All Inbox -- Gus Hansen

In Card Player TV’s show All Inbox, fans can get advice from the world’s most successful poker pros by sending their questions to [email protected]. In this edition, Steven Barnhouse got his question answered by Gus Hansen.

Question: What are your personal bankroll rules? How many buy-ins do you need to move to the next level, whether it be in tournaments or cash games?

Gus Hansen: Well, I think I’m a little out of touch as far as that goes, because I’ve never followed any bankroll rules whatsoever. I have been gambling for 15 or 16 years and have definitely gone broke in my career, but it’s been quite a while. I have always been willing to gamble too high sometimes, so you are going to have to find someone else to ask the bankroll questions [laughing].

Julio Rodriguez: Is that what it takes to be one of the best players in the world, being willing to gamble?

GH: Not necessarily, but I don’t think it hurts when you are starting out. These days, a lot of people start out fairly young, in their early 20s or even earlier, learning how to play poker. I really don’t think it hurts them [to gamble]. I mean, you don’t want to continue doing the same thing, going broke over and over again. You want to learn from your mistakes. I do know some successful gamblers who have never gone broke, but I know a lot more gamblers who have gone broke somewhere along the way.