The Beginners Guide To Mapping Out A Cash Game Chip Set - 5c/10c to $5/$10 (6 Viewers)

Quad Johnson

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General Rules To Mapping Out A Cash Set

1. Plan your chip set around 10 players per table. A full table is 10 players, you may only run 7-8 normally but I'm a big believer in being prepared. Someone might bring a friend and who wants to turn down action? I don't! The extra chips will also provide you cushion with your set.

2. Only have denominations that are 4-5x the value of the previous denomination. This one is very important. I know some of y'all have guys that like a bunch of different chips. I read one post in my forum searches where a guy runs $1/$2/$3 and $5 chips all in one game. This is such a waste of chips and only makes cash outs at the end of the night more of a headache. Follow the KISS mantra - Keep It Simple Stupid. You as the host are also the banker. Make your job easier and save money on chip sets by keeping the denominations simple. When I started my game, my 25c/50c game had denoms of 25c/50c/$1/$5/$10/$25/$50/$100... don't do this. Don't be that guy. It's a waste of chips and thus, a waste of money on your initial investment.

3. Plan the chip set around a starting stack of 200 big blinds. The max buy in of my 25c/50c game is $100. Not everyone does this, but some nights everyone does. Your game might not be at that point, but if you want your game to last, you'll need to be prepared to handle growth. Some players are more gamblers than others. Be prepared and have the chips at your disposal. Having the chips will only add more flexibility to your capabilities to host.


Mapping Out A Chip Set For 1 Table Of 10 Players

The following chip counts are meant to be a guide to efficiently map out a chip set, thus saving you money on your total chip purchase. I will cover each stake from 5c/10c to $5/$10. There is great debate over using a $20 or $25 chip. I've mapped this guide out to be as efficient as possible based on the stakes. Some use $20, others $25. You may like different stacks sizes too. Example, my guys like big stacks for my 25c/50c game. My mapping is $100 stacks of 12/17/16 of 25c/$1/$5 chips respectively.

This is meant to be a general guide to help get you started and thinking in the process you need to map out your chip set efficiently. These set guides are written with the considerations of: most places when you order chips require you to order in increments of 25 and I'm not using "odd" denominations that are hard to find, example: a $2.50 chip. They're useful, however a bit harder to track down. These will use the easier to find denominations.

Now, let's get started. These map outs will provide you with 10x starting playable stacks with enough in higher denomination chips to cover color ups, top offs and rebuys with a total bank averaging 3x 200 big blind buy ins per player at the table (600 big blinds total x 10 players). Sure, this might not happen all the time... but when it does, you'll be glad you have the chips.

My motto is always buy once, cry once.


5c/10c Mapping - $20 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds


Chip Denominations

5c/25c/$1/$5/$20

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

10x 5c (50c)
18x 25c ($4.50)
15x $1 ($15)

Chips Needed - 500 Total Chips

100x 5c ($5)
200x 25c ($50)
150x $1 ($150)
25x $5 ($125)
25x $20 ($500)


Total Bank: $830

10c/25c Mapping - $50 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

5c/25c/$1/$5/$25

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

10x 5c (50c)
14x 25c ($3.50)
11x $1 ($11)
7x $5 ($35)

Chips Needed - 500 Total Chips

100x 5c ($5)
150x 25c ($37.50)
125x $1 ($125)
75x $5 ($375)
50x $25 ($1,250)

Total Bank: $1,792.50


25c/50c Mapping - $100 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

25c/$1/$5/$25

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

8x 25c ($2)
18x $1 ($18)
16x $5 ($80)

Chips Needed - 600 Total Chips

100x 25c ($25)
250x $1 ($250)
175x $5 ($875)
75x $25 ($1,875)

Total Bank: $3,025

50c/$1 Mapping - $200 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

25c/$1/$5/$25/$100

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

8x 25c ($2)
8x $1 ($8)
13x $5 ($65)
5x $25 ($125)

Chips Needed - 500 Total Chips

100x 25c ($25)
100x $1 ($100)
150x $5 ($150)
50x $25 ($1,250)
50x $100 ($5,000)

Total Bank: $6,525

$1/$2 Mapping - $400 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

$1/$5/$25/$100

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

10x $1 ($10)
18X $5 ($90)
8x $25 ($200)
1x $100 ($100)

Chips Needed - 500 Total Chips

100x $1 ($100)
200x $5 ($1000)
100x $25 ($2,500)
100x $100 ($10,000)

Total Bank: $13,600

$2/$5 Mapping - $1,000 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

$1/$5/$25/$100/$500

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

5x $1 ($5)
14x $5 ($70)
13x $25 ($325)
1x $100 ($100)
1x $500 ($500)

