5 Rules for Managing Your Online Poker Bankroll

Smart rules for managing your money during poker play.

Many poker players, even those who frequently win their games, are susceptible to burning through their bankrolls quite speedily, and even the best of us can ruin successful weeks or months with 1 or 2 bad sessions. This article will help you stay on a roll and manage your money.

1. Play Within Your Roll

Start with the most vital concept first: you have to limit yourself to sticking to your budget if you want to make money from your online poker play. Your bankroll, although it is certainly finite, needs to be big enough to not seem so: stick to the standard rule whereby you have less than 5% of your roll in a game on 1 table at a time. The fact is, if you don’t ever have to worry about going broke if you lose a particular game the chances that you won’t are much higher.

2. Don’t Monitor Your Balance

If you are following rule number 1 and playing from within a legitimate bankroll, you are facing little-to-no risk of ever going broke. The game of poker is played with chips, not cash, for a reason, and if you think about the money you are playing the game with you are wasting your time. It simply isn’t relevant.

The first step towards complete self-destruction is chasing your losses, since making money is a slower process, and losing it is much faster. The way minute-to-minute changes will affect your mood, and thus your game, will affect its outcome. No matter whether you are playing casino online poker or a game with your pals, keep this rule in mind in order to stay on top of your game.

3. Treat the Game Seriously

When you are involved in a poker game for real money rewards, every single session, each pot, and all decisions matter; even a tiny error will cost you cash. Limit distractions, and play poker with your full attention.

4. Pay Attention to Your Human Needs

You are not superhuman, and require maintenance and upkeep in order to stay healthy. If you aren’t, and don’t feel good as a result, you will not be playing your best game. Eat well, make sure you’re comfortable, stay hydrated, and make sure you are able to bring the best version of yourself to each of your games.

5. Integrate a Tilt-Induced Kill Switch

Tilt is the number 1 bankroll-breaker. Tilt is generally caused by breaking one or more of the rules previously outlined, or even something simple like a bad beat, and can cause even the most level-headed player into a frenzied state of bizarre bets, ridiculous raises and catastrophic calls.

Tilt is caused by many factors, most of them personal, and can arise from anywhere. Although it varies in degree from player to player, it is not possible to avoid it completely. When you feel any of the signs of tilt coming, no matter how inconsequential they may initially seem, it’s time to step away from play and remove yourself entirely.

Get Started with Proper Poker Play

If you follow the rules outlined here you will become far more adept at playing winning poker, and it is more than likely that you will never go broke as a result of your online play. Smart bankroll management is the key to success, and when you’re disciplined, it comes easily.