Think of Your Money in Three Separate Parts
A solid bankroll strategy treats your poker funds as three “accounts” with different purposes:
a. Operational bankroll
The money you actively use to play.
Follow the standard buy-in rules (20–100 buy-ins depending on format).
This money should never drop below the minimum needed to safely play your current stakes.
b. Safety reserve
Around 10–20% of your total bankroll, kept outside the
poker site.
It protects you from bad downswings or allows a quick reload if needed.
c. Profits / Withdrawals
The extra money you can withdraw once your bankroll exceeds your safe range for the current level.
When to Withdraw Money
This depends on your current phase as a player.
a. Growth phase
If your goal is to move up in stakes, don’t withdraw until you’ve built the bankroll required for the next level.
Example: playing NL10 with U$S400 and needing U$S800 for NL20 — keep everything in your bankroll until you reach that point.
b. Stable phase
Once you’re comfortably rolled for your current level, withdraw the excess above your target bankroll.
Example: You play NL25 with a 40-buy-in bankroll (U$S1,000).
If you grow to U$S1,300, you can safely withdraw U$S300.
