How many racks of $5's for a cash set is enough? (7 Viewers)

[JMC9389]

Let's settle this once and for all.

Ignore Booyah and Double Booyah status. Assuming regular PCF meet up stakes (0.25/0.50) with a max $100 initial buy in for a 6 to 7 handed mixed games table, how many racks of $5's are really needed?

To me, by the time two racks of $5's are on the table, stacks are deep enough that $20/$25 chips are in the pot by the second to last street of whatever game being played if the hand gets to it. I love chips and lots of them, but with a lot of us getting older and not wanting to carry large cases that can accommodate more than 12 racks of chips, I find the below breakdown ideal that will cover pretty much all 0.25/0.50 or 0.50/0.50 tables (unless @CraigT78 and Roman are both at your table).

100 fracs
200 $1
400 $5
80 $20/$25
20 $100

All able to fit in an Apache 3800 or Nanuk 920 case.

What says PCF?

 

[detroitdad]

3

 

[Rieguy]

PCF: "@MrCatPants is wrong, green chips are awesome!"

Also PCF: "I'll fucking die before I put a green $25 chip on the table over a fifth rack of $5s."

 

[quintooo]

4; in a 7 handed game, 200 $5s only allows for around 1.5 barrels per player which imo is too little

aesthetics wise, I think for a 0.25/0.5 game, more $5s bring a more visually appealing balance once the $20/25 are out.

 

[toothpic]

3-4 minimum.

 

[jamesjkim]

2. Because I want my big chips in play. Otherwise I should just build sets without upper denoms (which would probably save my budget lol).

3-4 is probably good for splashier/deeper pocket games.

 

[cpac54]

Let's settle this once and for all.

Ignore Booyah and Double Booyah status. Assuming regular PCF meet up stakes (0.25/0.50) with a max $100 initial buy in for a 6 to 7 handed mixed games table, how many racks of $5's are really needed?

To me, by the time two racks of $5's are on the table, stacks are deep enough that $20/$25 chips are in the pot by the second to last street of whatever game being played if the hand gets to it. I love chips and lots of them, but with a lot of us getting older and not wanting to carry large cases that can accommodate more than 12 racks of chips, I find the below breakdown ideal that will cover pretty much all 0.25/0.50 or 0.50/0.50 tables (unless @CraigT78 and Roman are both at your table).

100 fracs
200 $1
400 $5
80 $20/$25
20 $100

All able to fit in an Apache 3800 or Nanuk 920 case.

What says PCF?

Add a rack of $1s to that and it's pretty much what my go to breakdown for 0.25/0.50 and/or 0.50/1.00 (200bb initial buy-in) has been for a long time.

 

[toothpic]

I also think an important question to frame with the answers is how large your bank usually is at the end of the night.

For example, are people voting 2 racks because their bank is only around $1100 at the end?

For our 0.25/0.50 NLHE games our bank is around $2000 at the end of the night. We get all racks of 5s and some 25s in play.

In my 0.25/0.50 circus games, the bank is usually around $3000-$4000. Sometimes more than that. I'm ok with doing 3 racks of 5s but 4 racks just feels nicer.

Rebuys around the first 2/3 of the game will be a barrel of 5s or two barrels if they rebuy for $200.

Rebuys toward the last 1/3 of the night are all $25 and $100 chips.

 

[MatrixExplosion]

3 minimum, 4 is the sweet spot, 5 is bragging

 

[Old State]

I have built my last two cash sets with 500 and 600 reds. My main game is $1/1 $120 max but I want chips to also host $1/3 $300 and $2/5 $750

Last game we played $1/1 ten handed and it got very loose and splashy. Probably the most extreme scenario for this game. There were 500 reds on the table by hour 3 (using the top set) and I went to greens because I wanted to make it easier to cash out as our games go to 2 or 3am. Im usually tired from playing or tired from drinking

So for your game I voted 400

BTW, I went to $1/1 to get the fracks off the table. Too much clutter and a PIA cashing out late. They are .50 and I would only use them for a .50/.50 $80 max game going forward. They are the pink and blue and orange blue chips. Everything else is standard AC/ east coast or Vegas colors

I just put in a new order of from Tina and didn’t get any fracks.


The bottom set was changed to add more $100 as I had way too many $1 I don’t need. I cash everyone in $120 to give a barrel of white/blue and red. All rebuys are done with red and then green. I don’t add any more $1s. People make change with each other when needed

 

[JMC9389]

I also think an important question to frame with the answers are how large your bank usually is at the end of the night.

