT's or tournaments and how flexible will they be moving up/down with these?

kickintheteeth

big difference between 1-2, and the higher u go, is the amount it costs to see a flop, 1-2 and below either just call or minraise, be prepared to make or call bigger bets to see a flop. alot more agressive

FastMachine

The 20 buy-in rule is a good one. I stuck to it loosely when rising up.
Here's what I had -
25/50 - 10 buyins
50/1 - just under 20
1/2 - about 20
2/4 - almost exactly 20
3/6 - I over 20 for this level but I didn't stay long as I'd already made the br for 5/10 at 2/4
5/10 - I had 20.
10/20 - just under 20, only played it for a few weeks though and luckily I didn't have any major swings. I think you need more than 20 buyins for 10/20.

If you move up and take a hit of a few buyins straight off it's probably best to drop down again and make it back at the old level to reduce the possibility of tilting off lots of cash trying to make back your loss. I always liked to get off to a good start on a new level. I had a few false starts at 1/2 and 2/4 but 3/6 and 5/10 were fine.

For moving down - you could wait till your bankroll drops to 10 buy ins for your current level but you should really have dropped down sooner if you're having a 10 buy in downswing - you're either not able for the current level or you're playing bad/tilting, either way you should drop down earlier to save money and to sort out your game. If you're overrolled for your level and you have a 6 or greater buy in downswing you could stick it out at the current level, although I think dropping would be a better idea. If you've only got 20 buyins you should definately drop if you've lost 6.

FastMachine

I happened across a prime example of bad bankroll management yesterday on Tribecachat. This guy lixxan lost 50K in a month and is down to 15K and sounds like he's resigned himself to going bust. He's a decent player probably a bit too aggressive but if he had've dropped down (to 5/10 or 3/6) after losing 6 buyins he'd probably have over 50K now as he could've got his game together and started making money instead of loosing it.

Mr. Flibble

I tend to cash out at random which I think has slowed down my progression. I leave about 500 in my account and continue to play at 50/1, which I'm going to stop doing as I want to move up soon and mentally find it easier to play with money I have won recently than money I've previously cashed in.

Fastmachine and others, do you keep your bankroll 'virtual', as in have it tied up in other things and just know what it is by keeping records - or do you actually keep it liquid in Neteller or your online account?

An Gaiscíoch

By buy-in's I presume you mean table minimum buy-in's ???

bohsman

An Gaisc&#237 wrote: »

By buy-in's I presume you mean table minimum buy-in's ???

Maximum. You should never sit at a table with less than the max.

At the lower levels - up to 1/2NL Im generally happy with 5 to 10 buyins.
This is more the amount I have on a particular site though, my br is spread around 5 or 6 sites.

An Gaiscíoch

bohsman wrote:

Maximum. You should never sit at a table with less than the max.

At the lower levels - up to 1/2NL Im generally happy with 5 to 10 buyins.
This is more the amount I have on a particular site though, my br is spread around 5 or 6 sites.

Ok, so your bankroll shud be 20 MAX buyin's ? Understood

MrPillowTalk

The 20 buyins is a good rule of thumb, as regards moving up I would advise against putting everything you win into your bankroll if somewhere down the line you go broke the pain will be a lot less if you have something to show for your efforts. Something allong the lines of half your profit being spent on luxuries/or even better invested, and half going into your bankroll with an overall aim of growing a bankroll.

Dont move up just because you have 20 buyins at a higher level, it is harder to move down than up in a psychological sense and if you have a bad run you may very well savage your roll I have seen plenty of players drop an awful lot of money on extended tilt. Play at the level you make most money without masses of variance, I have the bankroll to play 25/50 comfortably but have no intention of moving up to that game, I played it a good bit a while ago and my earnings there where about the same as at 10/20 but the swings where (as you would expect) twice as big.

Sometimes I play the 150/300 limit game on tribeca and I reckon an adequate bankroll to play that game is $500k I am not near that deep, however if I have had a good week at 10/20 nl I might take 6k and have a shot but with a stop loss at one buyin, I have had a lot of success doing this and this is the method I would advise for players wanting to have a shot at a higher level.

Also if you are intending to move up then phase in the jump i.e. dont just play 2/4 for 3 months then one day decide to exclusively play 3/6 play a mix of the two levels for a while untill your play and your roll is comfortable.

FastMachine

Mr. Flibble wrote:

Fastmachine and others, do you keep your bankroll 'virtual', as in have it tied up in other things and just know what it is by keeping records - or do you actually keep it liquid in Neteller or your online account?

No I wouldn't have a 'virtual bankroll', it's all on Doyle's Room and PPP, with some more on Neteller. There's always some cash in the bank account too.

Flipper

I agree with Eoin 100%. Just because you're in the bigger limits doesn't mean you'll be more successful. What will most likely happen is that the variance between your wins and your losses will become bigger (relative to the game).

A very well known online player recently to me something that always sticks in my head. He told me that poker will always be there and not to be in any hurry moving up through the levels. I know several players who make a VERY good living playing 2/4 NL holdem and see no need to move any further. I also know $10/$20 (both holdem and omaha) players who have jumped into the big games with adequetly preparing both their online game and their bankroll. As a result, they suffer such huge swings that they rarely play well at all. It even lead to one of them going broke

I've learnt my lesson time and time again online by moving too fast through the games but recently, I made a real effort to re-train my online play on Pokerstars. I started with $2,000 and moved my way up to the $5/$10 PL omaha game where I am now a considerable winner. I'm now in a position to play the $10/$20 game also. There is no greater sense of accomplishment than doing something correctly

MrPillowTalk

Hard luck in London Kieran

Flipper

MrPillowTalk wrote:

Hard luck in London Kieran

Thanks Eoin, it's disappointing alright. Only thing that makes up for it is swapping 5% with Marty Smyth who I really believe can do the business. Anyone who plays on Ladbrokes will know that he is a H-U-G-E winner in the $15/$30 omaha game.