Downswing Lifetime Graph

I’ve had 2 really major downswings.  In a little over 100,000 hands, I’ve had one downswing for 26 buyins and another one for 24 buyins.  This just goes to show how important bankroll management is to a successful poker player.  So, how many buyins do you need for heads up cash games?  Here’s what you need to consider

1. Psychological Devastation:  If you’re playing with a 30 buyin roll and you lose 25 buyins, you are going to be psychologically crushed.  Your bankroll is down over 83%!  If you have a 50 buyin bankroll and you lose 25 buyins, that’s only a 50% decrease.  Still pretty brutal, but you are much more likely to recover and continue on your poker career.
2. Moving Down: Some people are very disciplined and move down after a certain stop-loss, say 5 or 10 buyins.  I’ve never been too good at that.  My stoploss is usually 20 buyins…  If you are very disciplined and are willing to move down (unlike me), you can have a smaller bankroll.
3. Winrate: The better the player the fewer (and less brutal) the downswings.  If I had to guess though, I’d bet you’re overrating your skill level.  You will run worse than you ever though possible.  I guarantee it.

So here’s the gripping conclusion.  I think a 40 buyin bankroll is a good starting point for heads up cash games.  Consider the 3 factors I mentioned and adjust accordingly.

For further reading on dealing with downswings, I highly recommend this 2+2 post.