You can start with a T25 base set and expand it. For T100 you just exchange the starting stack T25s with T100s of equal summed value, and add a bunch more higher value chips so you get back up to the number of starting big blinds you're aiming for.
If you start out with a properly built T25 base set, the add-on to turn it into T100 base is fairly small, so it might make sense to buy the add-on right with the base set.
To construct a tournament set...
- You'll want the exact same starting stack composition for every player.
- You'll want to have extra chips that can be used to "chip up", so lower denomination chips that are no longer useful when the blinds get high can be removed from play.
- Consider throwing in extra chips for special bonuses like being there on time or whatnot; also consider chips going missing.
Minimalist T25 base variant, per player:
- 8x T25 (sum T200)
- 8x T100 (sum T800) (running total T1,000) + 2 extra to chip up the T25s
- 4x T500 (sum T2,000) (running total T3,000) + 2 extra to chip up the T100s
- 7x T1,000 (sum T7,000) (running total T10,000)
This enables you to do games with starting stacks up to 200 big blinds. If you want to start with less big blinds simply distribute less T1,000s in starting stacks. If you want even more starting big blinds, throw more T1,000s and T5,000s in.
"Premium" T25 base variant per player goes with more small chips so you don't have to make change as often:
- 12x T25 (sum T300)
- 12x T100 (sum T1,200) (running total T1,500) + 3 extra to chip up the T25s
- 5x T500 (sum T2,500) (running total T4,000) + 3 extra to chip up the T100s
- 6x T1,000 (sum T6,000) (running total T10,000)
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Now if you want to move to T100 base, your smallest big blind will be T200, so in order to stay able to start out with 200 big blinds you'll need T40,000 per player instead of T10,000. A starting stack could look like this:
- 10x T100 (sum T1,000)
- 4x T500 (sum T2,000) (running total T3,000) + 2 extra to chip up the T100s
- 7x T1,000 (sum T7,000) (running total T10,000) + 3 extra to chip up the T500s
- 6x T5,000 (sum T30,000) (running total T40,000)
I'd recommend adding a couple more T1,000s though, so the "premium" variant:
- 10x T100 (sum T1,000)
- 6x T500 (sum T3,000) (running total T4,000) + 2 extra to chip up the T100s
- 11x T1,000 (sum T12,000) (running total T15,000) + 4 extra to chip up the T500s
- 5x T5,000 (sum T25,000) (running total T40,000)
You should already see a large portion of the required chips stays the same.
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I am primarily not a tournament player though, so wait for more tips and suggestions from those folks.