600 chip limit set (8 Viewers)

[WedgeRock]

I think what's going in here is the same reason we play T1,000,000 tournaments. The fun of pushing around big stacks. In this case, it's the fun of making pyramids of chips.

As long as you have enough chips that you don't need to make change every hand (or at least there's enough workhorses in the pot to make change with the value chips on later streets), you could probably get by with far fewer chips than what is being suggested. I think the $1/$5 option lends itself better to optimized stacks while the $1/$25 is better for the big chip game.

 

[TheBigTater]

To me large pots of chips is not a problem and take a lot less time to stack up when there is only 1 denomination to worry about. Some casino's have no issue with big stack games. But from the casino's point of view not having to handle so many chips is a thing.

$1/$20 is so much better than $1/$25, 1 stack = 1 value chip

And this is a poker chip forum so not wanting moar' chips is crazy talk.

 

[WedgeRock]

I guess my point is, if budget is an issue, you can get by with a smaller purchase and build it into a big chip game over time.

Everything else being equal, most of us here would probably prefer a big chip game.

 

[TheBigTater]

I guess my point is, if budget is an issue, you can get by with a smaller purchase and build it into a big chip game over time.

This is an excellent strategy to follow. I have built some of my normal cash sets into being able to pull double duty as a limit set by adding more workhorse chips ($1's in my case) as I can and they come available.

 

[Old State]

I guess my point is, if budget is an issue, you can get by with a smaller purchase and build it into a big chip game over time.

Everything else being equal, most of us here would probably prefer a big chip game.

You can more than just get by on 600. That’s kinda of like saying “you can get by with a carry on for a two night trip, but most would prefer to check 3 large suitcases”

 

[BonScot]

Thanks for the pointers guys.

Hopefully got my set sorted. 1040 whites and 120 greens non denom. Just waiting to hear back from the seller....

 

[ssanel54]

I think whats also being lost in this thread is what games you are playing. A full table of low stakes limit hold em is a snooze fest, even with large stacks of chips to push around. But a table of 6 for Limit Circus games is a blast, and a great way to teach some new games without players feeling uncomfortable.

 

[BonScot]

I think whats also being lost in this thread is what games you are playing. A full table of low stakes limit hold em is a snooze fest, even with large stacks of chips to push around. But a table of 6 for Limit Circus games is a blast, and a great way to teach some new games without players feeling uncomfortable.

I’ve never heard of Circus. Will google it.

 

[ssanel54]

I’ve never heard of Circus. Will google it.

you may have better luck with the search function on this site. Circus Games are typically high variance split pot games where you are dealt 4+ cards. Dramamha, Sohe, Double board, Scarney, Scrotum, Badugi, Badacey, are all examples

 

[BonScot]

you may have better luck with the search function on this site. Circus Games are typically high variance split pot games where you are dealt 4+ cards. Dramamha, Sohe, Double board, Scarney, Scrotum, Badugi, Badacey, are all examples

Cool I’ll check it out.

 

[Poker Zombie]

In my limit game, with 100 chips per player to start, we had 6 players rebuy (well, 5 players rebought, but one rebought twice). A rack just doesn't last all night, and change eventually had to be made.

Could we get by with @Old State 's 12 chips per person? Sure, but the game would play like a change machine. I put in this, I take out that. Over, and over and over... nearly every single street.

It would have to be a remarkably fun game, because I doubt I would play this a second time. Then again, I never joined PokerChangeForum.

 

[Forty4]

Cool I’ll check it out.

Check under the resources for Abby’s cards.

 

[Old State]

In my limit game, with 100 chips per player to start, we had 6 players rebuy (well, 5 players rebought, but one rebought twice). A rack just doesn't last all night, and change eventually had to be made.

Could we get by with @Old State 's 12 chips per person? Sure, but the game would play like a change machine. I put in this, I take out that. over, and over and over... nearly every single street.

It would have to be a remarkably fun game, because I doubt I would play this a second time. Then again, I never joined PokerChangeForum.

Honestly , it never phased me or anyone. Not once...ever. A $2/4 or $3/6 limits game with $1s and $5s is actually very efficient and I don’t remember having to make a lot of change. I would have certainly bought more chips if I did...and I’m sure I would have heard complaints from my crew as they were not the type to hold their opinions. It was also how the game was played in AC (specifically the Borgata) where most of us frequented at the time. I hosted and played in many many home games back then. There were four of us with custom ASM sets built around limit and tourneys and had an extended player list of over 100 people. I never heard of this stuff before I read it here.

