Cash Game 2/5 Cash game chip req's (1 Viewer)

[T_Chan]

What would be the ideal breakdown of chips for a $2/5 cash game for 20 players? $200 min, $500 max buy ins.

I unfortunately already know that do not have ideal setup for this. I have a 600 piece micro cash set with lots of nickels, a good amount of dollars and a handfull of 5's.

I have a tournament set of china clay pharaohs, but those have a lowest denom of $25's. I can mix the two sets but I'm afraid I don't have enough dollars from my cash set and I certainly don't have enough 5's. I'll have to improvise something, maybe using the nickels as $5's.

TIA.

 

[bentax1978]

I would say the minimum for two full tables of 2/5 would be something like this:

(200) $1
(800) $5
(300) $25
(200) $100

Ideally I'd probably want about twice that number of $5 chips for two full tables of 2/5.

 

[MegaTon44]

I would say the minimum for two full tables of 2/5 would be something like this:

(200) $1
(800) $5
(300) $25
(200) $100

Ideally I'd probably want about twice that number of $5 chips for two full tables of 2/5.

I think this is fair. If you buy these denoms, it comes out to $31,700 in chips. Assume each player buys in for $500 (which is a high estimate), that's $10,000 in play. That leaves plenty for rebuys and bringing in more players. More redbirds wouldn't hurt though.

 

[jbutler]

I would say the minimum for two full tables of 2/5 would be something like this:

(200) $1
(800) $5
(300) $25
(200) $100

Ideally I'd probably want about twice that number of $5 chips for two full tables of 2/5.

Agree with Dan this is the absolute minimum.

I would say in addition to advising more $5s that the game will run more smoothly with at least another rack of $1s as well unless you have a dedicated non-playing dealer at both tables.

 

[MegaTon44]

Agree with Dan this is the absolute minimum.

I would say in addition to advising more $5s that the game will run more smoothly with at least another rack of $1s as well unless you have a dedicated non-playing dealer at both tables.

Very fair point. I assumed no dealer. My dealer consistently makes $250+ a night at my game, which would really crush those $1 chips. If the tables don't have built-in toke boxes, it's not a big deal as the dealer can change out the $1s, but the boxes make it very challenging to keep the $1s in play. In which case, you would need another 200 x $1 at a minimum I'd think.

 

[bentax1978]

Agree with Dan this is the absolute minimum.

I would say in addition to advising more $5s that the game will run more smoothly with at least another rack of $1s as well unless you have a dedicated non-playing dealer at both tables.

I originally had 300 ones, but figured if we're talking minimums you could get away with one rack per table. But you're right, 3 racks would be better. And of course lots more fives.

I have one set that could handle this as it's currently at 400/1200/300/300, but even that set could use a few more racks of fives (y) :thumbsup:

 

[T_Chan]

Ugh, I was afraid that the number of 5's I need would be huge which it is.

I rarely do any cash games so I'm uncertain about breakdowns for them. It makes sense though.

I can turn my 500's in my tournament set into $5's that's not ideal.

Thanks for the info guys, I'll start the hunt to find something I can use.

The tables will have dealers but no chip trays nor tote boxes on the tables. I'm going to have to keep a rack in front of me to make change and for the rake which is going to charity.

 

[Marius L]

I agree that bentax's breakdown advise would be better, but if you want to limit the set a bit I'll give you a more conservative breakdown. In other words i dont think 800 fives is the minimum for a playable two table cash set, you can get by with much less.

While it would be ideal to have loads of fives, if you just want something playable for a one-time thing and you are not playing cash-games regularly I think you can get by with a smaller amount of them than 400 pr table. We played a 1/2 game for years with maybe 200 fives (or less) and it worked just fine. This was for one table. Of course you wont have people with racks of fives in front of them, but that is not really nessecary (although of course fun and cool for chiplovers like us).

An example:
Lets say we were betting 55 we would use 3 chips instead of 11, which works just fine. I'm pretty sure 400 total fives would give enough for a decent 2 table 2/5 game. Add some more high denoms to make sure the total bank is big enough in case the game gets really deep. I would for example add one or two barrels of 500s.

If you add some more of the upper denoms you can be ok with downwards of 400-500 fives. obviously not ideal, but would still easily be playable.

Another option would be to make the game 5/5, and remove the 1$ chip entirely. Then you could add another rack of 5s, but still remove another 100 chips of the total number of chips. I assume this would not work very well if you are raking the game though, but just throwing it out there.

Suggested budget breakdown:

200 1$
400 5$
300 25$
100 100$
40 500$

total bank: 39700$
total chips: 1040

Example for starting buyins with this breakdown:

Min buyin 200$

(10) 1$
(18) 5$
(4) 25$


Max buyin 500$
(10) 1$
(18) 5$
(12) 25$
(1) 100$


Depending on buy in amounts you could not put the hundos in play untill later. if everyone buys in for 200, even many of the rebuys could be done with only 25s. After all 5s and 25s are used use only 100s and maybe 500s for rebuys (if the game goes really crazy)

 

[gopherblue]

What did I learn from is thread? My TRK Riverside set isn't big enough.

