How much bankroll do you need for NL2 ($0.01/$0.02)?
NL2 is the lowest stake on most poker sites and the best place to learn the game online for almost no money. Opponents make big, frequent mistakes, so a solid player can win at a high rate, but the rake takes a larger share of each pot here than at any other level.
| Approach | With $2 buy-ins (100bb) |
|---|---|
| Aggressive (30 buy-ins) | $60 |
| Moderate (40 buy-ins) | $80 |
| Conservative (60 buy-ins) | $120 |
Online games are faster and more volatile per hour, so we recommend more buy-ins than for live play. If poker money comes from your salary and you can top it up, the aggressive figure is fine. If your bankroll is all you have, use the conservative one.
What can you expect to win?
A solid winner might make 5–10 bb/100, which is $0.10–$0.20 per 100 hands. Results swing a lot in the short term: see how big your swings could be with the variance calculator, and check your chance of going broke with the risk of ruin calculator. At this level rake is a big part of your results — see what it costs with the rake calculator.
Move-up and move-down rules for NL2
- Take a break and review if your bankroll drops below 30 buy-ins ($60). NL2 is the lowest stake, so study your biggest losing hands before you top up.
- Move up when you have 40 buy-ins for the next level.
- Take shots with a fixed number of buy-ins set aside, and step back down if you lose them.
Open the bankroll calculator for NL2 to plug in your own bankroll, or read our full poker bankroll management guide.