Chips Needed - 750 Total Chips

50x $1 ($50)
300x $5 ($1,500)
275x $25 ($6,875)
100x $100 ($10,000)
25x $500 ($12,500)

Total Bank: $30,925

$5/$10 Mapping - $2,000 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

$5/$25/$100/$500

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

10x $5 ($50)
10x $25 ($250)
7x $100 ($700)
2x $500 ($1000)

Chips Needed - 375 Total Chips

100x $5 ($500)
100x $25 ($2,500)
75x $100 ($7,500)
100x $500 ($50,000)

Total Bank: $60,500



Well that's what I got. If you grow to 2 tables, simply x2 these chips sets and you're covered.

If anyone notices any typos, bad math on my part, etc. please post and I will make changes.

I've proof read this 4 times but I'm still only human. :)
 
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Mapping Out 1 Chip Set For Multiple Stakes


@Nex was kind enough to provide this break down to cover multiple stakes with one set. With the following configuration, you could cover 5c/10c to $1/$2 with one chip set. While his post is later in the thread, I'm putting the breakdown here in post #2 for exposure.

There's this 25c/50c -- 50c/$1 -- $1/$2 configuration floating around. Couldn't hurt having it in here too.

100x 25c
200x $1
400x $5
80x $25
20x $100


Bank $6225
Total chips 800


The counts were obviously geared to end up with a nice round number of total chips, but it also means that you can't give out nice identical starting stacks to everyone. Some people don't care, but something like this triggers my OCD. If you add merely 20x 25c and 20x $1, you can do these (identical) starting stacks:

(NL50)
12x 25c ($3)
22x $1 ($22)
5x $5 ($25)

(NL100)
12x 25c ($3)
22x $1 ($22)
15x $5 ($75)

(NL200)
20x $1 ($20)
21x $5 ($105)
3x $25 ($75)

If you want to be able to cover 5c/10c and 10c/25c as well, add another rack of 25c and two racks of 5c. (-> 1140 chips total, $6285 bank)
Only one rack of 5c is needed if you're only going for 10c/25c, but at that point I would ditch the 5c chips completely and run 25c/25c instead. (-> 940 chips total, $6275 bank)

(NL10)
20x 5c ($1)
20x 25c ($5)
4x $1 ($4)

(NL25)
10x 5c ($0.50)
18x 25c ($4.50)
20x $1
-or-
20x 25c ($5)
20x $1 ($20)
 
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What do you do if the stakes are not always the same?

Sometimes we play 10c/20c. Sometimes we play 25c/50c. Or someone may start at 10c/20c and the game moves up to 25c/50c at a later date. To build a set to cover both stakes the mapping suggests buying the following chips:

10c/25c/50c/$1/$2/$5/$10/$25
 
What do you do if the stakes are not always the same?

Sometimes we play 10c/20c. Sometimes we play 25c/50c. Or someone may start at 10/c/20c and the games moves up to 25c/50c. To build a set to cover both stakes the mapping suggests buying the following chips:

10c/25c/50c/$1/$2/$5/$10/$25


That's a tough one. The only stakes we've considered at my games is 25c/50c and 50c/$1 which my set is pretty interchangeable due to the common chips.

If you make a chip set for 10c/20c, you can easily jump to 25c/50c mid game however a 25c/50c game won't be able to do 10c/20c due to the denominations. I honestly wouldn't mix in this way unless the denoms made sense (25c/50c jumping to 50c/$1). I think the PCF motto would be to get 2 sets? :eek:
 
What do you do if the stakes are not always the same?

Sometimes we play 10c/20c. Sometimes we play 25c/50c. Or someone may start at 10c/20c and the game moves up to 25c/50c at a later date. To build a set to cover both stakes the mapping suggests buying the following chips:

10c/25c/50c/$1/$2/$5/$10/$25

Replace 10c with 5c. You could also play 10c/25c instead of 10c/20c.
 
I actually this is what we do at my game. My small stakes set includes 5c/25c/$1/$5/$20 chips.

I brought the topic up as something to be addressed if this going to be a comprehensive guide.

I'll edit to add a 10c/25c map out when I get back in front of a PC. I definitely appreciate the criticism.
 
What do you do if the stakes are not always the same?

Sometimes we play 10c/20c. Sometimes we play 25c/50c. Or someone may start at 10c/20c and the game moves up to 25c/50c at a later date. To build a set to cover both stakes the mapping suggests buying the following chips:

10c/25c/50c/$1/$2/$5/$10/$25
Start with the .05. I’m sure I have too many but I always just get two racks of .05 and .25. I like full racks and also have the theory better to be looking at it than for it. I know people talk about efficiency and the low denomination hoarder at the table. But really what are you going to shave off 40-60 from the 200?
 
