The tool is somewhat helpful, but it still leaves me with questions.
For cash games, is having extra chips REALLY necessary? Or should I just get exactly what I need?
I’m leaning towards primarily a $0.25, $1, and $5 chip set for cash games, with a starting stack of $0.25x16, $1x16, and $5x8 (for a complete total starting stack of $60), which would total out to about 400 chips for a ten player game (an arrangement I could only dream about at the moment, but notwithstanding).
Should I stick to the bare minimum of the 400 or not?
I think it would be a good idea to get extra chips. It will help with re-buys, future proofing your game in case you decide to raise the stakes at some point, and can help if you decide to resell your set down the road. Going up to 500 chips to get some extra $5's and a barrel of $20's shouldnt make a huge difference for your initial purchase.