Cash Game 3rd chip denom for chip set (1 Viewer)

Oryx

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Hello PCF,
I am buying a set of 500 poker chips for my soon to be home cash game. It will be $20 buy in, $0.25/$0.25 blinds. I think my starting stack will be 20 quarters & 15 loonies ($1).
So for my set I'm going to do 200 quarters, 200 loonies but my third denom is where I'm stuck. Do I do 100 $5, 100 $10 or a mix of 50x$5 & 50x$10?

Thanks All!
 
Welcome to the forums.

Why are you buying 500? Shouldn't your assertion be, I'm wanting to buy X amount of chips that will allow me to play with a bank of XXX so I can field up to X amount of players?

500, WHY 500 /roar (we see this sooooo often)? These chips are they ceramics and you only want to buy enough to get the least amount at that level of pricing?

There are some good posts about how many of each denom and bank you'll want to field a game.
*Edit quantities*
.25 - 120
1 - 300
5 - 120
20 - 60
(yes this IS 600)

Never buy a 10 chip unless you have over 1000 chips. Its not really a good value to use, but once you understand why you would want it in a game, then you can look into buying it, until then, don't consider 2, 10, or 50 denoms.


So this question gets asked often, we always suggest searching the forums for other threads, there are so many, but I dug this one up for you, its my fav!

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...ut-a-cash-game-chip-set-5c-10c-to-5-10.30897/
 
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Welcome to the forums.

Why are you buying 500? Shouldn't your assertion be, I'm wanting to buy X amount of chips that will allow me to play with a bank of XXX so I can field up to X amount of players?

500, WHY 500 /roar (we see this sooooo often)? These chips are they ceramics and you only want to buy enough to get the least amount at that level of pricing?

There are some good posts about how many of each denom and bank you'll want to field a game.

.25 - 125
1 - 300
5 - 125
20 - 50
(yes this IS 600)

Never buy a 10 chip unless you have over 1000 chips. Its not really a good value to use, but once you understand why you would want it in a game, then you can look into buying it, until then, don't consider 2, 10, or 50 denoms.


So this question gets asked often, we always suggest searching the forums for other threads, there are so many, but I dug this one up for you, its my fav!

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...ut-a-cash-game-chip-set-5c-10c-to-5-10.30897/
Hey I appreciate the reply, idk why 500 it seemed like a good number to start with. I'm new to the site I'll have to learn to navigate it a little better thanks for the link. I'm on a bit of a budget the set I'm looking at doesn't offer a $20 chip otherwise I would have certainly gone with that. For your breakdown above how would your starting stack look for a 10 player game? I just liked the idea of a barrel of quarters for a starting stack. Just trying to learn here I'll read the link supplied.
 
It was pointed out to me in another thread that the amount of fracs is at least 120, because if you have ten players starting with 2.50 is awkward, you should do at least 120.
 
Agree with the above, ditch the 10, get some 20's or 25's to build the bank.

Also 200 x 0.25 is way too many (IMO).

I was going to suggest:

0.25 - 100
1 - 200
5 - 150
25 - 50

Gives you a good size bank, still lots of "workhorse" 1's and 5's, fits in a 500 chip case.
I like the idea of $25 chips but if people are only buying in at $20 it doesn't seem like it would get used much, the set I'm looking at doesn't offer a $20 that would be mint.
 
It was pointed out to me in another thread that the amount of fracs is at least 120, because if you have ten players starting with 2.50 is awkward, you should do at least 120.
Yup, for 10 players that is a fact.

Most home games I've played in struggle to get past 8 players, so 12 x 8 = 96 (<100)

I like the idea of $25 chips but if people are only buying in at $20 it doesn't seem like it would get used much, the set I'm looking at doesn't offer a $20 that would be mint.
The 25's come out once there is a ton of cash on the table. Buy up someone's 5's with a 25, give those 5's to the person rebuying, he can make change for 1's and 0.25's at the table
 
Hey I appreciate the reply, idk why 500 it seemed like a good number to start with. I'm new to the site I'll have to learn to navigate it a little better thanks for the link. I'm on a bit of a budget the set I'm looking at doesn't offer a $20 chip otherwise I would have certainly gone with that. For your breakdown above how would your starting stack look for a 10 player game? I just liked the idea of a barrel of quarters for a starting stack. Just trying to learn here I'll read the link supplied.
I hope my post wasn't too aggressive, again a warm welcome!

I play with some friends, they have dice chips and buy in for 40 bucks, they typically give out 4 barrels of quarters, it just slows the game down. The smallest denom should be mostly used for blinds only.