I am still flip flopping on my 20 NL game.

Right now I have the following for starting stacks. I have 300x 10c chips so that isn't a problem.

10c - 20
$1 - 6
$3 - 4

I suppose maybe I should add a rack of 50c chips in there? I haven't put this breakdown in play yet so not sure if there will be issues with people wanting to make 60c or 80c bets. Still an 80c bet is only 8 chips so not that bad.
 
What do you do if the stakes are not always the same?

Sometimes we play 10c/20c. Sometimes we play 25c/50c. Or someone may start at 10c/20c and the game moves up to 25c/50c at a later date. To build a set to cover both stakes the mapping suggests buying the following chips:

10c/25c/50c/$1/$2/$5/$10/$25

Replace 10c with 5c. You could also play 10c/25c instead of 10c/20c.

I wouldn't include a 10c/20c level in the guide. I think it's much easier to jump to a 10c/25c for effectively the same stakes and keep the standard 5c/25c/$1 progression OR jump up to 25c/25c (again, effectively the same IMO) and you can ditch the 5c chips altogether.
 
I wouldn't include a 10c/20c level in the guide. I think it's much easier to jump to a 10c/25c for effectively the same stakes and keep the standard 5c/25c/$1 progression OR jump up to 25c/25c (again, effectively the same IMO) and you can ditch the 5c chips altogether.

Done and thank you for the suggestion. I appreciate the feedback.

Also @v1pe I'm getting text updates on the Majestic's and they will arrive today. Can't wait! :D
 
My standard game is 5c/10c with most buying in for $20. IMO the workhorse chip in a 5c/10c game is going to be your 25c chip. For this reason I prefer 200 x 25c for the set and I use the starting stacks 20/20/14 (5c/25c/$1) for the first 5 players and 20/15 (25c/$1) for the next 5 players. You can sub some $5s in for $1s if you don't have enough, but I prefer only 3 denominations on the table, unless it happens to be an evening with more cash on the table and we need to bring in a few "big chips".

I also tend to think that 2 racks of 25c is going to work better for a 25c/25c game, but that's starting to get into the polorizing "how many racks of fracs do I need" debate.
 
My standard game is 5c/10c with most buying in for $20. IMO the workhorse chip in a 5c/10c game is going to be your 25c chip. For this reason I prefer 200 x 25c for the set and I use the starting stacks 20/20/14 (5c/25c/$1) for the first 5 players and 20/15 (25c/$1) for the next 5 players. You can sub some $5s in for $1s if you don't have enough, but I prefer only 3 denominations on the table, unless it happens to be an evening with more cash on the table and we need to bring in a few "big chips".

I also tend to think that 2 racks of 25c is going to work better for a 25c/25c game, but that's starting to get into the polorizing "how many racks of fracs do I need" debate.

For sure. Before I replaced my slugs, I was doling out barrels of 25c and $1 chips for my 25c/50c game. Way more than what's needed, but everyone has their preferences.

This guide isn't meant to be definitive, but a guideline. Anyone getting their own set can tweak these configurations as they see fit.

For my own 25c/50c, I do starting stacks of 12/17/16 for $100 of 25c/$1/$5 chips.

The first 3-5 rebuys are in 5s and then the $25 chips come out. I haven't had to use my $100 chips yet since going to this breakdown but it's nice to know I have plenty of bank if it comes down to it.
 
My standard game is 5c/10c with most buying in for $20. IMO the workhorse chip in a 5c/10c game is going to be your 25c chip. For this reason I prefer 200 x 25c for the set and I use the starting stacks 20/20/14 (5c/25c/$1) for the first 5 players and 20/15 (25c/$1) for the next 5 players. You can sub some $5s in for $1s if you don't have enough, but I prefer only 3 denominations on the table, unless it happens to be an evening with more cash on the table and we need to bring in a few "big chips".

I also tend to think that 2 racks of 25c is going to work better for a 25c/25c game, but that's starting to get into the polorizing "how many racks of fracs do I need" debate.


I've adjusted my 5c/10c distribution, albeit with a slightly bigger chip set. However it starts everyone with only 3 denoms per your suggestion while maintaining the same total bank I was going for with the set (600 big blinds x 10 players).
 
For sure. Before I replaced my slugs, I was doling out barrels of 25c and $1 chips for my 25c/50c game. Way more than what's needed, but everyone has their preferences.

