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Hosting A Home Cash Game! (1 Viewer)

ianpoker

ianpoker

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Hey everyone, I am looking to start hosting a semi-regular home cash game in my new college house next semester. I just picked up a new poker table off marketplace and ordered a set of Copags. Now i just need the chips. This will be my first real set (non dice chips) and want to get some china clays. I was thinking 200 x .25c , 100x $1 , 50 x $5 (if this seems right for a 9 player .25/.25c $20-$25 buy-in). I love the look and feel of Milanos but cant find the .25c for a reasonable price anywhere. My budget is around $200. Let me know if anyone has any recommendations for chips or tips on how to host a smooth home game!
 

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Welcome! Many of us started in similar games.

I would change your breakdown if you're balling on a budget.

160 x .25
200 x $1s
40 x $5s
and $20 bills play if needed.

For a total of 400 chips and $400+ in bank. In splashy low stakes games I like more quarters but you could pare that down farther to 120 if you want more $5s. Depending on your game this bank may be too small, the chips are relatively cheap so just grab a full rack (100) of $5s if you feel the need.

Starting stacks something like 16 quarters ($4), 16 ones ($16) and a $5 to start, with rebuys being solely in $1s and $5s until you're empty.

You definitely want more of the $1s, those will be your workhorse chips in $25 buyin games. So the breakdown you offered would work but its very inefficient and would require lots of making change, the quarters are really just for the blinds anyways. I hand out a full barrel (20) of my quarters but that's because I love the chips and wasn't constrained by budget.


As @doublebooyah85 said this has been done to death, search around.
 
Welcome!
​
I would suggest reading the new member post in my signature (landscape on mobile)

Your budget is light, dice chips range from .13 to .35 (this is where you're budget currently is). Your best bet for non-dice chips is to appeal to a member who has something they would be willing to help a college student out with. This happens from time to time. Look for slightly loved Tinas, or members that went ham and have too many Tinas, or someone willing to part with Nexgens.

I would suggest running a .10/.20 game for a college game. This would be more in line with your chip budget and college; I love these stakes; I get to drink and focus on fun and socializing, rather than paying for all my semester credits. I'm almost twice your age and a bankroll where I can afford to be a losing player, these stakes are still very enjoyable, there is no need to increase risk or exclude those that can't afford a .25/.50 game. My PLO .5/.5 game is unchained and we often get 3k plus on the table. Last week I played in our .10/.10 game and I won $180, sure I was sun running but that is 9 times the buy in, and I wasn't the only winner.

This is the breakdown I would run:

.10 - 100
.50 - 100
1 - 200
5 - 100

That's $700 in the bank; you can scale up over time, and in a pinch, you can let $20s and $100s play. If you have more than 700 on the table, you're players are likely stretching too much or you shouldn't call it a college game.
 
Last edited:
Machine said:
Welcome!
​
I would suggest reading the new member post in my signature (landscape on mobile)

Your budget is light, dice chips range from .13 to .35 (this is where you're budget currently is). Your best bet for non-dice chips is to appeal to a member who has something they would be willing to help a college student out with. This happens from time to time. Look for slightly loved Tinas, or members that went ham and have too many Tinas, or someone willing to part with Nexgens.

I would suggest running a .10/.20 game for a college game. This would be more in line with your chip budget and college; I love these stakes; I get to drink and focus on fun and socializing, rather than paying for all my semester credits. I'm almost twice your age and a bankroll where I can afford to be a losing player, these stakes are still very enjoyable, there is no need to increase risk or exclude those that can't afford a .25/.50 game. My PLO .5/.5 game is unchained and we often get 3k plus on the table. Last week I played in our .10/.10 game and I won $180, sure I was sun running but that is 9 times the buy in, and I wasn't the only winner.

