Step 1 · Watch how to play
FIN310 Banker Game Explained — the video is directly below.
▶ Watch the game video on YouTubeVideo unavailable? Watch on YouTube.
Step 2 · Play The Banker’s Path
Choose a banker style
Person 1 deposits $100 in your bank. The bank now has $100 cash and owes the depositor $100. It is not $100 of profit. Choose a style, make loan decisions, and try to keep the bank healthy for 10 rounds.
Every replay uses the same economic conditions and bank-run events. Try conservative, average, and risky banker styles to compare your own scores. Score = positive bank equity (one point per $1); a failed bank scores 0.
My best runs
| Banker style | Best score | Rounds survived |
|---|
Your bank
Step 2 · Compare three borrowers
The quoted rates and default chances are game examples. A recession raises the chance of default. The same borrowers and economic events return when you play again.
Step 3 · How much will you lend?
Your decision guide
What could happen?
The game Fed may lend temporary cash when reserves are short. The bank pays interest and still bears every default loss.
What is the path to a healthier bank?
First, remember that the deposit belongs to the customer. Compare a borrower’s interest rate with the chance and size of a possible loss. Keep enough cash for a possible withdrawal. Earn interest to build bank equity. Later, your bank may be able to absorb a loss without failing. No loan choice is guaranteed to win.
Why might the Fed help? Does it rescue the bank?
The game lets an eligible bank borrow up to $30 to cover a short cash position; the advance costs interest. A Fed loan must be repaid and does not replace lost principal. Actual Federal Reserve lending has collateral and other requirements. The game simplifies these details.
What is the real reserve requirement?
The current U.S. reserve requirement ratio is 0%. The game’s 10% cash target is a management practice for learning about withdrawals, not a law. Fed reserve requirements.