Tourney Why different denoms for tournaments? (1 Viewer)

[snowboarder2587]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum but have been playing poker with the cheap Amazon chips for years. I've been looking heavily at a custom set but during my research I have a question. I have a 10 person table and mostly play cash games (BB between $0.20 and $1). I have also hosted a couple tournaments. I always use the same chip value no matter what game I'm playing but I see many people use significantly higher denominations for tournaments. Why is this? Do people just want to sound more important saying "Raise to $200,000"? I just don't get it.

My tournaments are $100 buyins and each player starts off with $100 in chips. I have been to other tournaments where $100 buyin gives you 30,000 chips.

Can anyone explain this to me?

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum but have been playing poker with the cheap Amazon chips for years. I've been looking heavily at a custom set but during my research I have a question. I have a 10 person table and mostly play cash games (BB between $0.20 and $1). I have also hosted a couple tournaments. I always use the same chip value no matter what game I'm playing but I see many people use significantly higher denominations for tournaments. Why is this? Do people just want to sound more important saying "Raise to $200,000"? I just don't get it.

My tournaments are $100 buyins and each player starts off with $100 in chips. I have been to other tournaments where $100 buyin gives you 30,000 chips.

Can anyone explain this to me?

I buy into your tournament for $100 in chips, and it looks like Im gonna win it! I slip a $20 chip off the table before I win or lose, and slap it on my stack next game.

The bigger denoms are fun, but its also to seprate two very different games and prioritizations. Cash, they are directly related to the cash I've paid with. In a tournament, they're worth different when it comes to probability of winning and payouts.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Plus, are your tournaments winner take all? Its anticlimactic if I come in first place with $1000 in front of me but only leave with $700.

 

[Legend5555]

Because when the chips have no cash value there is no reason to make it one to one.

It USED to be 1 to 1, but over time people realized there is no reason for it. And to differentiate it from cash, they made the denoms ones that aren't used a ton in cash outside of the high stakes guys.

 

[Beakertwang]

In tourneys, the denomination on the chip represents points, not cash value. It's just a way to keep score, if you will. You could have a $5 buy-in, and give everyone 1,000,000 in chips. I'd say it's a good idea to keep your tourney separate from your cash set, for the very reason mentioned above. You don't want players pocketing a $25 or $100, and sneaking it into a cash game.

 

[snowboarder2587]

Ahh ok this makes sense to me. Well right now I'm only using the blank cheap chips so it's even easier if someone wanted to cheat because it's the same set thousands of people get in their first poker set. I guess if I played with some unknown or sketchy people I'd be more concerned but they are all coworkers or neighbors. I think any custom set I get would still be an added level of protection

 

[snowboarder2587]

It also makes perfect sense for casinos to give it non cash value chips for tournaments. I will just continue to inventory my chips after each poker night. My cash games it's pretty rare to ever go higher than a $5 chip in my current games so I guess I trust everyone enough and not worried about taking a small loss if someone really wanted to steal a few bucks. It would be hard to find out who though if they really wanted to be sneaky

 

[Beakertwang]

Ahh ok this makes sense to me. Well right now I'm only using the blank cheap chips so it's even easier if someone wanted to cheat because it's the same set thousands of people get in their first poker set. I guess if I played with some unknown or sketchy people I'd be more concerned but they are all coworkers or neighbors. I think any custom set I get would still be an added level of protection

Yeah, it's usually not a problem till it's a problem. If I were going to take a risk with security, it would be with my tourney chips. Sneaking in chips may give a player an advantage, but it doesn't cost the host any real money. I would get custom cash chips first, for sure.

 

[snowboarder2587]

Yeah, it's usually not a problem till it's a problem. If I were going to take a risk with security, it would be with my tourney chips. Sneaking in chips may give a player an advantage, but it doesn't cost the host any real money. I would get custom cash chips first, for sure.

Yeah that is my plan...it's pretty crazy though that labels are basically the same price as the chips though. I'd just use my cheap Amazon ones for tournaments then

 

[Beakertwang]

Yeah that is my plan...it's pretty crazy though that labels are basically the same price as the chips though. I'd just use my cheap Amazon ones for tournaments then.

Look into the cards molds if you haven't already. You can either modify an existing design or start from scratch and get a custom set for under 50¢/chip, which is an absolute bargain, IMO.

 

[NotRealNameNoSir]

Lol playing with dice chips in a tournament and you STILL call them .25s? Live a little! Thats 100, the black chips are a cool 25k.

 

[upNdown]

It’s a funny thing with tournsment denominations. We’re all used to playing tournaments where the lowest chip is 25, or 100, or even 5. And there are some guys who like sets where the lowest chip is 1,000, for a high roller night. Not my thing, but as Tony Soprano would say, Ah Salud.

But no, the denominations of tournsment chips really don’t matter at all. Wgat really matters is a structure of increasing blind levels that works well with the starting stack (which presumably contain the right amount of each denom for smooth play.). Whether your small chip is a quarter or a buck or a grand doesn’t matter at all.

