Everyone who loves poker is well aware how important it is to practice good bankroll management to succeed at it in the long term. Even though it might seem like a simple thing to do, even some very seasoned poker players have a hard time managing their finances.
Smartly managing your money can not only enable you to play the game for the long term, but also play higher stakes. Not just that, effective bankroll management can even ensure that you get to keep the money you win by playing good poker. No matter which online casino or poker room you may be playing at, following certain tips and strategies can help you significantly in managing your bankroll effectively while playing this game. Let’s learn about them below.
Never mix your poker and personal finances
It’s very important to treat playing poker as a form of business. The money invested into it should be treated as the capital introduced into a business. No matter how much money you have allocated to your poker bankroll, you must avoid spending it elsewhere. Never count on this money to make any regular bill payments. Hence, always be smart about what you can commit to this game, or business. Taking money out of a business can make it fail. After all, money makes more money in business, and in poker.
Always stay within your bankroll
Poker has taught a lot of good lessons to people from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs. However, one important lesson that all poker players should remember is staying within their bankroll when playing this game. It might seem tempting to invest into high-stakes cash games involving crazy action, but you should avoid the temptation. Never get involved in them if your bankroll doesn’t allow you to. Stick to the regular stakes, else you might go broke in no time.
Avoid making desperate moves, just to stop variance
Don’t get rattled whenever you are faced with the inevitable downswing. Keep playing your normal game. Many a times even the best players make bad moves and go crazy when faced with the inevitable variance. Please know, variance doesn’t have any memory. Therefore, losing a hand doesn’t imply that you will lose the next too. It also doesn’t guarantee that you’ll win it either. On the whole, you should avoid playing recklessly or higher stakes just to chase your losses.
Reduce the stakes whenever necessary
Don’t feel any shame or shyness in reducing the stakes when you need to. If your bankroll has decreased considerably, it would be only sensible to move down the stakes until you’ve gather enough funds to start playing regular stakes again.
Keep a tab on your poker sessions
Being aware of the type of poker games you’re good at can help you win consistently over the long run. Not keeping track of your games and their results will make it very hard for you to know which games are profitable and which ones not. Keeping track of your plays will also tell you about the improvements you need to make in your game.