The Concept of Learning Poker part four

One such example for me personally is in the subject of bankrolls. This is an often discussed topic on the forums with many people asking for advice. But the road that I take with regards bankrolls is a road that is designed for me personally that fits my own individual mindset and circumstances.

For instance, I have never liked the idea of having a conventional bankroll even when I was playing online poker professionally although I can fully realise the importance of having one to a great many players. I have always had cast iron financial discipline so on this score, I have far less need to place money separately to my other finances because I know that I will not overstep the mark.

Plus I have never been a fan of conventional bankrolls because I don’t feel comfortable having one. If I am playing $30-$60 limit hold’em then I have never seen the point in having a theoretically correct bankroll before I start to play that game. The slide rule boys quote that you need a minimum of 300 big bets before you can sit down in a game like this.

Does this then mean that you must have a bankroll of $18,000 before you can sit in this game? What if like me you have other sources of income that allow you to continually get back into action should you lose what you have? I much prefer the thought of having an “infinite bankroll” where I can replenish as often as I want.

This is crucial for how I play games like no limit hold’em because it fits my style of play and my mindset and allows me to play very aggressively in certain situations because in essence, I am risking almost 0% of my bankroll at any one time because in my mind, my bankroll is theoretically infinite when I play this way and this really allows me to open up and bully players.

I know for a fact that my mindset in not just no limit hold’em but in all forms of poker would drastically alter should I have a conventional bankroll and lose a large chunk of it in some big negative swing.

I do not want my mindset to be affected in this way because when my mindset is affected then so is my game and that means that my bottom line is falling. I know for a fact that if I had for example a $50,000 bankroll and lost half of it, it would be very difficult for this not to affect me.

People can say, well don’t let it affect you but that’s just it…..it does. What is good for one is not necessarily good for someone else. Other people may say “well in that case, drop down a level or two”.

What if I don’t want to drop down a level or two, what if dropping down in levels causes me to play less optimally (which it does) than what I normally do. I simply cannot play serious poker when I drop below playing certain limits, I just cannot take the money seriously and play too many silly hands and slowly bleed money wether it is cash games or internet poker tournaments.

You must do what works for you and to hell what someone else may be doing. What I have just been stating about bankrolls is not advice so do not under any circumstances take it as that. This is just a way of working and operating that works for me personally within the framework of what I am trying to do and the situation that is pertinent to me and me only.

Carl “The Dean” Sampson
Author – “Winning Cash Game Poker”