Cash Game The Absolute Bare Minimum Number of Chips (1 Viewer)

[ArielVer18]

Going for a different direction to ask for a poker chip breakdown: assuming 10 players to a table, what's the bare minimum number of chips in a single table cash set that is playable, but not depressing?

I played a 2/5 game recently where the $500 starting stack was: 10 $1, 8 $5, 6 $25, and 3 $100. There were some $100s left in the host's chipset for reloads, but reloads were mostly in $500s. Change was required for almost every single hand. It was disgusting

 

[Frogzilla]

Minimum is 8-10x per denom unless it’s either the top denomination or there is an unusual progression (500->1000). Tournament start stacks often skirt this minimum. Cash start stacks often well in excess

6x $25 and 3x $100 while $500 in play, as described, is going to be nightmare and just plain ridiculous

 

[RichMahogany]

60 per player is the bare minimum I’d want, but wouldn’t be happy about. 80 is decent. 100 is good. 120 is great

 

[detroitdad]

1200

 

[Beakertwang]

I think the standard 100/200/200/80/20 breakdown works reasonably well for most home games, whatever the stakes, but it's hard to argue against more workhorse chips.

 

[shorticus]

I think the standard 100/200/200/80/20 breakdown works reasonably well for most home games, whatever the stakes, but it's hard to argue against more workhorse chips.

Could even go 80/220, but I’m not sure that’s gonna make much difference in your game. Or maybe 80/200/220/80/20

 

[ArielVer18]

1200

haha. Let me steer the conversation a little bit.

My smallest playable cash set has 2900 2500 chips for two tables, so I'm well in the camp of MOAR chips. However, I do have a 600-chip travel set that I suspect can be made smaller. My gut feeling is somewhere around 400 is the minimum. What does everyone else think?

EDIT: sorry I forgot I had another smaller set

 

[lewan]

Could even go 80/220, but I’m not sure that’s gonna make much difference in your game. Or maybe 80/200/220/80/20

i think u can go as low as 60 and go heavy on the workhorse

 

[lewan]

haha. Let me steer the conversation a little bit.

My smallest playable cash set has 2900 chips for two tables, so I'm well in the camp of MOAR chips. However, I do have a 600-chip travel set that I suspect can be made smaller. My gut feeling is somewhere around 400 is the minimum. What does everyone else think?

depends on the depth of your game / amount of rebuys / time spent playing / total players. lot of variables. i can bring 300 chips to my friend's house playing 7 handed and we'd be fine.

 

[detroitdad]

haha. Let me steer the conversation a little bit.

My smallest playable cash set has 2900 2500 chips for two tables, so I'm well in the camp of MOAR chips. However, I do have a 600-chip travel set that I suspect can be made smaller. My gut feeling is somewhere around 400 is the minimum. What does everyone else think?

EDIT: sorry I forgot I had another smaller set

I didn't read the OP. I was just answering the question in the title.

 

[davislane]

1200

per workhorse chip?

 

[Saoliver]

what's the bare minimum number of chips in a single table cash set that is playable, but not depressing?

 

[detroitdad]

per workhorse chip?

Of course. Did you think I meant 1200 total? Sheesh

 

[Beakertwang]

Saturday night we played 6 handed 5¢/10¢ mixed games. Ended up with $280 on the table, which is high for my game. I had taken chips home to a family get-together, and had forgotten that I had 400 cash chips, and 400 tourney chips in the case.

So my cash breakdown was:
5¢ x 80
25¢ x 200
$1 x 100
$5 x 20

Bank was $255. This ended up being just a little short, so I ended up putting a couple T25's on the table (I know, I know – bad idea ) to make up where I was lacking. I guess I also could have used let $20 bills play. I could have done with fewer nickels, 10 per player would have been more than enough, I think. So if 400 can easily work for 6 players, I imagine 600 would be sufficient, although perhaps not ideal, for up to 10. YMMV

 

[Beakertwang]

Could even go 80/220, but I’m not sure that’s gonna make much difference in your game. Or maybe 80/200/220/80/20

For 2/5, when basically no $1 chips will be in play other than the small blind, I'd bet 60 would suffice. For 1/2, I'd want 100. For 1/1, I'd probably prefer more.

 

[SlowPokeTony]

.25/.25 game starts with 16/16/x and plays fine.

 

[ovo]

I guess knowing the stakes you play helps in determining the cash set

 

[shorticus]

For 2/5, when basically no $1 chips will be in play other than the small blind, I'd bet 60 would suffice. For 1/2, I'd want 100. For 1/1, I'd probably prefer more.

I can agree to that. I’d be worried about about 6 chips/player but if you’re being super conservative it’s possible.

