Hi! I'm very new to this hobby and I am looking for my very first set of chips to buy. Looking for a reasonable Buy it for Life set that can be built on.
If you are truly looking for a "Buy It For Life Set", my suggestion would be to put your plans on hold for at least a few months (if not longer), and work on getting to play with as many different sets as you can. I started with plans to get two sets of cheaper
CC's (one cash and one tourney), but as I got exposed to (and played with) many different sets (everything from Dunes
CC, Milanos,
CPC, Casino Used Paulsons, Paulson Fantasy series, Paulson Elites, Boat Chips & Sunset Beach, Tiki Kings, various Ceramics, etc.). I soon discovered that my opinion of what I would consider a "Buy It For Life Set" changed drastically (as did my concept of what I would need to spend for such a set).
As mentioned above, samples are a great place to start, and are absolutely essential prior to making a decision. But IMO, equally important is the ability to actually play a few games with different sets, so that you can truly understand what they look, feel, sound and smell like (yes, all of the above can be a factor in your decision).
The best thing that I could suggest is to hook up (no, not like that), with a bunch of different chippers in your area and get invites to their games. Play a bunch of games with different sets, and form some opinions. Avoid making decisions based on what someone else's preferences are, and keep an open mind. You will possibly find that you need to strike a balance between relative affordability and what you could be happy with one year, five years, and twenty years from now. You may even find it more appropriate to purchase a "not for life" set initially, and work towards the "for life" set over time.
... any input about the number of each chip?
That will depend on whether you are playing strictly cash, or also tournament. Don't limit yourself to a set designed for 3 players, as you may (probably will) find that your circle of players expands and you want to host full tables (up to 10) or even multiple table events in the future. You will need to give some thought to the stakes you want to play for (now and in the future). $10 buyins will need 5c, 25c, $1 and possibly $5 chips, while a $20 or $50 buyin will need 25c, $1, $5 and possibly $20/$25 chips. For $100 or more buyins, you probably won't need the 25c chips at all, but may need to get a few $100 chips.
Search the forum for breakdowns - this is a great place to start for cash games:
https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...ut-a-cash-game-chip-set-5c-10c-to-5-10.30897/
For tournaments, there are a ton of breakdown threads, and any posts from
@BGinGA are worth their weight in gold, although there are several other members who also give great advice. Many people suggest having separate cash and tournament sets for security reasons (a search of the forum will explain why).
Good luck, and enjoy the journey!
