Some advice for a new member? (1 Viewer)

[marsellus]

I've been spending hours on this forum trying to get some knowledge, and now I have so many questions... I've tried to search for similar questions, but I feel I would still like to ask for some advice. In the meantime, I have collected some samples readily available in Europe, like Slowplay ceramics and a replica of the EPT (European poker tour) chips, and trying to make up my mind before pulling the trigger.

I am in love with the DDLM and waiting to travel to the US to purchase them (or to find some economically feasible alternative to intl shipping + customs taxes). I like ceramics, also based on the samples I got, but while browsing the forum I have seen some styles that I really love. I am trying to understand how difficult/expensive would be to get them or to order a custom set. I'm talking about hotstamps. I like the traditional label on the inlay, but I believe that 99,99% of the designs used by casinos are not really elegant, tacky, and not well designed. On the other hand, with hotstamps you get that retro feeling and, to me, they look classy, beautiful, and charming. Among hotstamps, I like solids but I slightly prefer spotted designs.

So, first of all, does what I wrote make sense? Is there any general consensus about label vs solid hotstamps vs spotted hotstamps, from any point of view?

And what would be my options if I were to try to put together a cash set of hotstamps, in terms of vendors, material, or anything else that you think it's relevant? I would also love to make my own custom design for colors and spots, but I am not sure how much that would cost or if it were even possible.

Now, coming to the chips breakdown for a NLHE cash set, I am going to play with 6-8 players with a buy-in of 100BB = $300, using SB=$1. The game may change to 1/2 or 2/4 over time. We may also scale the value of the stack down depending on the level of players, like asking for just $30 buy-in but still using the $300 stack.

For this kind of game, I was thinking of the following breakdown:
140 x $1
160 x $5
75 x $25
25 x $100
The initial stack would be:
15 x $1
17 x $5
8 x $25
for a total of 40 chips for each player. We would use the $100s for rebuys.
Also, I want this set to be able to accommodate for a 0.50/1 game, by adding a rack of $0.25 in the future when needed.

Does it make sense?

Sorry for the long post where I basically just rambled... but looks like I love talking about chips!

 

[aaron2786]

There are lots of EU members on here, with listings coming up in the classifieds all the time, be patient, have a look.

 

[aaron2786]

There are lots of EU members on here, with listings coming up in the classifieds all the time, be patient, have a look.

See, here was a post from earlier this month that is still up with chips available

Thread '[EU] Secondary HSI' https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/eu-secondary-hsi.105284/


Go read some posts, leave some comments, and join the rest of us in the downward spiral

 

[Machine]

Welcome!​

First I would suggest our New Members Start Here Thread (link in my signature)
It has a break down of ball park costs based on chip types. Hot stamps are only available on clay chips.
Inserts | edge marks help in seeing how many chips are presented while betting. Sounds like you have a jump on what you like, there is more info in the New Members post.
You'll want to check out the break down section of the post as well.

I am going to play with 6-8 players with a buy-in of 100BB = $300, using SB=$1.

you'll want to calculate 100 BB off of the Big Blind, so if the SB = 1 I'll guess that you're going to play 1/2 and 2 BB x 100 = 200 so if you're buy in is 300 then you'll be starting with 150 BB, which is fine.

8 players @ 1 buy in + 3 rebuys = ((4 x $300 = $1200) x 8) = $9600, call it 10k.
Your suggested bank based off your break down = $5175

If we lower your rebuys by 1 then the bank is at 8 players @ 1 buy in + 2 rebuys = ((3 x $300 = $900) x 8) = $7200

Again read through the thread I mention.

 

[Tonysquander]

Welcome to PCF!

 

[Colquhoun]

While you can’t hotstamp ceramics, I’ve designed a few ceramic sets that included a “faux” hotstamp. It’s just printed on the face of a flat ceramic blank to appear like a hotstamp:

 

[marsellus]

Thanks for all the replies! The "New member" thread is awesome, I went through all of it and learned so much! Thanks @Machine (nice nick btw... maybe you are an old gamer like myself?).

Problem is, now I have more specific questions In particular:

- Who sells customized hotstamps, if anyone? CPC seems to only sell inlays.