 

[Beakertwang]

I can agree to that. I’d be worried about about 6 chips/player but if you’re being super conservative it’s possible.

Only a complete douchenozzle would open for $17, or $24, or anything other than some multiple of $5 in 2/5. And God forbid someone would bet $53 on the flop! So I suspect 6 per person would be plenty.

 

[Ben8257]

(10) $1/ (18) $5/ (16) $25 starting stacks x 10 = 100/180/160 , 3 denoms in play off the break as it should be.

(5) $5/ (3) $25/ (4) $100 for the first 10 rebuys 50/30/40

(4) $25/(4) $100 for rebuys 11 - 20, 40/40

(5) $100 for rebuys 21 - 30, 50

(1) $500 rebuys 31 - 40, 10

Bringing us to
100/230/230/130/10

My answer would be 700 chips

 

[Ben8257]

Only a complete douchenozzle would open for $17, or $24, or anything other than some multiple of $5 in 2/5. And God forbid someone would bet $53 on the flop! So I suspect 6 per person would be plenty.

Fold two small blinds and you have a mess. 6 only goes into 5 1 time... therefore to buy change there are only 12 total multiples of $1s avaliable spread out between 10 players... good luck finding someone willing to give up change for the $5 which will likely leave them with less than that amount. I understand are talking minimalist amounts here but that would be a nearly total bust and horrible mess IMO.

 

[shorticus]

(10) $1/ (18) $5/ (16) $25 starting stacks x 10 = 100/180/160 , 3 denoms in play off the break as it should be.

(5) $5/ (3) $25/ (4) $100 for the first 10 rebuys 50/30/40

(4) $25/(4) $100 for rebuys 11 - 20, 40/40

(5) $100 for rebuys 21 - 30, 50

(1) $500 rebuys 31 - 40, 10

Bringing us to
100/230/230/130/10

My answer would be 700 chips

no sir! These half barrels would drive me insane!

 

[Beakertwang]

Fold two small blinds and you have a mess. 6 only goes into 5 1 time... therefore to buy change there are only 12 total multiples of $1s avaliable spread out between 10 players... good luck finding someone willing to give up change for the $5 which will likely leave them with less than that amount. I understand are talking minimalist amounts here but that would be a nearly total bust and horrible mess IMO.

Players learning how to make change in game will make a huge difference. If they can't figure that out, then yes, more small blind chips would be helpful.

 

[Ben8257]

no sir! These half barrels would drive me insane!

Understood and I would round up as well brother. But the question was minimal amount of chips required. I prefer to have my rebuys pre stacked and simple. I could fenagle those #s a bit but that is a pretty square way to do the math, make sense, have plenty of bank and keep it simple for the banker (usually me)

 

[TX_Golf_N_Poker]

First, this is NOT an answer to the minimum question. But how's this sound for a 2/5 game with a $500 buy-in. Start with a rack of $5s. Pull one barrel and replace it with a barrel of $1s. Pull 4 chips from another barrel and replace them with 4 $25s. Voila! 100 chips - $500!

 

[Machine]

Going for a different direction to ask for a poker chip breakdown:

Me too, is this a raked game? Typically, at this stake its raked.

If it is raked and the dude doesn't understand how to properly chip a game, what other aspects are lacking? example: how would they handle a 'boxed' card?
Also and the main point, if its raked and they can't spring for decent amount of chips, I would point it out, I mean they are being paid to run the game, starting with the basics is key

 

[Schmendr1ck]

I think the standard 100/200/200/80/20 breakdown works reasonably well for most home games, whatever the stakes, but it's hard to argue against more workhorse chips.

In software development, we have this notion of a "minimum viable product." An MVP is a first release that has just enough features to be useful and attract some level of initial sales.

I consider a 600 chip breakdown like this to be an MVP for full ring cash games. Can you play with fewer? Sure, but below this, it becomes more of a PITA than it's worth.

 

[Stufflymcstuff]

A 5/5 game has to play incredibly deep to really benefit from any more than 2 denoms. I mean how hard is it to hand them a barrel of 25s for a Rebuy?

Maybe in 1/2nl, 5/10 or anything with a half small blind it becomes more streamlined to have a larger value chip but the whole benefit of sb=bb is simplifying things. And the structure you described jn the op makes things way more complicated than it needs to be.

 

[LeLe]

500-600 chip set with 200 in the workhorse and 100/200 at the secondary workhorse chip is the sweet spot for me

It work effectively enough and just the right amount of chip without being too many or too little plus they are freaking nice to pack in a Nanak Case

 

[LeLe]

As for the question of bare minimum of chips, I think 300-400 will work enough without having to make change every other hands

40-60 frac
100-160 workhorse
100 secondary workhorse
40-60 highest denom chip