Limit chip setup advice (1 Viewer)

[triton]

Hi folks -- there are a lot of resources on this site that talk about no-limit chip structures and starting stacks, but I don't see a lot of threads that talk about limit game chip structures.

I'm very comfortable with my no-limit setups, but I do have a group that likes limit games so am looking for some advice on limit setups. Would be either 1/2 or 2/4 depending on who shows up and what mood people are in. I won't need a setup to deal with higher limits than 2/4. Seems weird to have a heavy presence of $5 chips in a 1/2 or 2/4 limit game.

What chip setups work for you? All singles or are there other setup configs that work? Does 2/4 make sense or do people go with 2/5?

 

[umbkcshah]

Limit games are generally talked about by the small bet and big bet. 3/6 works decently if you don't have a ton of $1 since you can make 'candy cane' stacks.

Never saw a game where there is a big bet more than 2x the small bet (big blind).

A rack per player (for 2/4 chip bet sizes - so $1s for a 2/4 game) then big chips 10x or more for the bank is typical if a dedicated set. Ideally want to keep change making down during a hand. It's fine if you can't meet that as anything can work.

Bigger than that I would bring in $5 to make the difference as it's not super practical to have enough for 4/8 chips etc for most people.

 

[OfficerLovejoy]

This has been discussed in a few threads like this one:
Thread 'Single chip limit set' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/single-chip-limit-set.90459/

A rack of workhorse chips per player seems like a good start. Expand depending on your budget.

 

[triton]

Thanks for the link!

 

[BGinGA]

Just wanted to point out that one can play a 1/2 limit game with just $1 chips, by using both a $1 small blind and $1 big blind (with a $2 big bet on later streets).

Financially, it is nearly identical to a 1/2 limit game using 50c chips -- the only monetary difference is the lone small blind being an extra 50c on each hand. So worst case is it costs each player an extra 50c per orbit.

But the game itself will play much tighter. Psychologically, almost all players tend to bet, raise, and call more readily when using larger numbers of smaller-denomination chips -- making the 50c-base 1/2 game play bigger with more action than a similar $1-base 1/2 game that uses fewer chips.

Strange but very true. Also true even if one uses $1 chips for a 1/2 limit game with a small number of 50c chips also in play just for posting the small blind. In general, players with larger numbers of smaller denomination chips will play looser than players with smaller numbers of larger denomination chips, even if the total cash value of each stack and bet size values are the exact same.

So yes, a 1/2 limit set that utilizes both $1 and $5 chips can work, but it won't play like one that consists of all 50c chips (known as a 2-chip/4-chip game) or all 25c chips (a 4-chip/8-chip game).

And it scales upwards, too -- also true for 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, 5/10, or 10/20 limit games.

 

[warma]

I am 100% limit these days. I broke out my non-denom limit set this evening and it worked well with my gang of varying experiences. I think twice someone thought the chip was worth 1/2 as much (our old betting structure), but it wasn’t an issue and no one really cared. With 6 people, after 4.5 hours of playing, I had all 800 workhorse chips on the table and still had my value chips in reserve.

You can fake it with your NL cash set as noted above, grab a cheap cards mold set, or look for cheaper vintage clay limit sets until you lock in your betting structure(s) and ensure your group wants to play.

I will say, my group loves the low pressure limit format- we even discussed the difference with NL format this evening. There’s no NL games for us for the foreseeable future, and I’m loving it.

 

[abby99]

The group that I used to play with in the Chicago area (I'm in Iowa these days) usually played .25/.50 NL and PL games, and 2/4 or 3/6 limit games. The workhorse chip is $1. I have enough $1 chips so that everyone can start with at least a rack; my major limit sets have either 1000 or 1200 $1s. I like to use $20 chips for value chips, which is great for making change: a barrel of $1s equals a single $20. Easy peasy.

No, you don't need 1200 $1s for a 2/4 or 3/6 game, but to paraphrase Tina Turner, "What's need got to do with it?"

 

[triton]

In general, players with larger numbers of smaller denomination chips will play looser than players with smaller numbers of larger denomination chips, even if the total cash value of each stack and bet size values are the exact same.

Thanks -- this resonates with me as I've seen this happen before. Was considering inserting a $2 chip into the mix but not anymore and will just stick with $1's.

I like to use $20 chips for value chips, which is great for making change: a barrel of $1s equals a single $20. Easy peasy.

Makes sense!

 

[allforcharity]

No, you don't need 1200 $1s for a 2/4 or 3/6 game, but to paraphrase Tina Turner, "What's need got to do with it?"

Actually, you probably do. 25BB is 150x $1 for a 3/6 game, and 8-handed brings you to 1200 chips. Of course, getting a few barrels of $5 can ease the strain a bit.