 

[Marius L]

Haha, lets be honest, you can probably get by with way less chips than this as well. but on the other hand, you can never get enough chips

 

[bentax1978]

Haha, lets be honest, you can probably get by with way less chips than this as well. but on the other hand, you can never get enough chips

I agree, you could spread the game with 400 x $5 chips (one barrel/player), possibly a even less, and it would function. It would just be less than ideal.

My original breakdown of 800 x $5 chips was what I would consider the minimum number of fives if I were putting together a set expressly for this purpose. If the OP only needs to run this game once, or if he has no other options, than it can certainly run with far less than 800 chip.

In my perfect (chip) word, there would be at least a rack of $5 chips for each player at a 1/2 or 2/5 game. As you said, you can never get enough chips

 

[bergs]

The ideal breakdown is a stack of $1s and 5 stacks of $5s per player with 5 racks of $5s for rebuys, plus 4 racks of $25s and 1 rack of $100s.

200 $1s
1500 $5s
300 $25s
100 $100s

Total bank is $25,200. You'll probably never use that entire set, but just in case the game gets ridiculously large or you do 2 6-handed tables, you'll be covered.

 

[bentax1978]

The ideal breakdown is a stack of $1s and 5 stacks of $5s per player with 5 racks of $5s for rebuys, plus 4 racks of $25s and 1 rack of $100s.

200 $1s
1500 $5s
300 $25s
100 $100s

So just to be clear in the context of the OP, your above ideal breakdown is per table, not for two tables, correct?

 

[mummel]

MOAR!

 

[bergs]

So just to be clear in the context of the OP, your above ideal breakdown is per table, not for two tables, correct?

Sorry - yes - that was one table.

You could do very well with 2 tables with this:

400 $1s
2000 $5s
400 $25s
100 $100s

 

[bentax1978]

Sorry - yes - that was one table.

You could do very well with 2 tables with this:

400 $1s
2000 $5s
400 $25s
100 $100s

I agree, that would be pretty close to my ideal 2-table breakdown.

Of course I'd add one more rack of $100 chips, not just for additional bank, but because the idea of a 2900 chip set makes me nauseous.

 

[H|Q]

min breakdown would be something like this for two tables combined count.

200 - $1
600 - $5
500 - $25

That would be the bare min, with lots of change happening.

 

[courage]

Very fair point. I assumed no dealer. My dealer consistently makes $250+ a night at my game, which would really crush those $1 chips. If the tables don't have built-in toke boxes, it's not a big deal as the dealer can change out the $1s, but the boxes make it very challenging to keep the $1s in play. In which case, you would need another 200 x $1 at a minimum I'd think.

Dealer is doing it wrong then.

Just have them color up tokes on side of the tray in a certain column, separated by lammer. They drop when they get to $25 or $20 chip.

 

[MegaTon44]

Dealer is doing it wrong then.

Just have them color up tokes on side of the tray in a certain column, separated by lammer. They drop when they get to $25 or $20 chip.

Thanks for the tip. He may do that for as much as my dumb ass pays attention, but I'll definitely note that.

 

[DrStrange]

The answer to this question depends a lot on who is running the game, are they getting paid to run it, is chip security a concern and is the game "profit seeking".

If I were spreading a two table 2-5 in my home I could get by with substantially fewer fives and more value in higher denominations. But I think this question is for a profit seeking, professionally run game (the fact the profits go to charity still means the operators are profit seeking).

Bergs' suggestion for two full tables looks fine:

400 $1s
2000 $5s
400 $25s
100 $100s

In some cases the $25 and $100 chips never leave the bank. Few players are ever going to need to make change. Chip security is protected by the lack of high value chips in play. And the extra five dollar chips could prove useful in future events with lower limits.

DrStrange

 

[Rhodeman77]

And since it is for charity you want mooooore chips on the table. Players play looser with big stacks of chips than they do with a few low demon chips and the rest big chips. It is a how they perceive their stack.

In a cash game if someone is down to just a few $25 dollar chips I always try to change them up to $5 so they feel they have more play in their stack and it usually works to get them playing more.

 

[T_Chan]

Great advice everyone, thanks. I'm going to try to get bigger stacks for everyone so that they feel more inclined to play looser.

 

[mummel]

Great advice everyone, thanks. I'm going to try to get bigger stacks for everyone so that they feel more inclined to play looser.

Im my amateur hour micro games, I have noticed much looser play with more chips in front of people. 40+ seems to hit the spot. Put out 20, and people play tight, even if it makes no sense. Just the perception of the value of chips. MOAR!