Tilt Control: How I Saved 3 Buy-ins by Walking Away

Bankroll management is the unsexy backbone of professional poker. You can be the best player at the table, but without proper BRM, variance will eventually send you broke. Here’s the system I’ve used to never go busto.

Cash Game Bankroll Requirements

• NL2-NL10: 30-40 buy-ins minimum. Games are soft but you’re learning.
• NL25-NL50: 40-50 buy-ins. Win rates drop as you move up. Variance increases.
• NL100-NL200: 50-100 buy-ins. The swings are real. Even 10 buy-in downswings are normal.

Tournament Bankroll

MTTs require much larger bankrolls due to higher variance:

• Low stakes (< $11): 100-200 buy-ins
• Mid stakes ($11-$109): 200-300 buy-ins
• High stakes ($215+): 300-500 buy-ins

My Personal System

I keep 50 buy-ins for my main stake (NL200). When the bankroll hits 60 buy-ins, I take a shot at NL500 with 5 buy-ins. If I lose those, I drop back down — no ego, no tilt, just math.

Stop-Loss Rules

Per session: Quit after losing 3 buy-ins. Period. You’re not playing your A-game anymore. Per week: If I’m down 8 buy-ins for the week, I take 2 days off to review hands and reset mentally.

Summary

Treat your bankroll like a business asset, not a gambling fund. The players who survive are the ones who manage risk, not the ones who run the hottest.

This vlog is part of the daily Poker Vlog series. For more strategy content, download the BPT App — the best free poker tracker with session logging and bankroll management.