Chip Break Down for $1/2 NLHE - 8 players (1 Viewer)

[Meddler2]

Looking for advice on optimum chip breakdown for $1/2 NLHE. Typically 8 handed with buyins ranging from $60 - 120. Max rebuys are usually no more than $120 and we never have $100 chip in play and seldom need many $25s.

I guess I'm wondering if it's better to have more $1 chips or $5s?

Thanks

 

[Shaggy]

What is you typical opening raise? Generally, I'd say $5... So having more $5 would be better. I would think each player should start with a $25 on a full buy in. That's what I do with my $.25/$.50 $100 buy in game.

 

[bmichaelhorn]

Do you have limit for the total number of chips in your set?

 

[Meddler2]

Do you have limit for the total number of chips in your set?

Good question. Yes, I'd like to not exceed 500 total chips.

 

[Meddler2]

What is you typical opening raise? Generally, I'd say $5... So having more $5 would be better. I would think each player should start with a $25 on a full buy in. That's what I do with my $.25/$.50 $100 buy in game.

Opening range varies wildly. At min $5-10.

 

[Trihonda]

1/2 with only 500 chips... Hmmm.

I'm a big fan of having at least a barrel of each denomination (1's and 5's) for each player to start. Also a huge fan of full racks... That would require 200 1's, 200 5's, and 100 $25's to be used for rebuys, etc...

More conventional logic (non OCD) might suggest one rack of $1's to give each player around 10 each to start, then maybe 380 $5 chips, and one barrel of $25's.

To be honest, I'm having a hard time picturing a 1/2 game where everyone starts so short. I envision the game winding up with a bunch of rebuys as people bust out.

 

[links_slayer]

100 x $1
360 x $5
40 x $20/$25

If the set-up above is enough bank for what your game needs I say go for it. Since you're on a chip # budget I would get no more than a rack of $1's (2 racks is wayyy too many...taking up 40% of the set with the lowest and non-workhorse denom is a bad idea).

You may have to let cash play.

 

[links_slayer]

p.s. Optimum breakdown for a game like this would have more than 500 chips.

 

[Meddler2]

100 x $1
360 x $5
40 x $20/$25

If the set-up above is enough bank for what your game needs I say go for it. Since you're on a chip # budget I would get no more than a rack of $1's (2 racks is wayyy too many...taking up 40% of the set with the lowest and non-workhorse denom is a bad idea).

You may have to let cash play.

Not necessarily on a chip budget just didn't want to spend the extra $$ if I could get away w 500pc.
$2700 bank is more than enough to accommodate our game.

 

[Meddler2]

p.s. Optimum breakdown for a game like this would have more than 500 chips.

I'm open to suggestion.

 

[Natchez T]

Our 1/2 game usually has 8-10 with average buy-in $150 and average open-raise of $7-$12.
We've played this with 2 racks of $1, 4 racks of $5, and 1 rack of $25 ( and 2 barrels of $100 just in case).
I've often felt there wasn't enough reds in this game. We never get all the ones in play.
I would recommend you bump up to 600 chips. 140 ones, 400 reds, 50 greens, and 10 100's.

(edit chip count)

 

[Mojo1312]

Your buy-in is $60 to $120, and players open for a minimum of $5 to $10. Re-buys seldom exceed $120. I am assuming from the information in your posts that you rarely have more than $2,000 in play.

150 x $1
300 x $5
50 x $20

 

[jbutler]

Links has it right imo. If it's rarely over 8 players, you rarely get full buy-ins, and you don't have my full rack obsession, I would suggest:

160 ($1)
400 ($5)
40 ($25)

Or do a barrel of $25s and a barrel of $100s. You'll likely never need all of either, so it's kind of personal preference if you want to use green or black for the "big" chip. The 600 chip breakdown is also preferable to 500 because it looks real purdy in a birdcage imo.

 

[Meddler2]

Your buy-in is $60 to $120, and players open for a minimum of $5 to $10. Re-buys seldom exceed $120. I am assuming from the information in your posts that you rarely have more than $2,000 in play.

150 x $1
300 x $5
50 x $20

Correct.

 

[Mojo1312]

I am in line with Links, Butler and Natchez. You may want to consider adding an extra rack of nickel's. Your game may grow in the size of the buy-ins/re-buys or in the number of players. 150 $1 chips easily supports a 10 player $1/$2 game.

 

[Shaggy]

I'm a fan of fewer nickels, more $20... And a couple barrels of hundos.

All buyins should contain a $20. All rebuys should consist of $20 only... At least for the first few... After that, use the hundos. There's no reason to include $5 in rebuys... Because they can just make change with the big stack upon rebuying.

Ymmv if your players are averse to making change or betting with $20s.

 

[Trihonda]

Links has it right imo. If it's rarely over 8 players, you rarely get full buy-ins, and you don't have my full rack obsession, I would suggest:

160 ($1)
400 ($5)
40 ($25)

^ This meets your needs! Shippit!

I always think of nice chips being stored in racks, not usually aluminum chip cases... That eliminates any breakdown that isn't at least in increments of 20. As I initially stated, I didn't think 500 was enough for an optimal breakdown. I think 600 might be ok, but I'd really suggest just going with a 800 chip set from the get-go

200 ($1)
500 ($5)
100 ($25)

OK, OK, I know... overkill, but we're chip addicts, and we'd be remiss if someone here didn't advocate for moar chippies.

 

[MD Mike]

^ This meets your needs! Shippit!