This guide isn't meant to be definitive, but a guideline. Anyone getting their own set can tweak these configurations as they see fit.

For my own 25c/50c, I do starting stacks of 12/17/16 for $100 of 25c/$1/$5 chips.

The first 3-5 rebuys are in 5s and then the $25 chips come out. I haven't had to use my $100 chips yet since going to this breakdown but it's nice to know I have plenty of bank if it comes down to it.


Yeah I think 25c/50c may be the tipping point to where $1s might become the workhorse chip.
 
There's this 25c/50c -- 50c/$1 -- $1/$2 configuration floating around. Couldn't hurt having it in here too.

100x 25c
200x $1
400x $5
80x $25
20x $100

Bank $6225
Total chips 800


The counts were obviously geared to end up with a nice round number of total chips, but it also means that you can't give out nice identical starting stacks to everyone. Some people don't care, but something like this triggers my OCD. If you add merely 20x 25c and 20x $1, you can do these (identical) starting stacks:

(NL50)
12x 25c ($3)
22x $1 ($22)
5x $5 ($25)

(NL100)
12x 25c ($3)
22x $1 ($22)
15x $5 ($75)

(NL200)
20x $1 ($20)
21x $5 ($105)
3x $25 ($75)

If you want to be able to cover 5c/10c and 10c/25c as well, add another rack of 25c and two racks of 5c. (-> 1140 chips total, $6285 bank)
Only one rack of 5c is needed if you're only going for 10c/25c, but at that point I would ditch the 5c chips completely and run 25c/25c instead. (-> 940 chips total, $6275 bank)

(NL10)
20x 5c ($1)
20x 25c ($5)
4x $1 ($4)

(NL25)
10x 5c ($0.50)
18x 25c ($4.50)
20x $1
-or-
20x 25c ($5)
20x $1 ($20)
 
@Nex thank you for the contribution!

When I get time in front of a PC tonight or tomorrow, I will use my reserve post for mapping out chip sets for multiple stakes.

Again, thank you!
 
Man I’ve been doing things wrong as my smallest chip set is 800 chips, most are 1000+
 
Or you could build your set all inclusive like I did mine, supports 5c/10c to up to 1/2 with plenty of rebuy options:

5c x 100
25c x 200
$1 x 200
$5 x 400
$25 x 160
$100 x 40

Probably overkill though :cool:

Hmm... I think I found the breakdown for my first custom set next year. :whistle: :whistling:

Could you provide the stack sizes you dole out for each stake?
 
Hmm... I think I found the breakdown for my first custom set next year. :whistle: :whistling:

Could you provide the stack sizes you dole out for each stake?

I've only used it to play 5c/10c and $1/$1 so far. 5c/10c I go with the previously described 20/20/14 (5c/25c/$1) for the first 5 players and 20/15 (25c/$1) for the next 5 players.

$1/$1 is pretty easy I just did 20/x for any buy in from $40 up to $100.

I've fantasized about 20/20/x for a 25c/50c game but I don't have a group to play those stakes with....yet.
 
It's hard to make a denominated cash set stakes-proof, but keeping the bottom and top chips non-denominated may help, with the additional assumption that numbers may represent either $/Euros or dimes (one tenth at the bank), according to the desired stakes. Here's an idea:
120 X ND fracs (can play 0.05, 0.20, 0.25, 0.50 or even 2)
200 X 1s
400 X 5s
200 X 20s
80 X ND top value chips (can play 50, 100 or 200)
Total 1000, probably good for 9-10 players from 0.05/0.10 to $3/5.
 
I host .25/.50 cash every Thursday for a couple years now. It plays more like a 1/2$ game but i keep it 60$ max so cheaper friends can hang.
600 chips ..
120-.25
120-$1
250-$5
80-$25
30-$100
12/12/9
 
So here's how I look at cash breakdowns.

Categorizing chips.

1) Blind/Ante Chips. 10-12 per player are plenty, never more than 20% of the set.
2) Workhorse Chips. Chips typically used for most bets, usually the next one or two denominations above the blind chips. This is where you want to spend your money, these are the chips that will move across the table, go for 60-70% of your set here.
3) High Value Store Chips. These are just there to bulk the bank to cover a very high contingency.

Details.

1) Don't overbuy blind chips. My rule of thumb is 8-12 per player.

These chips are only useful on early streets and become a liability when you have to count stacks (which you do somewhat regularly in no limit.) My first set for .05-.10 had 200 nickels of a total of 600 chips. It was absurd that every player had 1-2 bucks of nickels and made counting almost stupid. I later corrected this down to 125 and filled in some extra quarters and dollars it was a vast improvement. In my most recent set I dropped to 75 and the game is still quite operable, but I'll probably go to 100 next time I do a buy.