This is the breakdown I would run:

.10 - 100
.50 - 100
1 - 200
5 - 100

That's $700 in the bank; you can scale up over time, and in a pinch, you can let $20s and $100s play. If you have more than 700 on the table, you're players are likely stretching too much or you shouldn't call it a college game.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info, my main motive for originally thinking .25/.25 was quite honestly because i'm picky and want the denominations on the chips to match the value (to my understanding, .10c chips are not really produced). I guess i could get my own stickers that say 10c but I'm not too sure how to go about that and might be a bit much but could be worth it.

I do think you are right though that a .10/.20 game would be better and more inclusive. You're correct that the main goal is to drink, socialize, and have the stakes be big enough to mean something but small enough to not cause financial stress and allow people to come back and play on a regular basis.

Any advice on the .10c chip work-around? And yes overall due to my smaller budget, I am trying to figure out the minimum # of chips I could get to run a functional 9 player cash game. I understand this could be hard to pull off with China Clays in a smaller budget so i guess I would also be open to some ceramics or a more budget friendly option. (And yes if anyone is trying to help a college student jumpstart his poker home game let me know! It would be greatly appreciated! ;)
 
50 X $5s ?
What is this, a chip set for ants?

Just messing with you, some of my favorite poker memories were 10cent ante in college, we all had (Istill have mine) special little containers for our dimes & quarters. What great times, ENJOY!
 
The best advice I could give you would be to up the budget lol.

This is what I would do on a budget of 200 bucks. If I wanted something within a week or two.

https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/majestic-poker-chips/

5c - 75
50c - 50
1 - 200
5 - 50

This would be about 500 in bank, again, let 20s play if needed. This would also get chips on the table and start you off.
This would be an avg of about $55 per 9 players.


Budget.PNG
 
I have set of Nevada Jack Skulls (ceramic) chips that would fit your budget. They were listed here for sale but no interest. You should be able to see the cancelled post for the specifics.
 
You might want to factor in who is playing with your chips and cards. If you don’t think your guys are going to respect your equipment, consider using cheaper cards and chips that won’t bother you if they “disappear” or get damaged.
 
sonofneeway said:
I have set of Nevada Jack Skulls (ceramic) chips that would fit your budget. They were listed here for sale but no interest. You should be able to see the cancelled post for the specifics.
Click to expand...
I'd love to take a look, would you mind telling me how to navigate to cancelled posts? Today is my first day on the forum so I'm still trying to figure things out lol.
 
ianpoker said:
Hey everyone, I am looking to start hosting a semi-regular home cash game in my new college house next semester. I just picked up a new poker table off marketplace and ordered a set of Copags. Now i just need the chips. This will be my first real set (non dice chips) and want to get some china clays. I was thinking 200 x .25c , 100x $1 , 50 x $5 (if this seems right for a 9 player .25/.25c $20-$25 buy-in). I love the look and feel of Milanos but cant find the .25c for a reasonable price anywhere. My budget is around $200. Let me know if anyone has any recommendations for chips or tips on how to host a smooth home game!
Click to expand...
Let me check my set of Milanos to see if I have what you are looking for.
 
Bacon Dad said:
You might want to factor in who is playing with your chips and cards. If you don’t think your guys are going to respect your equipment, consider using cheaper cards and chips that won’t bother you if they “disappear” or get damaged.
Click to expand...
Trust me thats my #1 rule, most of the guys im thinking of inviting are pretty clean and understand intrinsic value of poker gear. Hopefully a new set will continue to drive the cleanliness.
 
Hello and welcome! If you want to future proof your set you could get $25 chips and use those as 25c for lower stakes games. I like the idea of having $20 bills on the table play for when stacks get deeper. Seems like you’ve got a lot of leads and advice here otherwise. Best of luck!
 
Machine said:
The best advice I could give you would be to up the budget lol.

This is what I would do on a budget of 200 bucks. If I wanted something within a week or two.

https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/majestic-poker-chips/

5c - 75
50c - 50
1 - 200
5 - 50

This would be about 500 in bank, again, let 20s play if needed. This would also get chips on the table and start you off.
This would be an avg of about $55 per 9 players.


