Why buy fracs? (1 Viewer)

[Freeroll]

Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see the need for fracs at all for home games.
If you buy an equal amount extra of $5s as you would have bought in fracs, and you use $25s as fracs in the games you need them for, then I think the set is more versatile, as it can better accommodate higher stakes if you ever decide to raise the stakes.

 

[surfik]

If you step up your game. 0.50/1 easy. 1/2 easy. But now you want bigger blinds and 5/10 is a big step in that direction. More natural is 2.50/5.
Some play 5/5 but it is rare. Anyway there is a big difference in buying and bankroll between 1/2 and 5/10.
2.50/5 is a natural transition step and that why you need fracks. At least that is my insight.

 

[ekricket]

Why buy new chips? Just use the red white and blue interlocking ones. Extremely versatile for any stakes.

 

[Eloe2000]

If I am going to spend several thousand dollars on a poker chip set that I love I would rather not have to pretend one chip is another denomination and have to explain it every week to someone.

 

[Nex]

Three letters:
O C D
(Context to avoid misunderstanding: All my cash sets have fracs.)

Also you'll create the possibility that a chip going missing while it was "worth" 25 cents later shows up when it is then worth its face value. Same bad idea as using the same chip set for both cash and tournament.

 

[Freeroll]

Don’t most $5 big blind games just round up or down their small blind though (2/5 or 3/5)?

 

[Freeroll]

I concede that argument, so I would get fracs if I was getting a custom set. I just have off the shelf china clays though, so there would be easier and faster ways of cheating the game than stealing a $0.25 chip or two and waiting for a possible change in stakes some day.

 

[GenghisKhan]

If I am going to spend several thousand dollars on a poker chip set that I love I would rather not have to pretend one chip is another denomination and have to explain it every week to someone.

This

Most of us probably did this as beginners.
I did. Everywhere I played did it too. It was horrible. Even regular players would complain each and every game. Just bite the bullet and buy fracs if your game needs it.

If your game grows in the future and you no longer need them, sell them. No problem.

 

[Eloe2000]

Why use denominated chips at all? Get non-denominated so that your set is versatile for any size game.

 

[Orangetechno]

Personally im a sucker for spot progression. Often $25 have much more complex spot patterns as well (say a jack 25 secondary) and using it as a 25c next to a much simpler 1$ chip just hurts my OCD.

However there are some exceptions like the jack 100s secondary often being relabeled as a lower denom due to its uncharacteristic simple spot design.

 

[ekricket]

What do you use for cards? Doctored up old maid or uno?

 

[GenghisKhan]

What do you use for cards? Doctored up old maid or uno?

@ekricket giving off @Josh Kifer vibes this morning.

 

[Highli99]

Technically you can hammer a screw in the wall but that doesn't make it optimal. Most of us are always seeking a moar perfect chipset. Emphasis on moar.

 

[Freeroll]

I guess I’m different from all of you. I joined this forum to get information and discuss features of poker chips, so I could build the most versatile and playable set that I could afford. I’m not interested in being a chip collector or having the holy grail of chip sets. I just want a good set that will have my games covered for years to come.

 

[Highli99]

I guess I’m different from all of you. I joined this forum to get information and discuss features of poker chips, so I could build the most versatile and playable set that I could afford. I’m not interested in being a chip collector or having the holy grail of chip sets. I just want a good set that will have my games covered for years to come.

You can have a well built set that doesn't have to be expensive. I have a china clay set that includes fracs. It's not hard to have one rack of racks and that's all you need. Greatly reduces confusuion when your game gets to the point that they are in play. I play in .25/.50 $100 max games that routinely see $500+ stacks and $25s or $20s in play.

 

[Freeroll]

Valid argument. Hammering a screw in the wall - less so.

 

[GenghisKhan]

Think of PCF as your buddies at the poker table. We will give you valid advice based on our previous experience. But there's always a joker at the table who's gonna rib you in good fun.

Once you realize that, you can laugh too lol.

Pm sent buddy.

 

[msuroo]

I guess I’m different from all of you. I joined this forum to get information and discuss features of poker chips, so I could build the most versatile and playable set that I could afford. I’m not interested in being a chip collector or having the holy grail of chip sets. I just want a good set that will have my games covered for years to come.

In fairness, if you came here just to figure out how to optimize your one affordable set for years to come, I wouldn’t expect you to hang around long after you get that set put together. The people who make up this community for the long term love poker chips, so it should come as no surprise to you that the vast majority of us would rather have actual fracs than to use a 25 chip as a quarter in one game and 25 dollars in the next, hence some of the snarky responses.

That said, there are legitimate reasons not to do that. Game security is the most obvious one - have you ever had a friend of a friend show up to a game? A chip that leaves as a quarter in one game and comes back as 25 bucks in the next will mess up your bank pretty fast. Also, it’s not unheard of to have stacks with $25 chips in play, even at .25/.50 stakes. If neither of these are ever issues for you, than just get some non-denom chips and go nuts, set them to whatever you need for any given game’s stakes.

