At some point in my adventure of living from playing Poker I was constantly winning at the 3/6 No-Limit Hold’em level. However I was very inconsistent in 5/10 NL but I would often attempt to win a thousand a day and then cash it out for personal use.
I would only leave a few thousand in my poker account to play. When I was running well this was great. I wouldd make a thousand and spend my cash on whatever I wanted. Only when things turned bad, and we all know they do, I would lose all the money in my account.
This put a lot of pressure on me and affected my mood to the point where I couldn’t concentrate on my game: I was tilted like an old busted pinball game!
Eventually a friend of ours introduced me the concept of a keeping a large bankroll to build a buffer of money when you encounter several consequent bad-beats and suck-outs.
His general rule is to have 20-25 buyins for the stakes you are playing. It has helped me see the amount of money I make every week and even prevented my mood from going on “tilt” when I take swings. Since then, I’ve taken poker more as a game instead of a way to make money.
Managing my bankroll has helped me play much better and not chase losses. It helps me see the long-term side of poker and I realized how tilting can kill your bankroll. If I’m aware that I’m on tilt, I either force myself start playing my A game again or I just leave the game; I no longer allow my emotions to play Poker instead of me.
With an adequate bankroll in my account, I’ve realized that I play poker to play well, instead of to win money. This helps me focus on my mistakes and think about other ways to play my hand. As a result, I actually win more money and get better at the game. When I’m not thinking about the money, I play much a better game and am more willing to put my chips into the pot when a lot is at stake.
I’ve always believed that in order to improve at a game, you can’t just practice a lot, you have to practice right. Having a bankroll was a vital step in my path to get me to where I am today. Why play $20 sngs, cash out your winnings each time and spend it all? Invest it in yourself. Keep the money to build a bankroll and rise up to bigger games. Give your potential a chance.
Good luck at the tables!
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Tags: Bankroll Management, high-stake player, poker story, USD, winning strategies
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