Optimum Buyin Amount for
Cash Games
This article is going
to focus specifically on buyin amounts for no
limit cash games. Buyin amounts don’t make a big
difference in fixed limit poker because each pot
is limited to some amount. The proper buyin for
fixed limit games is simply enough money to
cover bets and raises on all streets.
The
amount of money you bring to a poker table has a
major affect on several aspects of your poker
game. First of all, it determines how much you
can win/lose in any single hand. Second, the
amount you buy in with determines how much
postflop play you can expect to see. Large
buyins leave plenty of room for postflop
maneuvering while short buyins restrict most of
the action to the preflop and flop stages.
Figuring out how much you should buy in with is
actually pretty easy. There are three major
factors that you can consider to help you find
the perfect buyin amount. Let’s take a moment to
examine each of these factors.
Your Skill
The
more skilled you are, the more you should buy in
with. Large buyins give you more room to make
moves after the flop and exploit your opponents’
tendencies. Deep stack no-limit cash games
require great skill and courage because a lot of
money is at risk every hand.
Lesser-skilled poker players should stick with
smaller buyin amounts (50-100 big blinds)
because they risk less while they learn how to
play a solid poker game. You don’t want to drop
below 50 big blinds, though, because super short
buyins restrict every pot to all-in or nothing
situations and halt your progress as a poker
player.
Your Bankroll
The
size of your bankroll should have a major affect
on how much you buy in with. The generally
accepted rule of bankroll management is that you
should never buy in at a no limit table for
which you have fewer than 20 buyins. For
example, if you have a $1,000 bankroll, you
should buy in for $50.00 or less at each table.
In that case, $0.25/$0.50 no limit would be the
ideal game.
Bankroll management is an important skill
because it prevents you from ever going broke.
Every poker player in the world experiences
downswings but bankroll management prevents much
of the damage. By moving down every time your
bankroll dips below 20 buyins for your current
level, you always stay out of danger.
Your Goals
If
your goal is to win as much money as possible,
you should buy in with as much money as the
table and your bankroll allows. That way you’ll
never miss out on extra money when you get
all-in with other large-stacked players. As long
as you’re a winning player and have a solid
bankroll, the potential rewards outweigh the
risk of losing a large buyin.
If
your goal is just to play poker and have a
little fun, the size of your buyin doesn’t
matter as much. You can buy in with your entire
bankroll or just a portion of it. As long as you
play with money you can afford to lose (because
there’s always a risk), feel free to buy in with
as much or as little as you wish.
One Last Note
In
games that have no maximum buyin amount, you
really only need to buy in for enough money to
cover the player with the largest stack. If you
buy in with way more money than everyone else
has, you will look like a serious poker player
and possibly cause the other players to play
more cautiously against you.
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