Move-up decisions

What Poker Stakes Should I Play?

Compare your bankroll against common poker stakes and see which games are comfortable, playable, aggressive, or underbankrolled.

This is a stakes scan, not a guarantee. It helps you see the buy-in pressure before you sit in a bigger game.

Poker Stack

Know your bankroll before you move up.

Poker Stack helps you track bankroll, stakes, sessions, and results so a move-up decision is based on more than one good week.

Download Poker Stack on the App Store

How the stakes calculator classifies games

For cash games, the calculator assumes a normal 100BB buy-in for each listed stake. A €1/2 game uses a €200 buy-in. A €2/5 game uses a €500 buy-in. If your local game plays deeper or you normally buy in shorter, adjust your real planning outside the table.

The stakes scan uses looser bands than the bankroll calculator because the question is slightly different. It is not asking for a perfect target bankroll. It is showing how each stake looks from comfortable to dangerous.

Moving up without fooling yourself

A bigger game can look beatable after a few good sessions. The bankroll question is whether you can lose several buy-ins and still play normal poker. If one bad night at the new stake would force you to quit the stake or reload from life money, the shot is probably too large.

A clean move-up plan has three parts: a bankroll target, a session sample at the current stake, and a move-down number. The move-down rule is the part players skip when the game is exciting.

Example

With a €6,500 bankroll, a €1/2 game with a €200 buy-in gives you 32.5 buy-ins and reads as comfortable in this stakes scan. A €2/5 game with a €500 buy-in gives you 13 buy-ins and reads as aggressive. A €5/10 game gives you 6.5 buy-ins and is underbankrolled.

Questions players ask

FAQ

How much bankroll do I need for 1/2 poker?

If you treat a €1/2 or $1/2 game as a 100BB buy-in, one buy-in is 200. A 30-buy-in cushion is 6,000. A stricter 40-buy-in rule is 8,000.

How much bankroll do I need for 2/5 poker?

A full 100BB buy-in at 2/5 is 500. A 30-buy-in cushion is 15,000, while a 40-buy-in rule is 20,000. If you normally buy in shorter, use your real buy-in when planning.

When should I move up in stakes?

Move up when the new stake is playable for your bankroll and your results at the current stake are based on enough sessions. A move-up plan should include a move-down rule before the shot starts.

Does bankroll management guarantee I will not go broke?

No. It only reduces risk. Bad game selection, poor play, high rake, life expenses, and large shots can still damage a bankroll.

Poker Stack

Track the stake, not just the result.

Poker Stack helps you see which stakes and formats are actually producing your poker results.

Download Poker Stack on the App Store

These tools provide mathematical estimates for informational purposes. Poker involves variance and financial risk. Past results do not guarantee future results.