For example, are people voting 2 racks because their bank is only around $1100 at the end?

For our 0.25/0.50 NLHE games our bank is around $2000 at the end of the night. We get all racks of 5s and some 25s in play.

In my 0.25/0.50 circus games, the bank is usually around $3000-$4000. Sometimes more than that. I'm ok with doing 3 racks of 5s but 4 racks just feels nicer.

Rebuys around the first 2/3 of the game will be a barrel of 5s or two barrels if they rebuy for $200.

Rebuys toward the last 1/3 of the night are all $25 and $100 chips.

This is a good point. Context matters relative to the stakes and how splashy the game is.

 

[Coyote]

2 racks for smaller games, 3 racks for higher games. For even higher games, $20s or $25s take over.
4 racks are mainly for photo opportunities and bathing, a-la Scroodge McDuck with gold coins.

Too many denominations may get dysfunctional, but so do too many chips of a single denomination. There should be room on the table for players' arms.

 

[ChaosRock]

Bare minimum for an enjoyable game is 3 racks, imo. But 4 is better than 3. And 5 is better than 4. And 6 is better than 5. And so on… I like lots of $5 on the table, maybe because of casino play.

I build my sets with 4 racks per table though. I have some sets that are for multiple tables so that gives me the ability to have more than 4 racks for a one-table night if I wish.

I think your breakdown up there is perfect, @JMC9389 . And if one wants to make it a more flexible set for higher stakes, just add upper denoms, like 100/200/400/200/100.

I voted 3 though, since you asked for the minimum.

 

[toothpic]

From my perspective, the minimum breakdown for my complete playable set is:
100 fracs
200 $1
300 $5
80 $25
20 $100

How I normally build them if not limited by expensive and hard to find chips:
100 fracs
200 $1
400 $5
200 $25
100 $100
20 $500

My compromise in between build which is plenty for my 0.25/0.50 circus games:
100 fracs
200 $1
400 $5
100 $25
100 $100

 

[Coyote]

I 've had 4 racks in one of my custom sets. A fourth rack has never been used even in aggressive .5/1/2E, if other denoms were ever to touch the felt.
Still kinda useful, for rotation purposes and, thus, reduction of tear and wear.

 

[doublebooyah85]

I feel attacked

 

[doublebooyah85]

At our game the average buy in is $500. 8-10 handed.

Everyone starts with 4 barrels of $5s and a mix of whatever to make it $500. Reloads are a barrel of $5s and high denoms.

If it’s a circus pot limit game significantly less $5s bc chips are moving around a lot more than a Holdem game and at some point you do need efficiency. Holdem allows moar hoarding of chips.

EDIT: I see it’s for PCF meetup friendly stakes. I would say 4 racks of $5s hoping the game gets good!

 

[GamingWithChips]

I feel attacked

View attachment 1672179

 

[Coyote]

Describe the purpose of $20/25s and $100s if the buy-in is $500

 

[ChaosRock]

Last couple of meet ups at @detroitdad ’s, I banked two tables and both times all 800 $5s were in play.

 

[TheBigTater]

Let's settle this once and for all.

Ignore Booyah and Double Booyah status. Assuming regular PCF meet up stakes (0.25/0.50) with a max $100 initial buy in for a 6 to 7 handed mixed games table, how many racks of $5's are really needed?

To me, by the time two racks of $5's are on the table, stacks are deep enough that $20/$25 chips are in the pot by the second to last street of whatever game being played if the hand gets to it. I love chips and lots of them, but with a lot of us getting older and not wanting to carry large cases that can accommodate more than 12 racks of chips, I find the below breakdown ideal that will cover pretty much all 0.25/0.50 or 0.50/0.50 tables (unless @CraigT78 and Roman are both at your table).

100 fracs
200 $1
400 $5
80 $20/$25
20 $100

All able to fit in an Apache 3800 or Nanuk 920 case.

What says PCF?

^^^
This is the optimal .25/.50 set, 800 chips. Only need to ever expand it on the high end x/x/x/160/40/20 etc... for future bank due to stakes raises.

And 800 will fit in a Nanuk 910 with Justin racks...

 

[Mangatang]

Just start an only fives game.

 

[JMC9389]

^^^
This is the optimal .25/.50 set, 800 chips. Only need to ever expand it on the high end x/x/x/160/40/20 etc... for future bank due to stakes raises.