 

[BearMetal]

Why buy $100s? Let's just use different $1 chips. Cards? We don't need those! We can just rip up different colored pieces of paper.

I actually have nothing against using T25 chips as fracs. But it's not for everyone. I'd rather have chips that match the value they are supposed to be.

Your question is totally valid and I can see your point of view. But the fracs are fun and just make a set complete.

Also fracs are just gorgeous.

 

[surfik]

Just buy chips with no denominations (blanks). As long as you use them in small group of friends you will be fine.

 

[upNdown]

Maybe I’m missing something, but I don’t see the need for fracs at all for home games.
If you buy an equal amount extra of $5s as you would have bought in fracs, and you use $25s as fracs in the games you need them for, then I think the set is more versatile, as it can better accommodate higher stakes if you ever decide to raise the stakes.

The chips have numbers on them for a reason. If you want to pretend the numbers mean something different, that's your business.

 

[ekricket]

Just want to point out that you could just use nickels, dimes, and quarters instead of chips if you want to be economical. You may as well ask why buy chips.

 

[Beakertwang]

You can certainly have fun playing poker with dice chips on a plastic card table, and drinking Kessler’s and off-brand cola, and eating microwaved hot dogs.

But we’re all here because we want to enhance our poker experience. That’s why we relabel chips, or buy custom ceramics or CPC’s. It’s why we buy quality plastic cards, and re-felt tables, and buy hot dog rollers. It’s why we buy good whiskey and craft beer.

Having actual quarters (and nickels, in my case) just make the game feel a little more upscale.

 

[DZPoker]

If you stop thinking of a frac as something ‘different’ or ‘unique’, it’s just another denomination that broadens the stakes your set can cover (which is what you said you’re after)

 

[GenghisKhan]

Come on guys, a joke here and there is ok.
But do you think at this point this is turning very welcoming for a new member?

The answer to that is NO.

 

[upNdown]

Come on guys, a joke here and there is ok.
But do you think at this point this is turning very welcoming for a new member?

The answer to that is NO.

You can give him hugs. That's nice. But he suggested that using $25 chips as fracs was optimal, and for that, he gets our derision. It's actually like a "welcome" in some cities.

 

[Ben8257]

I guess I’m different from all of you. I joined this forum to get information and discuss features of poker chips, so I could build the most versatile and playable set that I could afford. I’m not interested in being a chip collector or having the holy grail of chip sets. I just want a good set that will have my games covered for years to come.

Absolutely understandable sir, but do you want to explain why $25 chips are frac in your set... for years to come?

What if your game moves up to a $200 buy in and you want to run $.50/$1? Are you going to use (2) $25 chips to make $.50? At this point you will definitely have either $20 or $25 chips in play... so are you going to make a new chip for your higher denoms?

Real fracs in clay chips are very expensive, casinos do not make as many fracs as other denoms which makes the demand higher in the home game world... relabeling a chip from another set with another color than your set is always an option and much cheaper. Most made for home game cheaper chips usually have a frac in the series.

If you don't have any OCD issues and happy to use high denom chips like many others do when starting out... go for it sir!

Your statment of "ALL of you" is pretty close minded as maybe 12 members have commented on your post! As said above you are admitting you are looking for one set forever which many that come through here have the same philosophy.

Obviously we are looking for people to stick around and contribute, be active members, not just asking for peoples knowledge, grabbing something nice and then never seen again. But it happens all the time. I have spent hours talking to new members, helping them find their dream set and then never herd from again.

Again it happens but leaves a sting.... also can cause some seasoned Veterans to become a bit short or "smart" with their responses when they have seen it a thousand times and know what is coming.

I wish you nothing but the best in your chipping journey @Freeroll but when asking rhetorical questions, I would expect to catch a little heat around these parts!

Fellow Chipper Ben

 

[ekricket]

Come on guys, a joke here and there is ok.
But do you think at this point this is turning very welcoming for a new member?

The answer to that is NO.

my apologies, I missed the part where this was a “welcome new member” thread. I mistakenly thought it was a rhetorical question thread. My bad.

Welcome New Member! If you are looking for fracs I have some I can sell you! They have a $50 denom on them but you can use them for dimes.

 

[msuroo]

^ Forget what I said at listen to @Ben8257 instead, that’s a more patient and measured response .

 

[Quicksilver-75]

Outside of poker there are several uses for fracs. I play a small change craps game with some that uses 5c and .25 for bets and payouts. Black Jack should also payout 3/2 so quarters come in handy.
Fracs also mean mOaR chips! In time you’ll see. There’s nothing like paying $1.60+

for a nickel chip feeling.