For me the “fun” is 95% about playing poker. Nice chips, cards, and tables just class up the game and give a casino like experience.

To me 2000 chips would play like the change machine...or like playing with pocket change. I guess I could also carry $100 ones around in my pocket so I never had to make change.

This is really a solution looking for a problem...where the solutions biggest benefit is being “fun”.

I just get worried people with little experience read this stuff and think they “need” 2000 chips. They absolutely do not. I rather a person spend more money on a quality set of 600 custom chips then 2000 others.

Like I said, I’m glad @TheBigTater admits this is largely just about the perceived “fun” factor and “moar chips”

 

[Beakertwang]

To me 2000 chips would play like the change machine...or like playing with pocket change. I guess I could also carry $100 ones around in my pocket so I never had to make change.

If I knew I was going to make 50 $2 purchases over the course of a couple hours, I certainly would take a 100 $1 bills with me.

 

[Beakertwang]

For the record, I’m somewhere in the middle on the limit set debate.

I like 100 chips to start, but I could live with 60, and I certainly don’t need racks of workhorse chips for rebuys.

 

[Poker Zombie]

If I knew I was going to make 50 $2 purchases over the course of a couple hours, I certainly would take a 100 $1 bills with me.

You mean you dont take a single Hundo to the strip club and keep asking for change in large bills?

 

[Beakertwang]

You mean you dont take a single Hundo to the strip club and keep asking for change in large bills?

Strip clubs are definitely not my scene, but this scenario played out in my mind, and it’s hilarious!

 

[TheBigTater]

For me the “fun” is 95% about playing poker. Nice chips, cards, and tables just class up the game and give a casino like experience.

For me fun at a poker game, in all honesty, is not trying to duplicate the casino experience at a home game. The bad air, crippling rake/the grind, smelly people, dodgy food, constant loud noise level & the feeling like I need to shower constantly after 10 minutes at the table. All things I don't want to duplicate at a home poker game (yeah I know, all casinos aren't that bad, but....). Good poker (check), nice cards (check), and a nice table (check), mostly everything else about the casino poker experience you can have. If I knew i could always find a home game I would probably never play poker in a casino.

 

[pltrgyst]

....full table low stakes limit hold em is a snooze fest, even with large stacks of chips to push around.

There are three independent issues involved there: number of players, game, and stakes.

Don't like holdem? Change the game.

You can always raise the stakes, no? Another problem solved.

For some of us, seven-handed limit poker at one classical poker game and the right stakes is just perfect.

But circus games as played at pcf meatups are just a sop for the short-attention-span subset of poker players. PFFFT!

 

[Mac128k]

My work-in-progress inspiration for you. I love limit!

 

[Old State]

I

For me fun at a poker game, in all honesty, is not trying to duplicate the casino experience at a home game. The bad air, crippling rake/the grind, smelly people, dodgy food, constant loud noise level & the feeling like I need to shower constantly after 10 minutes at the table. All things I don't want to duplicate at a home poker game (yeah I know, all casinos aren't that bad, but....). Good poker (check), nice cards (check), and a nice table (check), mostly everything else about the casino poker experience you can have. If I knew i could always find a home game I would probably never play poker in a casino.

100% agree, which is why I sought out clay chips, plastic cards, and a nice table (made that) back when these things were difficult to source compared to now. I wanted to have a casino level poker game sans the rake and all the other negatives you mention. Cards, chips, and table are part of that but so are adhering to rules and traditions of poker rooms.

But the game it’s self is where the almost all the “fun” is for me. All those chips would annoys me in the same way shuffling paper cards on a hard table would.

BTW, I was a big fan of Limit holdem and would love to get my guys playing again. Probably will never happen

 

[Old State]

If I knew I was going to make 50 $2 purchases over the course of a couple hours, I certainly would take a 100 $1 bills with me.

But you are actually making $2,4,8,and possible $16 dollar purchases.

Come on, just admit you just want “moar” chips

 

[JustinInMN]

I like 100 chips to start, but I could live with 60, and I certainly don’t need racks of workhorse chips for rebuys.

This is where I am too. Especially if we are only talking 1/2 or 2/4 chip structures. For 3/6 and 4/8, really a rack per person is best.

 

[BGinGA]

All those chips would annoys me in the same way shuffling paper cards on a hard table would.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it. All I can say to ya is 'don't knock it 'til you've tried it'.

