Two $1/$3 tables can be completely different games. One has everyone sitting with $200. The other has three players with $1,000 in front of them. Same blinds, very different risk.
Think in big blinds, not dollars
Convert every stack into big blinds. It's the easiest way to compare games and understand how much room you have to play after the flop.
| Stack | At $1/$3 | At $2/$5 |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | 33 BB | 20 BB |
| $300 | 100 BB | 60 BB |
| $500 | 167 BB | 100 BB |
| $1,000 | 333 BB | 200 BB |
A $300 stack is a normal 100 big blinds at $1/$3 but only 60 at $2/$5. That's why moving up a stake with the same dollar amount changes how you should play, not just how much you can lose.
Minimum buy-in
The minimum is the smallest amount the room lets you sit with. Buying the minimum lowers your exposure, but it also changes your strategy. With 30 or 40 big blinds you have little room to bluff or float after the flop, and many hands turn into one bet and then all in.
Short stacks play best with a simple plan: strong hands, raise or shove, fold marginal stuff. Speculative calls with 5♠4♠ or small pairs don't have enough money behind to pay off. See calling preflop raises for why.
Maximum buy-in
The maximum is the largest starting stack the table allows. Some games use a fixed cap. Others use a match-the-stack rule. Across North American live rooms, the maximum is usually somewhere between 100 and 200 big blinds for games with a fixed cap, but always check the specific room.
The maximum is a limit, not a target. Buying in for the max makes sense when you're comfortable with the dollar swings and experienced enough to play deep. If $1,000 in one pot would rattle you, buy in for less, or play a smaller game.
Match the stack
In a match-the-stack game, you're allowed to buy in for as much as the biggest stack already at the table. If the chip leader has $1,400, you can sit with $1,400. These games can play very deep very quickly.
Elements Mohawk currently publishes $2/$3 and $3/$5 match-the-stack structures. Check the Elements Casino Mohawk profile and confirm with the room before you go, since game structures change.
Effective stack is what counts in a hand
The effective stack is the smaller of the two stacks in a hand. If you have $600 and your opponent has $180, only $180 from each of you can change hands heads-up. Your extra $420 doesn't matter in that pot.
Example: at $1/$3 you have $600 and hold 7♦7♣. The player with $180 raises to $15. You're looking to flop a set, but you can only win $165 more from them, which is 11 times the call. That's short of the usual 15 to 20 times you'd want for set mining. Against a $600 stack, the same call looks much better.
In multiway pots, look at each opponent's stack. The biggest pot you can win is shaped by the stacks that are actually in the hand.
Adding chips
In most live rooms you can add chips between hands, up to the table maximum, and you can't take chips off the table while you stay in the game. Rules on rebuys, top-ups and leaving with chips vary, so ask the dealer or floor if you're unsure.
Planning a Toronto cash game
Check which stakes each room spreads on the stakes and games matrix, then read the local guides to $1/$3 poker, $2/$5 poker and Toronto cash games. Rake also eats a bigger share of small stacks and small pots, so read how poker rake works too.
Common questions
How much should I buy in for at $1/$3?
Around $300, or 100 big blinds, is a common starting point if the room allows it and it fits your budget. Buy in for less if $300 is more than you're comfortable losing in one session.
What does match the stack mean in poker?
It means the maximum buy-in equals the largest stack at the table. If the biggest stack is $1,400, a new player can buy in for up to $1,400.
Should I always buy in for the maximum?
No. A full buy-in gives you more flexibility, but it also means bigger swings. Buy in for an amount that fits your session budget and your experience playing deep.
What is an effective stack?
The effective stack is the smaller stack between you and an opponent in a hand. It's the most either of you can win from the other, so it drives your strategy in that hand.
By the TorontoPoker.org editorial team · Updated September 2026 · 19+ · Play responsibly