 

[snowboarder2587]

Look into the cards molds if you haven't already. You can either modify an existing design or start from scratch and get a custom set for under 50¢/chip, which is an absolute bargain, IMO.

So I've spent the last 30min searching cards molds and I see time of people chips but I can't seem a link (if it is even a website) or a vendor on here. I'm a complete noob to this page. Any chance you could point me in the right direction?

Lol playing with dice chips in a tournament and you STILL call them .25s? Live a little! Thats 100, the black chips are a cool 25k.

Hahahahaha well I already had printouts of the denoms and was too lazy to print out new ones. Plus all the tournament people are in my cash games so they are used to those denoms

It’s a funny thing with tournsment denominations. We’re all used to playing tournaments where the lowest chip is 25, or 100, or even 5. And there are some guys who like sets where the lowest chip is 1,000, for a high roller night. Not my thing, but as Tony Soprano would say, Ah Salud.

But no, the denominations of tournsment chips really don’t matter at all. Wgat really matters is a structure of increasing blind levels that works well with the starting stack (which presumably contain the right amount of each denom for smooth play.). Whether your small chip is a quarter or a buck or a grand doesn’t matter at all.

That's what I figured too and it worked really well for us last time. 8 person tournament took 6hours which I feel is the minimum I'd like it to last. Normally our cash games last 8+hrs before we call it quits

 

[allforcharity]

Sometimes we do it for security reasons. If using the same "set" of chips, values are fracs through, say, $25 are exclusively for cash, while $100 and up are exclusively for tournament, so the denominations never get mixed up in play. The break point can be wherever you want, depending on how you want to structure things.
Many of us get completely different sets for cash and tourney play. Our wallets may not like it, but hey, you only live once.

 

[Beakertwang]

So I've spent the last 30min searching cards molds and I see time of people chips but I can't seem a link (if it is even a website) or a vendor on here. I'm a complete noob to this page. Any chance you could point me in the right direction?

There's not a link, but there is an email for Tina, who works for the manufacturer. The best way is to have your artwork ready, and get in on a group buy, so shipping costs can be reduced. If you don't mind paying a bit more, you can get them more quickly by dealing with her yourself. I think I can find her email, and PM it to you, if you want it.

 

[snowboarder2587]

There's not a link, but there is an email for Tina, who works for the manufacturer. The best way is to have your artwork ready, and get in on a group buy, so shipping costs can be reduced. If you don't mind paying a bit more, you can get them more quickly by dealing with her yourself. I think I can find her email, and PM it to you, if you want it.

Yes that would be great. Thank you!

 

[ES_Threeper]

So I've spent the last 30min searching cards molds and I see time of people chips but I can't seem a link (if it is even a website) or a vendor on here. I'm a complete noob to this page. Any chance you could point me in the right direction?

I believe this is the most recent GB for the cards molds. https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...d-no-mold-group-buy-ballys-binions-pny.97448/

 

[snowboarder2587]

I believe this is the most recent GB for the cards molds. https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...d-no-mold-group-buy-ballys-binions-pny.97448/

Thanks I've looked at that one and it doesn't seem to allow custom orders. Only using the designs they have pre selected

 

[snowboarder2587]

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. I just got my custom 43mm cash game set and "Arias" cards molds for a tournament set in the mail and ready to start hosting more frequently now

 

[JustinInMN]

Because when the chips have no cash value there is no reason to make it one to one.

It USED to be 1 to 1, but over time people realized there is no reason for it. And to differentiate it from cash, they made the denoms ones that aren't used a ton in cash outside of the high stakes guys.

To add to this, when the "poker boom" happened the format of the WSOP main event of 10,000 in starting chips with blinds starting at 25-50. This is 1-for-1 the buy in at that point of time.

To capitalize on this, rooms offered their tournaments in these denominations, but for any buy in.

As a "rule" now, the WSOP starting stacks are 3x the buy-in, even though they don't have to do it this way, I am sure there are administrative benefits for keeping everyone on the same page for how to set up each event. The main event is a 30k starting stack starting at 100-100 now.

 

[Legend5555]

To add to this, when the "poker boom" happened the format of the WSOP main event of 10,000 in starting chips with blinds starting at 25-50. This is 1-for-1 the buy in at that point of time.

To capitalize on this, rooms offered their tournaments in these denominations, but for any buy in.

As a "rule" now, the WSOP starting stacks are 3x the buy-in, even though they don't have to do it this way, I am sure there are administrative benefits for keeping everyone on the same page for how to set up each event. The main event is a 30k starting stack starting at 100-100 now.

 

[JustinInMN]

View attachment 1083985

Guess I should have said "used to be."

What's the first level now?

 

[Legend5555]

Guess I should have said "used to be."

What's the first level now?

100/200/200

 

[JustinInMN]

100/200/200

So still 300 bigs . But obviously I haven't looked at 2023 structures yet.