I've played a variety of different fixed-limit games many, many times using both approches (either mounds of single-denominations, or a smaller mix of three or four denoms) and I much prefer the former in terms of how it affects game play. You just might, too.

 

[WedgeRock]

I recall that the pink chip game ran so big because there was a psychological difference between betting/calling a few more pink snappers and a larger, value chip.

 

[Burke]

I'll throw my hat into the ring here...I recently hosted an 8-person 1/2 limit game with 350 $1s and plenty of $5s for the stakes. 1/2 chip structure already less than ideal. The game played just fine.....it still annoyed me for some reason though.

 

[Old State]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, we get it. All I can say to ya is 'don't knock it 'til you've tried it'.

I've played a variety of different fixed-limit games many, many times using both approches (either mounds of single-denominations, or a smaller mix of three or four denoms) and I much prefer the former in terms of how it affects game play. You just might, too.

Never. Often when a player starts accumulating an obnoxious stack I usually color them up or have them move chips over to a player with a bunch of large chips. I absolutely HATE a cluttered table.

I’m a very practical person. Massive amounts of chips serve no practical purpose. Mountains of chips qualify as made for TV “poker shtick” for me. Just like sunglasses and lucky card protectors

 

[Poker Zombie]

How many chips does it take to make a table "cluttered"? For me, 100 chips in front of me is nothing. My rebuy chips are valused 20x the workhorse chip, so rebuys are usually 4-5 rebuy chips that get colored up from the biggest stack or two nearest the rebuying player. Nobody ever has those tv-sized stacks. At most, the bigstack will build a triangle of 300 chips, 5 barrels wide. Maybe a few more on top. This is far from cluttered.

I think you have been watching too much tv and are fearing the impossible.

 

[JustinInMN]

When I play 8/16 or 20/40 at a live casino (both games are 4 and 8 chips structure) I usually buy in for 3 racks. I don't even think I am crowded unless I get to 5.

1-2 racks per player is certainly not crowded. In smaller 1-2 chip structure i see 60 chips per player is probably workable.

 

[Old State]

How many chips does it take to make a table "cluttered"? For me, 100 chips in front of me is nothing. My rebuy chips are valused 20x the workhorse chip, so rebuys are usually 4-5 rebuy chips that get colored up from the biggest stack or two nearest the rebuying player. Nobody ever has those tv-sized stacks. At most, the bigstack will build a triangle of 300 chips, 5 barrels wide. Maybe a few more on top. This is far from cluttered.

I think you have been watching too much tv and are fearing the impossible.

How many makes a table cluttered? More than is needed to play the game. We played $2/4 and $3/6 limit for years with the big stacks having three to four barrels of whites and reds max. Our buyin for $2/4 was $60 and given out with only 20 chips! Many had to reload so more chips got into play. Game ran perfectly fine. Most of my people could also deal and shuffle efficiently. If any change was needed the time required was 1/10th that of the time required to scoop and stack a pot of 40-60 chips.

A better analogy escapes me but I think the luggage one is good enough (since I travel a lot). I have traveled for years with a carry on for a 2-4 day trip. My wife, who rarely travels, seems to think she needs a giant checked bag for even two days as she “needs” to bring far more clothes than she will ever wear.

When I play 8/16 or 20/40 at a live casino (both games are 4 and 8 chips structure) I usually buy in for 3 racks. I don't even think I am crowded unless I get to 5.

1-2 racks per player is certainly not crowded. In smaller 1-2 chip structure i see 60 chips per player is probably workable.

I heard someone say this before here. I’ve never seen it in AC but I don’t know what they do in MN. With three racks you are not even using the majority of the chips. It makes no practical sense. Those games should actually be 4 and 4 chip structures. This is another reason why I like standard denominations.

I haven’t been to AC in several months but the next time I’m there I want to snap a pick of a limit table. Back in the early 2000’s when Limit was still the only game, the cage or the dealer would never give someone three racks of chips. Purhaps if one demanded it, maybe, but I never saw anyone do that. What I have seen many times in a floor manager hand a massive chip stack (usually around two racks) an empty rack and ask if they would like to color up. Many do but some refuse for dopey bad luck or table image reasons.
Again, you do you. My point is that new guys looking for advise on buying limit set are being told they “need” FAR more chips than they actually do. 600 chips for 8 -10 people is actually MORE than enough if the denominations are right.