I always think of nice chips being stored in racks, not usually aluminum chip cases... That eliminates any breakdown that isn't at least in increments of 20. As I initially stated, I didn't think 500 was enough for an optimal breakdown. I think 600 might be ok, but I'd really suggest just going with a 800 chip set from the get-go

200 ($1)
500 ($5)
100 ($25)

OK, OK, I know... overkill, but we're chip addicts, and we'd be remiss if someone here didn't advocate for moar chippies.

This is a good formula:

1 X $1
2.5 X $5
1/2 X 20$/25$

Multiply to taste.

Also, super noob question. Is a barrel 25 or 20 chipsies?

 

[Trihonda]

a barrel is 20. In a rack of chips, there are 5 barrels

 

[MD Mike]

a barrel is 20. In a rack of chips, there are 5 barrels

I knew I should have payed attention in poker class.

 

[Mojo1312]

I'm a fan of fewer nickels, more $20... And a couple barrels of hundos.

All buyins should contain a $20. All rebuys should consist of $20 only... At least for the first few... After that, use the hundos. There's no reason to include $5 in rebuys... Because they can just make change with the big stack upon rebuying.

Ymmv if your players are averse to making change or betting with $20s.

So maybe a breakdown of: 150 ones, 350 fives, and 100 twenties for a total bank of $3,900?

 

[stocky]

IMO 100x $1 is more than enough for a single 1/2 table. Most post flop betting will be in increments of $5s.

100x$1
360x$5
40x$25

$2900 bank

Need more bank take 20 $5s off and add $25s or $100s.

 

[Shaggy]

Get your group accustomed to betting with the $20 (or $25) and get this breakdown:

100x $1
180x $5
100x $20
20x $100
Total Bank: $5000
Total Chips: 400

Starting stacks with $150 buy in and 9 players:
10x $1
20x $5
2x $20

This uses all of your $5 on initial starting stacks. All rebuys will be using $20 and/or $100

 

[Meddler2]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
Been playing with same crusty crew since 2000 and getting them accustomed to using a $20 or $25 chip frequently will never happen nor do they really like them in their starting stacks. We've only ever had 10 people maybe 5 times in 15 years so no need to buy so many chips. I think 100-150 $1s, 300-360 $5s, and a barrel or two of $20s should be fine. If I discover it's not, I'll add more.

 

[trever]

160 singles let's you give each player a full barrel with their initial buyin and your $120 buyin would be a nice and easy barrel each of ones and fives.

This is heresy around here, but if you rarely use higher denoms, why not just get 200 ones and 300 fives (14 $120 buyins) and use cash if you ever run out of chips.

 

[Mental Nomad]

I think 100-150 $1s, 300-360 $5s, and a barrel or two of $20s should be fine.

For 100/360/40, you have a bank of $2,700. For 150/310/40 you have a bank of $2,500. If that works for you, maybe you're fine.

But given everything you've said above, including their dislike of a $20/$25, I'd consider skipping the denom entirely, and going to a hundo. A single barrel of hundos covers the bank you need, but allows you more of the small chips. If they're not going to actually play the $20s, no need to be locked into them.

And given that your buy-ins tend to be small for a 1-2 NLHE game (IMHO), I think it's a good idea to have more than 100-150 $1 chips. I suspect there's more betting of white chips than the typical 1/2 NLHE game!

So I'd propose:

160 x $1 - this means a full barrel per player on the table. Easy buy-ins, and less change-making later
320 x $5 - two barrels per player on the table is plenty of redbirds, and all-red makes easy rebuys
20 x $100 - the bank chip, for whoever is getting way ahead. If you have all the redbirds in play, it's an easy conversion to color someone up to get reds for a buy-in; a full barrel of $5 is a single hundo.

Total bank: $3,760, still only 500 chips. You have $1760 in chips without the hundos, a threshold you'll expect to cross - that's just a hair over $200 per player with eight playing - but a single barrel of hundos gives you plenty of headroom.

 

[Leonard]

I would up your chip count to 600 if only because decent 600 chip carriers are available and 500 chip cases are not. Carriers that use 100 chip trays are a much better method for carrying, counting and sorting chips.

$1 x 100
$5 x 400
last rack for some combination of $20/$25 and $100. I would recommend at least one barrel of $100s even if you never think you will need them.
So: $25 x 80, $100 x 20.

$6100 total rack and will work well.

 

[Trihonda]

And given that your buy-ins tend to be small for a 1-2 NLHE game (IMHO), I think it's a good idea to have more than 100-150 $1 chips. I suspect there's more betting of white chips than the typical 1/2 NLHE game!

So I'd propose:

160 x $1 - this means a full barrel per player on the table. Easy buy-ins, and less change-making later
320 x $5 - two barrels per player on the table is plenty of redbirds, and all-red makes easy rebuys

I would up your chip count to 600 if only because decent 600 chip carriers are available and 500 chip cases are not. Carriers that use 100 chip trays are a much better method for carrying, counting and sorting chips.

I agree that given the OP's smaller stakes, I think more whites will be utilized. Bigger denoms often encourage bigger betting. Having 20 white chips and 20 red chips to dole out at the start is SUPER easy. I also still feel 600 chipset (or more) is the way to go for all the reasons stated:

160 (1)
400 (5)
40 (25)

This gives a bank of over $3100, and if everyone in OP's game bought in for max each time, that's 26 total buyins. or 18 full rebuys... I highly doubt the OP's game will get that big.

This is my final word on the matter

 

[Craig D]

500 Chips
120x1 360x5 20x100
Bank $3920
Starting Stack 15/??

or

600 Chips
200x1 360x5 40x100
Bank $6000
Starting Stack 20/??

 

[Trihonda]

People not listening to the OP, who says his group isn't likely to use $25's, much less hundos, lol...