Controversial Chip & Poker Opinions (144 Viewers)

[LeGold]

I’ll save you time. The expensive ones stack better.

Not necessarily. New Paulsons are come out of the factory semi-warped, while Sun-Flys stack like bricks.

 

[frugal]

Always curious what it will spit out...lol

What are the pros and cons of the major poker chip brands? Paulson, Chipco, Bud Jones, Matsui, Abbiati, etc.? Also compare to "Tinas", "China Clays", and "dice chips"

Quick cheat sheet (home-game perspective)​

• Most “casino-authentic clay feel”: Paulson
• Most “casino-rugged / perfect stacks”: Bud Jones (injection)
• Best “full custom art + easiest ordering”: CHIPCO & Tina-style ceramics
• Best “bang-for-buck custom”: Tina group buys
• Best “cheap and fine”: China clays (mid) / dice chips (lowest)
  
  
  
• Pick the column you care about most:
  • Feel/sound (classic casino “clay”) → Paulson first.
  • Perfect stacks + rugged commercial durability → Bud Jones injection (and similar casino plastics).
  • Custom artwork / your logo / themed set → CHIPCO or Tina-style ceramics.
  • Best value custom → Tina group buys (get textured/molded).
  • Budget → China clays (mid) or dice chips (low).
    
    

 

[Felt_Lizard]

I would love for a meetup to have a kids party magician one time.

Petting zoo > magician/taco truck > balloon artist.

You know you're still not allowed within 500 feet of a school. Quit it.

 

[krafticus]

That's just silly. They go inside the card box of whichever high end cards people prefer which then goes into the earthquake proof case.

I had 3D printed cut card boxes (with lids) made. @Tommy, next project?

 

[BarrieJ3]

You know you're still not allowed within 500 feet of a school. Quit it.

Politics and pedo jokes. Fun.

 

[Tommy]

I had 3D printed cut card boxes (with lids) made. @Tommy, next project?

That was my very first project when I got the printer. I never finished it.

 

[FestiveKnight]

Quick cheat sheet (home-game perspective)​

• Most “casino-authentic clay feel”: Paulson
• Most “casino-rugged / perfect stacks”: Bud Jones (injection)
• Best “full custom art + easiest ordering”: CHIPCO & Tina-style ceramics
• Best “bang-for-buck custom”: Tina group buys
• Best “cheap and fine”: China clays (mid) / dice chips (lowest)
  
  
  
• Pick the column you care about most:
  • Feel/sound (classic casino “clay”) → Paulson first.
  • Perfect stacks + rugged commercial durability → Bud Jones injection (and similar casino plastics).
  • Custom artwork / your logo / themed set → CHIPCO or Tina-style ceramics.
  • Best value custom → Tina group buys (get textured/molded).
  • Budget → China clays (mid) or dice chips (low).
    

This is from ChatGPT? Amazing how fully they’ve scrubbed this site…

 

[doublebooyah85]

Can someone ask chat gtp how many racks of $5s you should have in a poker game.

 

[dpeks13]

Can someone ask chat gtp how many racks of $5s you should have in a poker game.

it just responded with "Yes"

 

[suchj0sh]

5x10^booyah

 

[JMC9389]

n+6 is the formula of how many racks of $5's a set has, with "n" being the number of booyah's that set has.

 

[Kam]

Can someone ask chat gtp how many racks of $5s you should have in a poker game.

GPT source:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/why-so-many-5s.113202/page-5

 

[Tonysquander]

Can someone ask chat gtp how many racks of $5s you should have in a poker game.

A rack is 100 chips, so a rack of $5s is $500.

With 16 players and all other denominations available ($1s and $25s especially), you usually don’t need a crazy amount of $5s—just enough to (a) make change smoothly and (b) keep each table from “running dry” of $5s.

Rule of thumb that works in practice​

• 1 rack of $5s (100 chips) is often sufficient for a 16-player game if it’s a typical low-stakes cash game (e.g., $1/$2with ~$100–$200 buy-ins) and you have plenty of $1s and $25s.
• 2 racks of $5s (200 chips) is the safe / no-headache answer for most setups, especially if:
  
  • buy-ins are closer to $200–$500, or
  • you’re playing $2/$5, or
  • you expect rebuys, or
  • you don’t want the bank constantly breaking down $25s into $5s.

Quick way to sanity-check it​

Estimate total money that might be on the tables at peak, then assume you want roughly 20–30% of that value in $5 chips for smooth change-making.

Examples:

• $1/$2, $200 max buy-in: 16 × $200 = $3,200 on table
  25% in $5s ≈ $800 → 160 chips → 2 racks
• $1/$2, $100 max buy-in: 16 × $100 = $1,600
  25% in $5s ≈ $400 → 80 chips → 1 rack

My recommendation​

If you want a single number without more details: bring/use 2 racks of $5 chips for a 16-player, two-table Hold’em game. It’s enough to keep both tables running smoothly without you constantly making change from the bank.