View attachment 1518338
Click to expand...
If you like the look of these, send me a DM. They are really nice entry level chips. I have a bunch of Majestics that I can let you have for much less than what you will pay new.
 
ianpoker said:
Hey everyone, I am looking to start hosting a semi-regular home cash game in my new college house next semester. I just picked up a new poker table off marketplace and ordered a set of Copags. Now i just need the chips. This will be my first real set (non dice chips) and want to get some china clays. I was thinking 200 x .25c , 100x $1 , 50 x $5 (if this seems right for a 9 player .25/.25c $20-$25 buy-in). I love the look and feel of Milanos but cant find the .25c for a reasonable price anywhere. My budget is around $200. Let me know if anyone has any recommendations for chips or tips on how to host a smooth home game!
Click to expand...
I’m new to poker and hosting games, so someone may have more knowledge than me on the topic—but if you can afford a larger set, I’d recommend going with 200 x $0.25, 200 x $1, and 100 x $5 chips for a solid 500-chip setup.

Further down the road, you can expand the set by adding 100 more $5 chips and a barrel or two of $25 chips if you’d like to increase buy-ins or blinds.

Also, if you like Milano chips and can hold off before upgrading, PCM has Milanos at the best price I’ve seen but $.25s go out of stock quickly.

Milano Chips: https://pokerchipmania.com/clay-poker-chips/milano-poker-chips/
 
ianpoker said:
Hey everyone, I am looking to start hosting a semi-regular home cash game in my new college house next semester. I just picked up a new poker table off marketplace and ordered a set of Copags. Now i just need the chips. This will be my first real set (non dice chips) and want to get some china clays. I was thinking 200 x .25c , 100x $1 , 50 x $5 (if this seems right for a 9 player .25/.25c $20-$25 buy-in). I love the look and feel of Milanos but cant find the .25c for a reasonable price anywhere. My budget is around $200. Let me know if anyone has any recommendations for chips or tips on how to host a smooth home game!
Click to expand...
Sounds like a blast! I learned the basics about hosting through @Chris Manzoni’s YouTube channel and have enjoyed a year of hosting small stakes games at my home. I would highly recommend checking his videos out - they helped me feel much more confident and was able to get the right chip amounts for my game.
 
Machine said:
Will the OP @ianpoker give us an update on their journey? do you have chips? have you hosted a game yet?
Click to expand...
Yes! I ended up going with the Majestics (in love with the pink fracs) and found someone on here willing to give me a good deal (Thanks GreatWhiteDope)! I have been hosting about 3 nights a week for a couple weeks now and it has been going well! I've been doing a lot of dealing practice and feel pretty confident when I'm dealing my home game now. People are getting more familiar with the structure and things are running smoother.

We've been playing .25/.25 and the games have already been getting pretty deep. I am already arranging to get some more $5 chips and also a rack of $25s so the game can get bigger. I really like how simple it is now with a specific cash set that has the denoms on the chips. Not all of my friends are experienced yet so this clears a lot of confusion. I'm thinking im about to order a pack of Copag Elites (the borderless ones) because my friend brought them the other night for me to deal and they felt way more smooth/slippery, making it much easier to riffle than the standard plastic copags in my opnion.

Im also thinking about getting a felt topper to go overtop of the current felt that I have on my table (seen below) as its a bit worn down and the crack in the middle drives me crazy. Ideally felt that feels casino grade. Let me know if anyone has suggestions.

The last few things I feel like I could benefit from as I continue to build my setup include some sort of chip briefcase to make them easier to transport (currently just storing chips in acrylic racks), as well as a cool looking LARGE dealer puck (so my friends dont ask who is small blind for the hundredth time lol).

Thank you everyone for the help so far I cant wait to keep building my collection and host more poker!
 