- I often see these "starburst" chips in the classified. They look great to me. Sometimes they even have spots, and are basically my dream chip (so far). But... they seem to be without denomination? What's the story of these chips? What do they go for, on average? I am willing to spend $1/chip, and I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough...

- Besides starbursts, are there any other common hotstamps that I could try to build a set with?

 

[Machine]

Thanks for all the replies! The "New member" thread is awesome, I went through all of it and learned so much! Thanks @Machine (nice nick btw... maybe you are an old gamer like myself?).

Problem is, now I have more specific questions In particular:

- Who sells customized hotstamps, if anyone? CPC seems to only sell inlays.

- I often see these "starburst" chips in the classified. They look great to me. Sometimes they even have spots, and are basically my dream chip (so far). But... they seem to be without denomination? What's the story of these chips? What do they go for, on average? I am willing to spend $1/chip, and I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough...

- Besides starbursts, are there any other common hotstamps that I could try to build a set with?

I am an old gamer, but that's not where my moniker comes from, and most don't know this but I actually prefer Machine =)

Deus Ex Machina is gods of the machine, its basically a miracle or typically a supernatural intervention;

Over the years I've typically played MMORPGs (which stands for Mostly Men Online Roleplaying Girls) and typically a Tank, grinding levels is just something that I can do non stop for hours on in, it stuck.

These days I'm playing SWTOR, Apex, League, previously Archeage, EQ and a handful of others...

CPC sells chips with inlay, but they also offer a chip that is ready for a hotstamp, you'd then have to find someone that would hot stamp them for you. There is a link to Member services and there are a handful of people that offer different things, off the top of my head @ekricket might be able to assist if you go that route.

Starburst is a way for Casinos to 'cancel' or retire chips

 

[upNdown]

Thanks for all the replies! The "New member" thread is awesome, I went through all of it and learned so much! Thanks @Machine (nice nick btw... maybe you are an old gamer like myself?).

Problem is, now I have more specific questions In particular:

- Who sells customized hotstamps, if anyone? CPC seems to only sell inlays.

- I often see these "starburst" chips in the classified. They look great to me. Sometimes they even have spots, and are basically my dream chip (so far). But... they seem to be without denomination? What's the story of these chips? What do they go for, on average? I am willing to spend $1/chip, and I'm afraid it wouldn't be enough...

- Besides starbursts, are there any other common hotstamps that I could try to build a set with?

A Starburst was a hotstamp that Paulson used to either cancel chips made for a casino or just to fill in the space on a blank. The ones you see are probably mostly just blanks with a hot stamp on them, but there are also a bunch out there with an actual hotstamp underneath that you might not even notice at first glance.
You might be able to get the most common colors - white, red, and green, and maybe black - for around a buck apiece, especially if they're in used condition. they can sell for up to $5 apiece or even more, for less common colors in great condition.

 

[marsellus]

ohh ok, so basically the stamp that I like is for retired chips... no wonder I'm a new user lol. Thanks @Machine and @upNdown for your explanations.

So let me understand something... what's the best way of keeping up with the continuous posting on the Classified forum and the various vendors forums? I mean, I see people dibs after 5 minutes from OP posting, any hour of the day. There must be a way to receive some kind of notification for forums and threads, right? Otherwise it looks like a mission impossible.

 

[Machine]

 

[upNdown]

ohh ok, so basically the stamp that I like is for retired chips... no wonder I'm a new user lol. Thanks @Machine and @upNdown for your explanations.

So let me understand something... what's the best way of keeping up with the continuous posting on the Classified forum and the various vendors forums? I mean, I see people dibs after 5 minutes from OP posting, any hour of the day. There must be a way to receive some kind of notification for forums and threads, right? Otherwise it looks like a mission impossible.

It is mission impossible if you don’t have a really good idea of what everything is, what it’s worth, and what you actually want. And of course hitting refresh on new posts ever few minutes all day every day.
I do not envy people who are new to the hobby. Although if you’re drawn to inexpensive ceramics or even the latest Chip Room Paulson RHC casino release, it’s not a bad time to be alive.