advice on buying poker chips

I've been asked for advice several times in the last couple weeks about purchasing a home poker chip set. Here's my take on the subject.

I recommend going all-out and getting heavy custom clay composite chips from a place like pokerchips.com -- they'll run $0.35-$1.00 per chip, but they really will last a lifetime and you'll be thankful for the high quality of the chips. You'll want "american style clay chips" -- they're not technically clay, but a composite material (which may contain some clay). That's what clay chip really means since chips are no longer made entirely of clay. They stack extremely well, and are similar to the "old style" hat-and-cane chips used in cardrooms. I have a set and love them. I recommend customizing them with something like your initials, it personalizes your game and makes the chips more secure (not usually an issue but I think it's important). I also really like chipco ceramic chips, which are very common in American cardrooms; they run about $0.70 per chip and have a really modern, nice feel and noise to them. Their main disadvantage is that the ink tends to wear off around the edges over time, but I find that worn look actually quite appealing.

I recommend to people who aren't ready to drop several hundred on a set that you buy the absolute cheapest chips you can find until you've saved enough for a proper custom expensive chip set. You can get super-cheap bicycle plastic chips in most supermarkets. Also when you do buy a custom set, get at least 500 chips, that way you'll have enough to play any game you want, even a 20-30 person tournament.

If you really want a cheap set, at 5stardeals you can get 300 decent quality, stackable chips plus a case for $40.

The other thing to bear in mind is the denomination breakdown; most people don't think about using standard casino colors but it really helps keep consistent, esp for players who have played in casinos or other games that use standard denominations. The breakdown I recommend, which will allow you to play any stakes you ever desire, is white / red / green / black / purple. Those are primary colors -- for secondary color for edge spots (I think a single edge spot is a must), I like (corresponding to above) blue / white / black / red / black. For quantity, go with the max quantity you can spend, I think 500 or 600 is ideal. For distribution, do NOT get equal quantities. You want something like 5/5/3/2/1 white/red/green/black/purple. So something like 150/150/100/75/25 for 500, or 125/125/75/50/25 for 400. Standard casino denominations, in case you don't know, are white $1, red $5, green $25, black $100, purple $500. For my low stakes games I use greens as $0.25, if you're doing a really low stakes game the whites can act as $0.10 and the reds as $0.05 or $0.50 etc.

I strongly recommend AGAINST getting chips with denominations printed on them, for a couple reasons. First, you'll likely outgrow the lowest denomination chip over the years, and then you'll have to do something cheesy like have a chip marked $0.25 that you're using as a $25 chip. Second, you get a lot more flexibility and can assign out the chips to different denominations based on the stakes and the structure of the game; if you're playing a tournament, for instance, your players will generally start with much more in tournament chips than they would in a cash game. So I recommend getting chips with just a simple design or monogram, but no values printed on them.

As far as tournament advice on starting chip amounts, I think the most important item is keeping a good multiple between the starting blinds and chip stack sizes. An initial chip stack of 40-100 times the big blind I think is ideal, on the higher end of that if you're playing a limit tournament, and/or if you are doubling the blinds with every level. I prefer levels to be at least 20 minutes even for a small tournament. I strongly recommend Tex's TEARS system for any size tournament, it provides good advice and has some excellent spreadsheets on calculating blind levels and payouts.

Steer way clear of the "clay" 11.5 gram dice and suit design chips that most sites hawk as the best chip they sell. They are simply plastic with a metal slug, and are very slippery, make a loud metallic clink, and just don't feel good. This page shows what I'm talking about.

If one doesn't have the bucks , try E-Bay - I got a set of 500 8g composite chips for $37 from a dutch auction by 'All Tings Vegas' - felt-lined case & 2 'actually-used-in-a-Vegas-casino' decks of cards came with the deal. These chips will suffice for the home game.

Maudie
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kebzweb.com

One thing -- you can still buy chips that are clay and a composite binding material.

What you DON'T want to buy is 11.5 gram or heavier chips. The reason is they are usually
clay wrapped around a metal slug.

Any rough handling of the chips like splashing the pot will chip away at the exterior eventually
exposing the slug, which makes for a really ugly chip.

