Let's develop a bankroll strategy for the average player who wants to start playing Hold'em but can't afford to lose a great deal of money. This player would eventually like to earn a second income playing poker on the Internet, but can't risk any hard earned savings.

For example purposes, let's say this player has $500 to risk. We'll assume that since this player is just starting out, he is not at an expert level however, he has read and studied poker books and therefore has the potential to be a solid player. The first goal for this player is to demonstrate that he can win. A $500 starting bankroll would be plenty to start playing at $.50-$1 limits. If you manage to lose $500 at these limits, then Hold'em is probably not for you! You should demonstrate that you can win at least 100 big bets before moving on to another limit. In our example, the player should build his bankroll to $600 to demonstrate to himself that he can win. It should take about 100 hours of play to build this player's bankroll up to $600.

For some people it may be difficult to play at these low limits. You can only expect to earn about $1 an hour on average if you play well, and for many people this may seem insignificant. However, it is better to gain experience at the lower limits before you start risking your bankroll at the higher limits. You could lose $500 very quickly at $l-$2 if you have a bad run of cards and/or you are still learning the basic concepts of the game. Hold'em is a game of patience and if you want to succeed within the confines of your bankroll, you must demonstrate patience before reaping rewards. This is no different than if you were investing in the stock market or trying to grow a business.

I talk about deposit bonuses in my Dominate Online Poker Course, and explain how these bonuses might actually increase his bankroll up to $800 as opposed to $600. When our player demonstrates success, he can begin to move up to higher limits. He can now play $l-$2, and if his bankroll drops down to $500 again, he should drop back down to $.50-$1 and start all over again. Once he earns another 100 big bets an hour at $1-$2 or $200, he should have a bankroll around $ 1000. Add another $200 for deposit bonuses for a total of $1200. With $1200 he can move up to $2-$4 limits. If he drops down to $800, then again he should drop down a limit. Once he earns another 100 big bets at the new limit, he can move up another limit and so forth.

You need about $2500 to begin playing $5-$10. You will probably experience a distinct increase in the level of competition at this limit, so I suggest playing a little more time at this level to demonstrate you can win against better players. Once you reach $5000. you will have demonstrated that you can beat the game at the lower limits. Keep following the same process until you reach a limit that you are comfortable with. The following chart shows recommended bankrolls needed for moving up and down limits:

Poker Bankroll and Blind Levels Scale

These figures take into consideration free poker bonus opportunities.

Please note that this strategy is for someone who doesn't want to risk losing his entire bankroll, while also allowing you to move up limits rather quickly. If things start to go bad, you need to be sure to drop down to the previous indicated limit.

Each person has different levels of risk they are willing to assume. For example, some people could not handle losing $500 in a day. If this is the case, you should never play above $2-$4. It is possible, although rare if you are a good player, to lose up to 100 times the big blind in any given session; therefore, be sure you are comfortable with the limit you are playing. Once you reach a limit you are comfortable with and have a bankroll of about 350 times the big bet, you should be able to play forever without going broke, assuming you are a player who earns one big bet an hour on average.

Some players might also have higher bankrolls to start with. If this is the case, you can start where the table suggests, but realize that you still need to build some experience. If you begin losing, you should probably drop down a limit quicker than the chart indicates. Some people may be more willing to risk everything and say, "I only have $1000 to lose, but I can't play for $25 pots; therefore, I am going to risk it and play $10-$20. If I lose it all, that is OK. with me." If you are that person, that is fine. Just realize that if you hit a bad run of cards, you could lose your entire bankroll in one session and be finished.

Like anything in life, to be successful you need to make a plan. What are your goals playing poker? How much would you like to earn per week? Once you know your bankroll and the hours you expect to play, you can estimate how long it will take to reach your goals. Or do you just want free poker cash? The sample plan above suggests that you will need to play 800 hours on average before you can begin to play $20-$40 when starting out with a $500 bankroll. If you have a $2500 bankroll, you could begin playing $20-$40 within 500 hours. Once you reach $20-$40, you could add over $1600 a month to your income playing as little as 10 hours a week. You can make money playing poker, a lot of money!

Each person will have different goals. Just be sure to make a plan that is realistic given your bankroll, the limits you are comfortable playing, and the time you are willing to invest.

To conclude, I want you to read our cash game strategy as well as this helps your overall bankroll strategy as well.

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A Simple Bankroll Strategy