2) Limit to 3-4 denominations.

Again, this comes down to the need to count stacks in no-limit. To properly count a stack you need to sum each denomination. The fewer denominations, the easier this is to do mentally. To limit denominations they should be spread out 4x-5x between values. This is the problem with the game @Quad Johnson describes having 25c/50c/1/2/3 chips in play. Having to count 5 similar denominations take so much longer than 3 simple ones.

There is one exception I would make to the 4x-5x rule, I say it's okay to have 50c and 1 chips together so long as 50c is the lowest denom in the game and you don't issue too many. (See point 1 above). If the structure doesn't already require 25c chips, then you don't HAVE to put them in just to satisfy the 4x rule. You can of course if you don't have 50c chips.

3) Invest in the "workhorses"

I think 1-2 barrels per player of at least the lower workhorse (1 in a .25-.50 game, for example) is a good target. More is fine too if your players are good at standardizing stacks in an easy to count fashion. But if the later street bets are more than 20, I guess most players prefer using four fives to a barrel of singles. But I totally concede that may be a matter of personal taste.

4) Use High value chips to bulk to a target

For a single table, I think 3000-4000BB is a pretty good target. I would think 3-4 100 BB buy-ins per player should cover most nights. For every guy that goes in 4 bullets, there's probably a guy stacking chips on the initial buy-in. You don't need too many high value chips, these should really only be used to color up the biggest stacks, but it is nice to know these are in the bank in case the game approaches these crazy limits. It's a small commitment to raise the bank. Just don't go overboard if it means shorting the workhorses.

I'm very pleased with my current breakdown for .25-.50, which is 100 quarters, 275 singles, 200 fives, 25 twenty-fives. Gives me 1925 in the bank (3850 BB.) I think about 800 is the house high score for chips in play. Most nights my set would be fine for .50-1 (1925 BB), but it would be better with more fives and twenty-fives.

But this is my general breakdown advice, hope it helps someone avoid the mistakes I've made.
 
10c/25c Mapping - $50 Max Buy In for 200 Big Blinds

Chip Denominations

5c/25c/$1/$5/$25

Max Buy In Starting Stacks

10x 5c (50c)
14x 25c ($3.50)
11x $1 ($11)
7x $5 ($35)

Chips Needed - 500 Total Chips

100x 5c ($5)
150x 25c ($37.50)
125x $1 ($125)
75x $5 ($375)
50x $25 ($1,250)

Total Bank: $1,792.50

Curious... would you map a 25c/25c game similarly? Taking away the 100 nickels, what would add? What would your starting stacks look like?
 
Curious... would you map a 25c/25c game similarly? Taking away the 100 nickels, what would add? What would your starting stacks look like?

If it were me, I would increase the number of quarters and ditch the nickels all together. I would personally do a 25c/25c game before 10c/25c just to reduce chip denoms.

For 25c/25c, I would get chips as follows.

Starting Stack
20x 25c ($5.00)
20x $1 ($20)

Initial buy in is easy peasy, one barrel of quarters and one barrel of dollars. Anything beyond that (up to $50/200 big blind buy in) can be $5 chips.

I would get for the total count about 550 chips total.

200x 25c ($50)
200x $1 ($200)
100x $5 ($500)
50x $25 ($1,250)

Total Bank: $1,750
 
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I play in games were we play .25/.50 or .50/$1 usually with a $30-$40 buy in, but I guess my real question is, I am looking to buy a set but not sure if i should buy .50 chips or leave those out and just replace the .50 chips with .25 chips or $1 chips. What are your thoughts on having .50 chips part of your set?
 
Quarters are a cultural thing. It's very very hard to neglect them in the US.
There is real currency in quarter dollar coins in the US (not the case in most if not all the rest of the civilised world).
In Europe, in the absence of quarters, people are more probable playing 1/3 or 2/3 dimes (with the inevitable 1 and 5 dime chips).
Again, even in North America, if you 're sure your crowd would be happy playing no lower than .50/.50, you could skip the quarters.
 
I play in games were we play .25/.50 or .50/$1 usually with a $30-$40 buy in, but I guess my real question is, I am looking to buy a set but not sure if i should buy .50 chips or leave those out and just replace the .50 chips with .25 chips or $1 chips. What are your thoughts on having .50 chips part of your set?
IMO, play $1/$1 instead of $0.50/$1. It plays virtually the same, and eliminates needing a .25 or .50 chip in your high game.
 

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