Why tournaments need huge bankrolls?
Large fields and top-heavy payouts create extreme variance, so even strong players can have long breakeven stretches before a few big scores drive results.
Bankroll requirements rise as fields grow and as ROI falls, and drop as a higher risk of ruin is tolerated, which is why MTT guidance commonly recommends triple-digit buy-in buffers.
Tournament strategies
See aggressive, balanced, and conservative tournament bankroll approaches with who they suit and typical buy-in multiples.
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Tournament Bankroll Calculator
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Tournament Calculator Inputs
Bankroll
Total money dedicated specifically for tournament play. Tournaments need much larger bankrolls than cash games.
Field Size
Tournament size affects variance. Small (50-200), Medium (200-1000), Large (1000+). Larger fields = higher variance.
Expected ROI
Your estimated return on investment percentage. Strong tournament players typically achieve 15-30% ROI.
Risk of Ruin
Acceptable chance of losing your entire tournament bankroll. Lower percentages require more buy-ins for safety.
Tournament Calculator Inputs
Bankroll
Total money dedicated specifically for tournament play. Tournaments need much larger bankrolls than cash games.
Total money dedicated specifically for tournament play. Tournaments need much larger bankrolls than cash games.
Field Size
Tournament size affects variance. Small (50-200), Medium (200-1000), Large (1000+). Larger fields = higher variance.
Tournament size affects variance. Small (50-200), Medium (200-1000), Large (1000+). Larger fields = higher variance.
Expected ROI
Your estimated return on investment percentage. Strong tournament players typically achieve 15-30% ROI.
Your estimated return on investment percentage. Strong tournament players typically achieve 15-30% ROI.
Risk of Ruin
Acceptable chance of losing your entire tournament bankroll. Lower percentages require more buy-ins for safety.
Acceptable chance of losing your entire tournament bankroll. Lower percentages require more buy-ins for safety.
Enter a valid number ≥ 0.
Enter a valid ROI between -50% and 100%.
Enter a valid risk (0.1–20%). Lower risk requires more buy-ins.
ROI and risk of ruin directly adjust required buy-ins.