Best Denominations & Chip Counts For A 500 Piece Set? (1 Viewer)

[B3T5]

Best chip counts / denominations for a 500 piece set? I would like to be able to use this set for everything.

Yes, I have read the other threads about this. Yes, I realize its better to have two sets for security (cash games vs tourneys) but its not in my budget. I would mainly be using this for home tourneys with up to 9 players, but would like it to be able to play a cash game as well.

This is what I'm currently thinking:

1 × 100
5 × 100
25 × 75
100 × 75
500 × 50
1000 × 50
5000 × 25
10000 × 25

Thoughts? Advice? Is this denomination spread too high? Let me know what denominations / chip counts you would choose.

Thanks

 

[Colquhoun]

I think the least chips you'll need for a full table T25 tournament is 400+ chips. You wont need the 10K chips.
T25-base, 10k stacks (12/12/5/6), 25/50 blinds
120 x T25
120 x T100
50 x T500
75 x T1000
40 x T5000

If you plan on doing cash with the $1 and $5, the quantities of each will depend on your stakes. Couldn't hurt to get $20 chips so there's no mixing between sets.

 

[Huskerchipper]

If you absolutely insist on going against everyone's advice...you only need 4 denoms...1-5-25-100. The rest will be a fantastic waste of a small budget. Good luck.

 

[acezag]

If you absolutely insist on going against everyone's advice...you only need 4 denoms...1-5-25-100. The rest will be a fantastic waste of a small budget. Good luck.

I think this is good advice for a painful approach, but he'll probably need some fracs for cash, or else use actual dimes / quarters.

I gotta say, though, OP - if my budget was that tight, I'd be skimming Facebook for dice chips for pennies on the dollar, and saving up. It's not about security - its about coming to hate and want to replace a set that ends up being annoying for both purposes. If you do it, choose a set you can add onto easily in the future.

 

[B3T5]

I think the least chips you'll need for a full table T25 tournament is 400+ chips. You wont need the 10K chips.
T25-base, 10k stacks (12/12/5/6), 25/50 blinds
120 x T25
120 x T100
50 x T500
75 x T1000
40 x T5000

If you plan on doing cash with the $1 and $5, the quantities of each will depend on your stakes. Couldn't hurt to get $20 chips so there's no mixing between sets.

This makes sense, I'll scrap the 10k's for sure. Thanks

If you absolutely insist on going against everyone's advice...you only need 4 denoms...1-5-25-100. The rest will be a fantastic waste of a small budget. Good luck.

Also sounds advice, I'm a bit of a collector though so I like to have the variety of the 500, 1000, and 5000 chips in there as well, especially considering they are some of the nicer chips in the set I'm looking at (Ravenor Classic)

I think this is good advice for a painful approach, but he'll probably need some fracs for cash, or else use actual dimes / quarters.

I gotta say, though, OP - if my budget was that tight, I'd be skimming Facebook for dice chips for pennies on the dollar, and saving up. It's not about security - its about coming to hate and want to replace a set that ends up being annoying for both purposes. If you do it, choose a set you can add onto easily in the future.

The chips I'm looking at are the Ravenor classic, so there's no dollar sign next to the denominations on the chips and I figured I could just have the larger denominations represent "cents". So 1c 5c 25c 100c etc, and that way it could be used as both a cash and tournament set.

But okay, I'll bite. I do respect the sentiment of buying once and future proofing the set. So let's say I break the bank and get two sets or one set I can expand on as you say. How many chips should I aim for? Max 8-10 players.

Tournament Set being the Turbo Ceramics or similar
Cash Set being Ravenor Classic or similar

 

[Huskerchipper]

Have you looked here?https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...ek-mold-april-2025.129138/page-5#post-2655344
Virtually half the price, Virtually the same quality and Virtually endless options....sooooo walla...now you have the budget to buy the two different sets you need. You would Virtually be krazy not to!!!

 

[pltrgyst]

Or be a rebel and go with 25-100-500-2000 for both cash and tournament. Works great...

 

[FestiveKnight]

Do what you think is best for your hosting/game, but do it wisely. Security can certainly be a concern, but it's also bandied about because everyone here (myself included) is always looking for justification to buy more.

What are your cash stakes? Sounds like micro stakes? This should inform your decision. I personally feel strongly that cash games suffer when they are not worth face value but that's also flexible.

You get to decide your risk and "optimization" propensities.

Or be a rebel and go with 25-100-500-2000 for both cash and tournament. Works great...

Again, not sure your stakes but this isn't objectively wrong. If you cash game is 25¢/25¢ this could work well. Divide face denom by 100. Not my preference, but players figure it out.