The way the game plays, the fracs just get in the way. Low limit games, its going to get raised preflop all the time, so you're already at a dollar.

Budget - all the chips are the same cost (assuming you're buying new from a vendor) and you get a break based on quantity, if you buy 500 today, and want more later you're going to spend more per chip later. If you're on a budget, spending more per chip is going to burn later.

You'll want the 20s! (and you'll need em) all the cool kids buy a larger 20 (physical chip size), its a thing.

I like this break down

.25 - 120
1 - 300
5 - 120
20 - 60

forego the 20s, later when you feel you need it buy an over sized chip, that is IF you don't go for the 43mm out the gate. I'm expecting this week, and I'll be posting my new set later next week I hope. You'll see what I mean!
 
I like the idea of $25 chips but if people are only buying in at $20 it doesn't seem like it would get used much, the set I'm looking at doesn't offer a $20 that would be mint.
For smaller home games you'll notice a lot of ppl on this site buy a 20, not a 25. I actually have both, I'll run a lower stakes game where I'll use a 20 and possible a much larger game, they wouldn't both be used in the same game.
 
You can do Cash Set of 500 with
25c x 100
$1 x 200
$5 x 100
$10 x 100 (not efficient but since there no $20 option)

You can get give 25c x 20, $1 x 15 to the first 5 person and $1 x 20 to the rest until $1 run out
 
For smaller home games you'll notice a lot of ppl on this site buy a 20, not a 25. I actually have both, I'll run a lower stakes game where I'll use a 20 and possible a much larger game, they wouldn't both be used in the same game.
I am ordering the poker knights set from straightpokersupplies.com as I am Canadian and I like their prices. I'm sure I'll be getting the quality I'm paying for but for my first denominated set I'm OK with that. I guess I could buy $25 and then in the future send them off to Vancouver to get them relabelled. I don't love my options as a Canadian, most of the suggested sites are a little rich for my blood when you included exchange, shipping and import fees.
 
It was pointed out to me in another thread that the amount of fracs is at least 120, because if you have ten players starting with 2.50 is awkward, you should do at least 120.
You lost me at "the amount of fracs" lol I have no idea what that means
 
I love a set with 120 quarters myself, hell even 160 depending on the crowd, but that is a lot of quarters. As others will mention you don't need to think of a full table being 10 players because the likely hood of 10 people sitting down at the same time to start is extremely unlikely, even if they do as mentioned above, with a rack of quarters, just give a barrel to each of the first 5 players, everyone else gets $1s and $5s. They will make change at the table. Again depends on the demographic... if it is a new game with new players and a ton of limping you may want more quarters in the game as it very well may be your work horse or shared duty with the $1s which in most $.25 games the $1s and $5s carry the work horse load.

Personally I would go
(120) $.25
(180) $1
(180) $5
(20) $25 (since no $20.is available, remember relabeling is always an option too!)

Good luck with the set!
 
^^ Ben is a long time chiper with solid advise.

Here is what I would do then

5 rolls of .25
12 rolls of 1
5 rolls of 25

These are all 39mm (this is my best guess as I can't find actual metrics), and that would be a bank of about 450 bucks, do you Canuks call them Bucks?! ;)
Host a game, if you get short on chips, just have them put cash on the table, then you'll know if you need to buy 20s or not

The 20s don't have to match the set and you'll want to be a cool kid and buy a 43mm 20 chip, come back here we'll help ya locate something you like. I don't wanna have to relabel either, but you might decide you want to design and buy a custom 20 from say ... BRPro you might find a design you like here on the forum or a chip you want to model your 20 after. You might find some over sized chips in auction or for sale, you might post your own wanted thread looking to buy directly from another member.

PokerKnight.jpg
 
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Fractions of a dollar.

I take a different approach for a friendly, sustainable game. I first need to understand how much money my core players are willing to gamble (lose) over the night. With that, along with the maximum number of players I can accommodate, I have good information I can use to set the stakes and design the set breakdown.
 
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Hello PCF,
I am buying a set of 500 poker chips for my soon to be home cash game. It will be $20 buy in, $0.25/$0.25 blinds. I think my starting stack will be 20 quarters & 15 loonies ($1).
So for my set I'm going to do 200 quarters, 200 loonies but my third denom is where I'm stuck. Do I do 100 $5, 100 $10 or a mix of 50x$5 & 50x$10?

Thanks All!

Even though you are playing .25/.25 its unlikely that the quarter will be your workhorse chip. That will most likely be the one dollar chip.