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ianpoker said:
Yes! I ended up going with the Majestics (in love with the pink fracs) and found someone on here willing to give me a good deal (Thanks GreatWhiteDope)! I have been hosting about 3 nights a week for a couple weeks now and it has been going well! I've been doing a lot of dealing practice and feel pretty confident when I'm dealing my home game now. People are getting more familiar with the structure and things are running smoother.

We've been playing .25/.25 and the games have already been getting pretty deep. I am already arranging to get some more $5 chips and also a rack of $25s so the game can get bigger. I really like how simple it is now with a specific cash set that has the denoms on the chips. Not all of my friends are experienced yet so this clears a lot of confusion. I'm thinking im about to order a pack of Copag Elites (the borderless ones) because my friend brought them the other night for me to deal and they felt way more smooth/slippery, making it much easier to riffle than the standard plastic copags in my opnion.

Im also thinking about getting a felt topper to go overtop of the current felt that I have on my table (seen below) as its a bit worn down and the crack in the middle drives me crazy. Ideally felt that feels casino grade. Let me know if anyone has suggestions.

The last few things I feel like I could benefit from as I continue to build my setup include some sort of chip briefcase to make them easier to transport (currently just storing chips in acrylic racks), as well as a cool looking LARGE dealer puck (so my friends dont ask who is small blind for the hundredth time lol).

Thank you everyone for the help so far I cant wait to keep building my collection and host more poker!
Click to expand...
You can read more about (and potentially order) toppers sized to fit your Barrington table here:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/made-to-order-custom-table-toppers.96993/

You can continue using your racks within a carrier like this Versa case:
1752189752415.jpeg

https://www.amazon.com/Versa-Games-600pc-Deluxe-Carrier/dp/B07XYGD2XR/

There’s an upcoming group buy for 80mm by 20mm sized dealer buttons here:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...giant-80mm-x-20mm-acrylic-august-2025.134044/

Congrats on getting your game running and active :tup:
 
ianpoker said:
Yes! I ended up going with the Majestics (in love with the pink fracs) and found someone on here willing to give me a good deal (Thanks GreatWhiteDope)! I have been hosting about 3 nights a week for a couple weeks now and it has been going well! I've been doing a lot of dealing practice and feel pretty confident when I'm dealing my home game now. People are getting more familiar with the structure and things are running smoother.

We've been playing .25/.25 and the games have already been getting pretty deep. I am already arranging to get some more $5 chips and also a rack of $25s so the game can get bigger. I really like how simple it is now with a specific cash set that has the denoms on the chips. Not all of my friends are experienced yet so this clears a lot of confusion. I'm thinking im about to order a pack of Copag Elites (the borderless ones) because my friend brought them the other night for me to deal and they felt way more smooth/slippery, making it much easier to riffle than the standard plastic copags in my opnion.

Im also thinking about getting a felt topper to go overtop of the current felt that I have on my table (seen below) as its a bit worn down and the crack in the middle drives me crazy. Ideally felt that feels casino grade. Let me know if anyone has suggestions.

The last few things I feel like I could benefit from as I continue to build my setup include some sort of chip briefcase to make them easier to transport (currently just storing chips in acrylic racks), as well as a cool looking LARGE dealer puck (so my friends dont ask who is small blind for the hundredth time lol).

Thank you everyone for the help so far I cant wait to keep building my collection and host more poker!
Click to expand...
Just get 2-3 racks of $5s. You can probably sell off a rack of 25c. You don't need 3.
 
Nice! Game looks great, and welcome to the Moarrr Fives club. Highly recommend a topper. As good as the Barrington tables are, the default flop/turn/river boxes felt makes me nauseous.
 
Looks like a great time and hope you continue to have fun with hosting! @justincarothers has some great big dealer buttons in multiple different sizes and designs. I will also warn you he has the best chip racks that solved my need for a carry case (and saved money) since the racks stack together. The other benefit is they save space on your shelf since their footprint is only one or two racks wide.
The biggest is 80mm https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...giant-80mm-x-20mm-acrylic-august-2025.134044/
 

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