If you tell me the blinds and typical buy-in (and whether it’s cash vs tournament), I can give you a tighter “minimum” number.

 

[Josh Kifer]

A different way to think of it?

They’re like $1.

If a host is paying thousands and thousands for specific chips, chairs, animal balloon artist, table, felts, cup holders, magicians, hotdog roller, coffee nitro keg, urinals, etc., why wouldn't they spend $1-$2 for a custom, high quality standard cut card?

You should have saw the bathroom at cots 5. It was a minimal expense.

 

[Josh Kifer]

Not necessarily. New Paulsons are come out of the factory semi-warped, while Sun-Flys stack like bricks.

Bud jones stack so well they suction to the chips below them. It's like a safety feature.

 

[cpac54]

.

A rack is 100 chips, so a rack of $5s is $500.

With 16 players and all other denominations available ($1s and $25s especially), you usually don’t need a crazy amount of $5s—just enough to (a) make change smoothly and (b) keep each table from “running dry” of $5s.

Rule of thumb that works in practice​

• 1 rack of $5s (100 chips) is often sufficient for a 16-player game if it’s a typical low-stakes cash game (e.g., $1/$2with ~$100–$200 buy-ins) and you have plenty of $1s and $25s.
• 2 racks of $5s (200 chips) is the safe / no-headacheanswer for most setups, especially if:
  • buy-ins are closer to $200–$500, or
  • you’re playing $2/$5, or
  • you expect rebuys, or
  • you don’t want the bank constantly breaking down $25s into $5s.

Quick way to sanity-check it​

Estimate total money that might be on the tables at peak, then assume you want roughly 20–30% of that value in $5 chips for smooth change-making.

Examples:

• $1/$2, $200 max buy-in: 16 × $200 = $3,200 on table
  25% in $5s ≈ $800 → 160 chips → 2 racks
• $1/$2, $100 max buy-in: 16 × $100 = $1,600
  25% in $5s ≈ $400 → 80 chips → 1 rack

My recommendation​

If you want a single number without more details: bring/use 2 racks of $5 chips for a 16-player, two-table Hold’em game. It’s enough to keep both tables running smoothly without you constantly making change from the bank.

If you tell me the blinds and typical buy-in (and whether it’s cash vs tournament), I can give you a tighter “minimum” number.

 

[Tonysquander]

Booyah! Team 2 racks

.

View attachment 1618209

Right. #freethe$25

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

.

 

[grantc54]

A rack is 100 chips, so a rack of $5s is $500.

With 16 players and all other denominations available ($1s and $25s especially), you usually don’t need a crazy amount of $5s—just enough to (a) make change smoothly and (b) keep each table from “running dry” of $5s.

Rule of thumb that works in practice​

• 1 rack of $5s (100 chips) is often sufficient for a 16-player game if it’s a typical low-stakes cash game (e.g., $1/$2with ~$100–$200 buy-ins) and you have plenty of $1s and $25s.
• 2 racks of $5s (200 chips) is the safe / no-headache answer for most setups, especially if:
  • buy-ins are closer to $200–$500, or
  • you’re playing $2/$5, or
  • you expect rebuys, or
  • you don’t want the bank constantly breaking down $25s into $5s.

Quick way to sanity-check it​

Estimate total money that might be on the tables at peak, then assume you want roughly 20–30% of that value in $5 chips for smooth change-making.

Examples:

• $1/$2, $200 max buy-in: 16 × $200 = $3,200 on table
  25% in $5s ≈ $800 → 160 chips → 2 racks
• $1/$2, $100 max buy-in: 16 × $100 = $1,600
  25% in $5s ≈ $400 → 80 chips → 1 rack

My recommendation​

If you want a single number without more details: bring/use 2 racks of $5 chips for a 16-player, two-table Hold’em game. It’s enough to keep both tables running smoothly without you constantly making change from the bank.

If you tell me the blinds and typical buy-in (and whether it’s cash vs tournament), I can give you a tighter “minimum” number.

That explains the breakdowns of some of the "great value" classified listing that show up from time to time.

 

[chippitydoodah]

A different way to think of it?

They’re like $1.

If a host is paying thousands and thousands for specific chips, chairs, animal balloon artist, table, felts, cup holders, magicians, hotdog roller, coffee nitro keg, urinals, etc., why wouldn't they spend $1-$2 for a custom, high quality standard cut card?

$7 laser cut aluminum cut cards for the win.

 

[toothpic]

A rack is 100 chips, so a rack of $5s is $500.

With 16 players and all other denominations available ($1s and $25s especially), you usually don’t need a crazy amount of $5s—just enough to (a) make change smoothly and (b) keep each table from “running dry” of $5s.