I've bought a lot of chipsets. This is the breakdown that I would go with.

100 x .25
200 x 1
150 x 5
50 x 25

If you want to up it to 600 chips which is my preference.

100 x .25
200 x 1
200 x 5
80 x 25
20 x 100

Either breakdown will allow you to eventually move up in stakes and or buy ins.
 
The funny thing I have noticed about fractionals....in your game quarters....

-some people like to put out a ton of them. They think MOAR chips is better! Well, after about 2 hours, you will find that a couple players will have absolute PILES of them, and the rest don't give a shit about them. They will post their blinds with a dollar chip, then take change out of the pot if is just called around to them or if they fold to a raise. The common sense thing to do is if you don't have any, you would change them in to the guy that has two stacks of them. NOPE. Most poker players do not give two shits about that.

-this also works reverse for big chips. Say somebody rebuys for $25, so you give them a $25 chip. They will hold on to that fucking thing like it has two times the face value. Common sense says go to the guy with piles of chips and color down. NOPE. "I'll just make change out of the pot."
 
The funny thing I have noticed about fractionals....in your game quarters....

-some people like to put out a ton of them. They think MOAR chips is better! Well, after about 2 hours, you will find that a couple players will have absolute PILES of them, and the rest don't give a shit about them. They will post their blinds with a dollar chip, then take change out of the pot if is just called around to them or if they fold to a raise. The common sense thing to do is if you don't have any, you would change them in to the guy that has two stacks of them. NOPE. Most poker players do not give two shits about that.

-this also works reverse for big chips. Say somebody rebuys for $25, so you give them a $25 chip. They will hold on to that fucking thing like it has two times the face value. Common sense says go to the guy with piles of chips and color down. NOPE. "I'll just make change out of the pot."
This is so true, always happen in the public game that I joined
 
My set has:
150 x $0.25
200 x $1.00
250 x $5.00

We usually play .25/.25 or .25/.50. and most buy-in for $20-50. I would not buy a $10 chip. I think your best bet is to do some combo of $0.25, $1 and $5s. My combo works great for our game but there could be more value in doing more $1s and fewer $5s if you never expect to have ~$1500 on the table.

Edit: I should add that we rarely have a full table to start. Usually 4-6 people will show up first and they'll get $5 in quarters and the rest in $1. Once all/most of the smaller chips are on the table, new players or rebuying players get $5 chips and make change from another player. Also, it's pretty useless to have a number of quarters that adds up to $37.50 since nobody is buying in with quarters, so the last $0.50 in chips really only exist as extras in case I lose or break one. If I were doing it again I'd get 160 or 140 of them.
 
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... I guess I could buy $25 and then in the future send them off to Vancouver to get them relabelled. ...
That's not quite how it works. Gear makes the labels and ships them to you so that you can apply them yourself.

I suppose that you could send him the chips and have him do it, but that is both expensive (shipping heavy items across the country twice plus the cost for him to remove the old labels and apply the new ones), and unnecessary (label removal and application is a very easy DIY project).
 
It was pointed out to me in another thread that the amount of fracs is at least 120, because if you have ten players starting with 2.50 is awkward, you should do at least 120.

Starting stacks don't have to be exactly the same. Better to build your bank with higher denom chips than focus on the low.

For 100 quarters among 10 people, it's easy. 5 of them get 12 quarters, the other 5 get 8. You've used up all your fracs and the difference is made up with a single $1.

Or

The first 5 people get 20 quarters each, and the rest get none. They will naturally distribute around the table as play progresses. Make change when you have to.
 
For 100 quarters among 10 people, it's easy. 5 of them get 12 quarters, the other 5 get 8. You've used up all your fracs and the difference is made up with a single $1.
Says the man WITHOUT COD (thats OCD but in alphabetical order)
 
I've been on here for almost a year, and I love the diversity in ideology; I empathize with so many approaches.

Let me move the goal...

If you're talking about a what I would call a Tier 1 chip (most expensive) like a TRK NL 25, where cost is exorbitant, would storage still take priority?
If it would then I would say you do have OCD. I think this question would break down to if someone is buying for collection or to put into play.

I think in most cases I too would prefer a full rack (organization) to starting stacks being the same for everyone. That said with my most recent purchase of chips, I ordered 420. I want to store my chips in a game room, but I like to have a sample rack on my desk, so I put a barrel of each denom in the rack on my desk :bigbucks:

Why 400 fracs for a 1 table game, well thats a long story ;)
 

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