Poker Bankroll Management Chart
A poker bankroll management chart showing the exact roll you need at each cash and tournament stake, plus how to read it and when to move.
On this page · 8 sections
A poker bankroll management chart maps each stake to the size of roll it requires: 20–30 buy-ins for cash games and 100+ buy-ins for tournaments. Find your format and stake, read across to the bankroll figure, and play the highest level your roll comfortably covers. The chart below gives concrete dollar targets so you never have to guess.
Online cash-game chart
Cash games swing less than tournaments, so 20–30 buy-ins is enough. These figures use a full 100-big-blind buy-in:
| Stake (blinds) | Buy-in | 20 buy-ins | 30 buy-ins |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.01/$0.02 | $2 | $40 | $60 |
| $0.02/$0.05 | $5 | $100 | $150 |
| $0.05/$0.10 | $10 | $200 | $300 |
| $0.10/$0.25 | $25 | $500 | $750 |
| $0.25/$0.50 | $50 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
| $0.50/$1 | $100 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| $1/$2 | $200 | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| $2/$5 | $500 | $10,000 | $15,000 |
The 20-buy-in column suits recreational players who reload easily and move down fast; the 30-buy-in column suits full-timers and anyone who hates downswings.
Live cash-game chart
Live games are typically softer but slower and harder to top up, so 20–40 buy-ins is the working range. Live stakes are quoted differently and players often buy in for less than 100 big blinds — these use a common effective buy-in:
| Stake | Typical buy-in | 20 buy-ins | 40 buy-ins |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1/$2 | $200 | $4,000 | $8,000 |
| $1/$3 | $300 | $6,000 | $12,000 |
| $2/$5 | $500 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| $5/$10 | $1,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
Tournament chart
Tournaments are lumpy — you lose most and cash rarely — so they demand 100+ buy-ins, with 200 preferred for large fields:
| Buy-in | 100 buy-ins | 200 buy-ins |
|---|---|---|
| $5 | $500 | $1,000 |
| $11 | $1,100 | $2,200 |
| $22 | $2,200 | $4,400 |
| $55 | $5,500 | $11,000 |
| $109 | $10,900 | $21,800 |
Use the buy-in including the fee — a “$100 + $9” event costs $109, and that’s the number the chart multiplies. More on why the swings are this severe in the tournament bankroll guide.
How to read and use the chart
- Pick your format and its buy-in multiple (say 25 for cash, 100 for MTTs).
- Find the highest stake whose bankroll figure your roll comfortably exceeds.
- Move up only when you clear the threshold for the next level with room to spare — details in when to move up in stakes.
- Move down immediately when a downswing drops you below your current stake’s figure. This is the step beginners skip and the one that saves bankrolls.
Worked example
Your poker-only bankroll is $1,200 and you want to play online cash.
- On the chart, $0.25/$0.50 wants $1,000 (20 buy-ins) to $1,500 (30). You’re above the 20-buy-in line but short of 30 — playable, but on the aggressive end.
- The safer read is to sit at $0.10/$0.25, where $1,200 is nearly 50 buy-ins, and use $0.25/$0.50 only for occasional shots.
- Once your roll reaches ~$1,500, $0.25/$0.50 becomes a full 30-buy-in home game.
Why the numbers differ by format
The charts aren’t arbitrary — each buy-in count is tuned to how wildly that format swings. Cash games let you reload immediately and win steadily, so a downswing is a series of manageable dips; 20–30 buy-ins covers them. Tournaments pay out in a top-heavy spike you hit only occasionally, so you can run dozens of events at a loss while playing perfectly. That’s why the tournament chart demands four to five times the buy-in count of cash. Sit & Go and Spin & Go formats fall between the two, needing roughly 50–100 buy-ins depending on payout structure.
If you play more than one format, keep separate buy-in counts for each rather than pooling one number. A roll that’s comfortable for cash can be dangerously thin for tournaments played from the same pot.
Adjusting the chart to you
The numbers are defaults, not laws. Shift toward more buy-ins if you:
- Play a loose, high-variance style.
- Can’t easily reload or add to your bankroll.
- Rely on poker for meaningful income.
Shift toward fewer only if you move down without hesitation and can rebuild quickly. Whatever you choose, keep it consistent — flip-flopping thresholds mid-downswing is how discipline collapses. A chart only works if the line it draws is one you actually respect.
Turning the chart into a habit
The value of a chart isn’t the table itself — it’s that it removes the in-the-moment decision. When you’re up a few buy-ins and tempted to jump stakes, or down and tempted to stay put and grind it back, the chart has already decided for you. That pre-commitment is what protects you from the emotional swings that wreck bankrolls.
Print the row that matches your game, tape it near your screen, and let it make the stake decision for you. When you’re ready to work on the edge that grows your roll, the cash game strategy hub is the next stop, and the bankroll management hub ties the whole system together.
Frequently asked
How much bankroll do I need for each stake?
For cash games, keep 20–30 buy-ins for your stake; for tournaments, 100+. So $0.25/$0.50 online cash ($50 buy-in) wants $1,000–$1,500, while $2/$5 live ($500 buy-in) wants $10,000–$15,000.
How do I read a bankroll management chart?
Find your game format and stake in the rows, then read across to the recommended bankroll. Play the highest stake whose bankroll figure your roll comfortably covers, and drop a row the moment your roll falls below it.
Is 20 or 30 buy-ins better for cash games?
Thirty is safer and suits full-time or higher-variance players; twenty works for recreational grinders who can reload and who move down quickly. Both are fine — the discipline of moving down matters more than the exact number.
Does the chart change for live versus online?
Slightly. Live games are softer but slower and harder to reload, so many players keep 20–40 buy-ins live and lean toward the higher end for cash online, where competition is tougher.