Building Your Bankroll

I get asked about bankrolls all of the time. “How do you build a bankroll?” The answer to that question varies from player to player. It all depends on your personal preferences and what game(s) you excel at. You also need to take into consideration that some players tend to be specialists. By this I mean that they prefer to play cash games instead of tournaments or vice versa.

Me? I prefer playing No Limit deep stacks long structured poker tournaments as it gives me a considerable advantage over most of my opponents. I tend to be a very patient person by nature and rarely do I get riled up over much of anything. Therefore tournaments that lend themselves to long structures suit me perfectly. This allows me to maximize and leverage poker strategy and the impatience of most of my opponents that just can’t stand not being in action for long.

For most people I recommend playing single table Limit or No Limit tournaments with nine players or less. This is a fast and relatively easy way to build your bankroll. Consider that you only need to finish in the top three in order to make the money in them. That’s not all that difficult if the cards break even. Now factor in your ability to at least play fundamentally sound poker and you now have an edge over half the table in low buy-in single tables. Obviously the higher you go up in stakes the more experienced opponents you will face. You can find low-limit Sit n Go tournaments for as little as fifty cents on most sites. I would suggest playing in the $3 - $10 buy-in range pending on your bankroll. It’s up to you though. Play where you feel comfortable so you can optimize your game.

Lastly, micro-limit cash games can also be a boon for a player looking to increase their bankroll. I have seen players earn a couple hundred in a session playing .50 - $1 No Limit cash games. So it can be done.

The bottom line is that you do not have to be in a hurry. I would encourage any player to take their time and build as fast as the cards allow and not try and win that big bankroll in one night. Go with the flow and know when it’s time to go home and you will not only earn the bankroll you desire but you will preserve those winnings over the long run.

Good luck at the tables!