Rule of thumb that works in practice​

• 1 rack of $5s (100 chips) is often sufficient for a 16-player game if it’s a typical low-stakes cash game (e.g., $1/$2with ~$100–$200 buy-ins) and you have plenty of $1s and $25s.
• 2 racks of $5s (200 chips) is the safe / no-headache answer for most setups, especially if:
  • buy-ins are closer to $200–$500, or
  • you’re playing $2/$5, or
  • you expect rebuys, or
  • you don’t want the bank constantly breaking down $25s into $5s.

Quick way to sanity-check it​

Estimate total money that might be on the tables at peak, then assume you want roughly 20–30% of that value in $5 chips for smooth change-making.

Examples:

• $1/$2, $200 max buy-in: 16 × $200 = $3,200 on table
  25% in $5s ≈ $800 → 160 chips → 2 racks
• $1/$2, $100 max buy-in: 16 × $100 = $1,600
  25% in $5s ≈ $400 → 80 chips → 1 rack

My recommendation​

If you want a single number without more details: bring/use 2 racks of $5 chips for a 16-player, two-table Hold’em game. It’s enough to keep both tables running smoothly without you constantly making change from the bank.

If you tell me the blinds and typical buy-in (and whether it’s cash vs tournament), I can give you a tighter “minimum” number.

You are half right. Quite literally.

 

[Cratty]

Somebody needs to ask ChatGPT if custom cut cards have any advantages over cheap cut cards.
No please don’t.

I’ll save you time. The expensive ones stack better.

So why get custom chips then? Why a certain spot color? Just get the cheapest minty racks you can find to make a good setup.

IMO overall atmosphere of a game is just as important as chips, which also contribute (although much moreso). If I'm hosting as an example a poker night with Casino Royale chips, I will have out nice liquors, martini glasses, a matching table topper, etc.. and be playing casino royale films on the TV in the background. I don't wear a Tux sure, but hell yeah for those hosts that do. Just elevates the overall experience (at least to me as the host, and that's all I care about).

Cut cards are a piece of that, every bit of "theme" helps. Matching topper, cards, etc.. just transport me to a different place vs a random house or basement. If cut cards bring in even a sub-1% benefit to the atmosphere of the game.. worth it.

 

[doublebooyah85]

So why get custom chips then? Why a certain spot color? Just get the cheapest minty racks you can find to make a good setup.

IMO overall atmosphere of a game is just as important as chips, which also contribute (although much moreso). If I'm hosting as an example a poker night with Casino Royale chips, I will have out nice liquors, martini glasses, a matching table topper, etc.. and be playing casino royale films on the TV in the background. I don't wear a Tux sure, but hell yeah for those hosts that do. Just elevates the overall experience (at least to me as the host, and that's all I care about).

Cut cards are a piece of that, every bit of "theme" helps. Matching topper, cards, etc.. just transport me to a different place vs a random house or basement. If cut cards bring in even a sub-1% benefit to the atmosphere of the game.. worth it.

I will say I get a bit embarrassed when I’ve got the matching cut card and dealer button lol

 

[Cratty]

I will say I get a bit embarrassed when I’ve got the matching cut card and dealer button lol

I'm surprised our mating candidates aren't lined up around the block, but that's a different discussion.

 

[JeepologyOffroad]

I will say I get a bit embarrassed when I’ve got the matching cut card and dealer button lol

 

[upNdown]

So why get custom chips then? Why a certain spot color? Just get the cheapest minty racks you can find to make a good setup.

IMO overall atmosphere of a game is just as important as chips, which also contribute (although much moreso). If I'm hosting as an example a poker night with Casino Royale chips, I will have out nice liquors, martini glasses, a matching table topper, etc.. and be playing casino royale films on the TV in the background. I don't wear a Tux sure, but hell yeah for those hosts that do. Just elevates the overall experience (at least to me as the host, and that's all I care about).

Cut cards are a piece of that, every bit of "theme" helps. Matching topper, cards, etc.. just transport me to a different place vs a random house or basement. If cut cards bring in even a sub-1% benefit to the atmosphere of the game.. worth it.

I get all that. My problem is that I really don't get it. I have very little interest in or appreciation for all the theming.
You'd think at my age, I'd have learned which opinions that I can keep to myself. Still working on that.

 

[grandmeme]

I get all that. My problem is that I really don't get it. I have very little interest in or appreciation for all the theming.
You'd think at my age, I'd have learned which opinions that I can keep to myself. Still working on that.

No need to work on that, I spend some mornings laughing, agreeing, or both at your opinions.

 

[Lil Tuna]

Politics and pedo jokes. Fun.

View attachment 1618124

 

[krafticus]

That was my very first project when I got the printer. I never finished it.

View attachment 1618123

Here are mine. I have 2, each holds about 62-65 cut cards. (bridge). I sketched the design, and they were made for Me.

 

[Ben8257]

Sure. And make sure you cut a special slot in your earthquake proof chip case for them.

Umm… you don’t??

Sorry Rob but you are the weirdo brotha man! Lol

You don’t want your custom cut cards to be safe if a 6.0 quake hits???

Anyone have Robs address so I can send a shit load of custom cut cards! Lmfao