I talked with the good folks at The Chip Store (http://www.thechipstore.com/) and was pleased with how responsive they are. One guy told me what you did- save up and get the good stuff. They'll even help you design a personal chip if you're not much of a graphic designer. That said, I haven't dropped the cash, so can't vouch 100%.

This adivce and a couple of the comments sound like its coming from snobs. Ignorant ones at that.

I have played poker with many different people, and everytime they see my 11.5 gram composite resin chips with an insert they love them. Compared to the 300 chip, 2 dollar plastic pieces of crap they are amazing. And really, **for most people**, there is NO REASON to spend a dollar per chip when these will easily suffice.

I don't know what one responder considers to be "rough handling" but none of my chips have
had problems. That poster just seems like he's engaging in "scare tactics". And then there's the third response from Rob, who is really an obvious shill for the website he mentioned.

Anyway, my point is, that for a lot of people, EBAY, and the alledged "cheap" sets are the answer. *Plain* composite chips, with a case, cards and dice are under 50 dollars for 500!!! Chips (with all the accesories I already mentioned) with designs (two tone chips) can be found for 40 dollars for 300 (inculding shipping) or 70-120 dollars for 500 (depending on the design and case)!!!

Again, for most people, spending 500+ dollars for chips and a case is pointless when perfectly decent ones are availible for much much less. Sure some poker snobs may turn up their noses at anything less than the best.. but so what? There are audiophiles that spend more on their speaker cables then you spent on all the electronics in your house!

Fred: I agree with you that for most people, there is no reason to spend a dollar a chip. Most people have never played poker in a casino, with nice chips, and don't know what they're missing, or don't have as high standards as I do, or genuinely prefer some of the other chips mentioned here. That's good for them. I most certainly am a poker snob, although if you are calling me ignorant I don't think you've been reading this website for very long :)

My advice here was intended for people who want to play with the best. Considering a good poker chip set will last you the rest of your life, I consider it a great investment.

If you're happy with the 11.5 gram plastic chips, or some other set that you like, I'm glad for you - you don't need my advice! I've played with all the chips mentioned here, and like the Chipco and true clay composite chips much more than the other chips mentioned. Most of my hardcore poker friends agree with my opinions presented here. But if you're just as happy with a cheaper setup, that's great! Re-invest the money you save into a flush draw or a $100+9 sit'n'go :)

I don't think my home game would truly appreciate the expense of casino style chips, but they sure would make chip tricks easier to do than my 5stardeal cheapo chips. Thankfully they don't have the metal slugs, so they don't go "clink" when you toss 'em.

I agree with much of the comments supporting the "middle of the road" approach. I had until recently (my home was burglarized) owned a 650-chip dice-style set from 5StarDeals. The chips were a nicer incarnation of what I saw in my local gameroom supply store (plastic quality, molding and shaping were far better), for far less.

No, I've never played in a casino, but I have played with casino-quality chips at a country club my girlfriend worked at, so I know what I'm "missing". I actually prefer the plastic-metal composites, as my first memorable poker experience was with actual U.S. coinage, which is cheaper yet than a set of chips when you add it up (unless you play for keeps ;-) ). That clink the plastic-metal slugs make sounds like money to me. I have 200 of that set left over, as they weren't in the case, and I plan on eventually getting more of em to cover my loss.

Poker night is poker night, and with good company and fun times, really any chip will do, but I wanted something a bit more special than the bicycle chips. I got more than my money's worth even during the time I had the full set.

I agree with much of the comments supporting the "middle of the road" approach. I had until recently (my home was burglarized) owned a 650-chip dice-style set from 5StarDeals. The chips were a nicer incarnation of what I saw in my local gameroom supply store (plastic quality, molding and shaping were far better), for far less.

No, I've never played in a casino, but I have played with casino-quality chips at a country club my girlfriend worked at, so I know what I'm "missing". I actually prefer the plastic-metal composites, as my first memorable poker experience was with actual U.S. coinage, which is cheaper yet than a set of chips when you add it up (unless you play for keeps ;-) ). That clink the plastic-metal slugs make sounds like money to me. I have 200 of that set left over, as they weren't in the case, and I plan on eventually getting more of em to cover my loss.

Poker night is poker night, and with good company and fun times, really any chip will do, but I wanted something a bit more special than the bicycle chips. I got more than my money's worth even during the time I had the full set.

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