And 800 will fit in a Nanuk 910 with Justin racks...

Are the Justin racks really that lower profile than the Matsuis? Can only do 7 Matsui racks into a 915.

 

[EmptyPocs]

I feel attacked

that's better than feeling uncomfortable

I think any of the choices from 2-4 are fine depending on the game. The big-chip rack is for rarely needed backup or eye-candy.
200 is fine, but my chip addiction demands 300-400 for a set (I believe no full-table playable set can be <1000 chips) .

My only peeve is sets having just one rack of fracs. For me, everyone starts with a full barrel.
.50/1 buy-in I do $100: 20/40/10

Minimum? I grudgingly vote 2 as I usually have plenty of 1's out.

 

[JMC9389]

I feel attacked

View attachment 1672179

No offense intended. Intended as a classification of " a shit ton of chips".

But yes, in response to your follow up, this is assuming typical meet up game stakes (0.25/0.50). If you play higher this all goes out the window. One would need way more than 2 racks of $5's for a 1/1 or 1/2 game.

 

[toothpic]

Are the Justin racks really that lower profile than the Matsuis? Can only do 7 Matsui racks into a 915.

Yes they are very compact. I use them in my Nanuk 915 and 920s and I have to add extra padding.

8 racks can fit in a Nanuk 910, but I don't use that set up much because I also carry 1-2 decks of cards, dealer buttons, bomb pots (the 3d printed ones) in the case.

 

[Jers28]

Describe the purpose of $20/25s and $100s if the buy-in is $500

This isn’t anything special. Just a recent pic from my game which starts at a max buy-in of $300. It’s match the stack, so the $300 isn’t really accurate, in fairness.

In case it’s hard to see, the blues are $1s, pinks are $5s, Blurples are $25s and black hundos. Also, this was maybe 90 mins in. Think I had like $6,500 before the session was over in front of me. In hindsight, I have no clue why I’m even posting this. I just haven’t had much to say the past month or so. lol

I answered 4 racks of $5s, but didn’t read it was for 25¢/50¢ with a $100 buy in. I’ll change my answer to 3. I’ve found 4 racks to be not quite enough for my game, but 5 is plenty. Turns out, 4.4 racks is my sweet spot. But, we get 3 racks of $25s on the felt within a couple hours.

 

[TheBigTater]

Yes, it works. I've tried it on one of my sets and it's great.

I got it from @GreekRedEye post:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/nanuk-910-400-chip-perfection.33187/post-2351359

Video:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/nanuk-910-400-chip-perfection.33187/post-2415848

 

[toothpic]

that's better than feeling uncomfortable

I think any of the choices from 2-4 are fine depending on the game. The big-chip rack is for rarely needed backup or eye-candy.
200 is fine, but my chip addiction demands 300-400 for a set (I believe no full-table playable set can be <1000 chips) .

My only peeve is sets having just one rack of fracs. For me, everyone starts with a full barrel.
.50/1 buy-in I do $100: 20/40/10

Minimum? I grudgingly vote 2 as I usually have plenty of 1's out.

Early in the game it's nice having extra barrels of fracs to make buyins easy. For example
1 barrel fracs
1 barrel 1s
15 5s.

As the game goes on thought and people are buying in for 200-300 later in the night, the fracs are very seldom used for anything other than the blinds in my game. I've dabbled in 7 barrels of fracs but they end up just taking up space and get colored out so I'm back to 1 rack of fracs at most.

 

[Kam]

PCF: "@MrCatPants is wrong, green chips are awesome!"

Also PCF: "I'll fucking die before I put a green $25 chip on the table over a fifth rack of $5s."

The solution, have ugly buy in stacks that don’t have even barrels just to have that 1 purdy green chip in the starting stacks:

I answered 4 racks in your poll for those stakes/ game setup.

For my different setup, a semi-regular NLHE game at $0.5/$1 it started 9 handed and after 6 racks of 5s were in play, we had a rebuy of $500 that was all blurples. At my local casino, for the $500 buy in, it’s all redbirds, no $25s are offered and the next chip up is the $100.

It also depends on your player base, half my players don’t play regularly in casinos and still bet $15 every street regardless of pot size (while the rest ramp it up and you can argue it’s $25s and up).

I changed my mind on fracs, however I’m dug in on this one & happy with my setup

also, @Rieguy is still wrong.