If you are worried about budget, don't get so many denoms! Here's a *chef's kiss* tournament break down only using 4 denoms, why does everyone always want so many denoms?

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/making-a-higher-denom-tourney-set.34768/post-636105

FWIW, here's a T1 breakdown and structure that could work well for you if you are playing penny stakes and wouldn't mind dividing by 100

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...rnament-set-stacks-t1-base.44089/post-1134244

However, I would strongly recommend reconsidering your chip choices. The "Tina" chips available in group buys here are fantastic. I know nothing of those Ravenors but I am 90% sure they are just an older generation of the Tina chips, probably with at least 3x mark up. I would avoid. If you are worried about budget, don't get these lol

I'm a bit of a collector though so I like to have the variety of the 500, 1000, and 5000 chips in there as well,

Lastly, as if this wasn't already too long, I am so curious what you mean by this? I like discussions on the pedantic definitions of words like "collector"

 

[B3T5]

Have you looked here?https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...ek-mold-april-2025.129138/page-5#post-2655344
Virtually half the price, Virtually the same quality and Virtually endless options....sooooo walla...now you have the budget to buy the two different sets you need. You would Virtually be krazy not to!!!

This is a great find, thanks! Are these all China clays?

 

[B3T5]

What are your cash stakes? Sounds like micro stakes? This should inform your decision. I personally feel strongly that cash games suffer when they are not worth face value but that's also flexible.

However, I would strongly recommend reconsidering your chip choices. The "Tina" chips available in group buys here are fantastic. I know nothing of those Ravenors but I am 90% sure they are just an older generation of the Tina chips, probably with at least 3x mark up. I would avoid. If you are worried about budget, don't get these lol

Lastly, as if this wasn't already too long, I am so curious what you mean by this? I like discussions on the pedantic definitions of words like "cocollector"

Thanks for the tourney breakdowns, and yea cash games would probably be 5c / 10c. I do agree with your sentiment about cash games suffering without face values. The tina chips seem like a good option which pretty much cuts my chip cost in half so perhaps 2 sets is the answer. The ravenors classics are actually ceramic with edge alignment, hence the price. Ceramic appeals to me for its durability and low maintenance, and that is one of the few sets I could find that despite being ceramic, has a classic poker chip look.

My collector anecdote just means if I'm buying a set, I like the idea of "collecting" the full range of chips from that set. A nonsensical modality when looked at through a pragmatic lens for sure lol

 

[Huskerchipper]

This is a great find, thanks! Are these all China clays?

They are not the same as China clays. They are a ceramic chip that is printed on but the hybrid molds (Greek, Web &s Sun) have a traditional inlay similar to a real clay chip. You can pick any inlay that you like and match it with any chip/edge spot combo you prefer. Welcome to your first rabbit hole.

 

[caballo993]

Does having denominations matter? If not then the easy answer is to get solids. If it does then your best bet is what others mentions and to get a T5 or T25 tournament set and when you play cash everything is 100x or pennies.

I’d say just focus on a cash set, especially since 5¢ aren’t that common (Granted that’s not an issue with Tinas). You can do a tournament with most cash sets as long as you have enough for each player. I think it’s easier to adjust a tournament starting stack and blind levels then to compensate for bad chip breakdowns in cash games. IMO

 

[upNdown]

Or be a rebel and go with 25-100-500-2000 for both cash and tournament. Works great...

.25-1-5-25 would work great too. I feel like I’ve seen Dave say it’s one of the most efficient ways to do it.

 

[pltrgyst]

True, but 25 cent chips just scream "wtf is this?" in a tournament environment.

 

[sonic242]

Get solids that correspond to somewhat standard casino cash colors and then you can call them whatever the hell you want for tournaments. As mentioned above scour the marketplace for an inexpensive set. It doesn't matter what you buy today, because if you hang out on PCF, you will end up buying something else later...

 

[B3T5]

They are not the same as China clays. They are a ceramic chip that is printed on but the hybrid molds (Greek, Web &s Sun) have a traditional inlay similar to a real clay chip. You can pick any inlay that you like and match it with any chip/edge spot combo you prefer. Welcome to your first rabbit hole.

Oh yea I'll spend some time looking at this for sure lol , does the supplier have a chip builder website or anything like that where you can play around with different combos?

Does having denominations matter? If not then the easy answer is to get solids. If it does then your best bet is what others mentions and to get a T5 or T25 tournament set and when you play cash everything is 100x or pennies.

I’d say just focus on a cash set, especially since 5¢ aren’t that common (Granted that’s not an issue with Tinas). You can do a tournament with most cash sets as long as you have enough for each player. I think it’s easier to adjust a tournament starting stack and blind levels then to compensate for bad chip breakdowns in cash games. IMO

Solids are a great idea