Cash Game 400 chips sufficient for cash games - 4-6 players? (1 Viewer)

[Joe]

Hi,

Would like to get feedback from some experienced players on my chip count and whether it's sufficient. I've played very few home games. I likely will play most cash games with 4-6 players. Will 400 chips in below denoms be sufficient and what do you think the max # of players I could have?

I've read on this forum where some players don't like too many denominations, some like a lot of chips, some don't, etc. etc. Just looking for some practical advice on whether this would work. Thanks in advance!!!

- 250 X $10 Chips (to be used as 10's or 25's)
- 100 X 100 Chips
- 25 X 500 Chips
- 15 X 1000 Chips (not too useful)
- 5 X 5000
- 5 X Undenominated

 

[tigon]

Hard to say without knowing what stakes you play and how many buyins people are comfortable losing in one night, but you can probably make it work.

I would use the 100 chips as your small blind chips (I wouldn't bother with both .10 and .25 chips, just play .25/.25 or .25/.50 blinds) and the $10 as the next highest denomination, then 500, 1000.

 

[Joe]

Sorry, I'll try to be a little more specific. I know there are a lot of posts related to this matter; so was trying to keep it brief, but guess I wanted specific feedback. To be honest, don't know if I ever played with 'small blinds' and 'large blinds' - usually have an ante - then rounds of betting (guess this would be the blinds). Maybe I showed how novice I am. Anyway, most games with have an 'ante' of small bet of .25 cents up to $1.00 is my guess. So, was going to use the $10 chips as either .10 cents or .25, then 100 as 1.00, 500 as 5.00, etc.

 

[Joe]

Maybe I'm wrong to think this, but I don't see that the denominations matter much, because I can just change the chip values? For example: 4 players; $20 buy in gives you $200 worth of chips (thus, 1/10 value; which would place $10 chip at $1); or you could do $20 buy in gives you 400 worth of chips (thus; 1/20 value). Taylor it to the amount of players and minimum bet. That way only need one set. Right?

 

[BGinGA]

What poker games are you playing?

 

[SixSpeedFury]

The problem is that with those denoms labeled as such it can be very confusing for the players to know what they're betting. It'd be easier to have 25¢(50¢)/$1/$5/$20($25) denoms for cash games. And like tigon said, the amount of money players are willing to play for will determine your stakes.

 

[Joe]

Understand possibly confusion with the denominations. Already have most of set built (paulsons classics) and like the chips so thought I would try to make it work.

Typically, play 5/7 card draw; Texas Hold em', etc.

 

[Joe]

Just thought the 100 and 500 denominations could be easily remembered as $1.00 and $5.00. Since I didn't want 2 separate low chips; was going to use the $10 chip as either the .10 or .25 cent chip depending on the stakes. Too confusing?

 

[Joe]

Ok; one more comment to try to clarify the chips I have and whether they're sufficient Maybe I'm foolish, but here's the reason for the chips I have and the denominations. I like and want Paulson chips. I don't like the Paulson hot stamp chips (little heavier, different feel), and the home made version feels just right to me (I have the 'classic set'). Unfortunately, the denominations start at $1 (vs. .25/.50). I know most of the time, I will only be needing 3 color chips which would leave me with the $1, $5, and $25 chip. However, whites get dirty and I don't like the green colored $25 chip. Furthermore, these denominations likely aren't the ones my friends/family will be playing with anyway (more likely, .25, $1, $5). Lastly, any current denominations might not make sense in the future anyway given inflation. Thus, my dilemma. So, I figured, I would focus on the colors I wanted and not so much the denominations. Thus, I chose the blue $10 for lower bets (to be used as one of the following depending on stakes: .10/.25/.50); black $100 (as $1.00), purple $500 ($5.00), orange $1,000 ($10). Does this make sense to anyone or is this foolish? Too confusing if you were a player?

 

[BGinGA]

Buy the colors you like, and apply thin vinyl labels to them with the denominations you will need/use. Check out Gear in the PCF marketplace for labels, his work is great and affordable.

 

[Joe]

Thanks BginBA; good advice; might be only thing that satisfies me

 

[Bloody Marvelous]

If you're going to apply your own labels, you could widen your spectrum as to what chips you need to complete your set. It's only the edgespot design that matters in that case, and that's shared with the Paulson Pharaoh and Casino de Isthmus chips.

 

[Joe]

Well, my set is the 'classic' style as you show in your first photos with just the $. Eventually, I'll need (500) $25 'classic' stickers to put on the blue $10 chip....

 

[Joe]

Buy the colors you like, and apply thin vinyl labels to them with the denominations you will need/use. Check out Gear in the PCF marketplace for labels, his work is great and affordable.

You say 'his'...Gear is a person?

 

[tommythecat]

You say 'his'...Gear is a person?

Gear is the person behind Gear-Labels.

 

[Joe]

You say 'his'...Gear is a person?

Gotcha - thanks. Just checked out his website.

 

[MaxB]

I'm having 700 labels made by Gear for some of my Paulson's ... he just sent me pics of the test runs on sample chips I sent for color matching....all I can say is they look really good and prices are very reasonable. ..can't wait to get them

 

[DrStrange]

My traveling set is just over 300 chips and is ample for a short handed table. 400 chips should work just fine.

035

• DrStrange
• Jul 15, 2015

315 chips, ready to travel

008

• DrStrange
• Jul 15, 2015

Before cleaning / oiling

We have all been spoiled by playing with 500, 600 or even 1,000 chips in a set (and who wouldn't be?) but there was a day I played with 200 interlocking plastic chips and thought nothing of it. Fewer chips means people will be making change more often and occasionally cash would play in place of the highest value chip.

DrStrange

The orange chips will be Outpost $20 for a $0.50/$0.50 game.

 

[NiceShot]

Gear is awesome. Great communication. I plan on doing a relabel project with him.

 

[MaxB]

not to derail the thread, but more of a look how relabeling will get you the exact chips you want, here's an early pic of one of my relabel denominations ...... it looks like a real Aztar

Like what others have said above, find a matching chip, then just relabel

 

[Joe]

not to derail the thread, but more of a look how relabeling will get you the exact chips you want, here's an early pic of one of my relabel denominations ...... it looks like a real Aztar

Like what others have said above, find a matching chip, then just relabel

View attachment 14511

Do you like the labels? Have you had any issues with them (peeling off, getting dirty, etc.)?

 

[Joe]

Wow, really appreciate all the responses. Been on here 1 day and the community has been loads of help! Thanks everyone.

 

[MaxB]

Do you like the labels? Have you had any issues with them (peeling off, getting dirty, etc.)?

Have not received them yet. Gear is still working on the final design and colors. From the pictures I have seen of all the chips (he is doing 8 different ones for me), they are fantastic. Pick the label thickness, glossy or matte finish, shape around the design (optional), color matching (optional), etc.

 

[Puggy]

Doc. What kind of breakdown would you get for $0.25/$0.25 or $0.25/$0.50 NLHE / PLO to get the best manouverability? With 300 chips and with 400 chips. Shorthanded max 6 players.

 

[DrStrange]

300 count set - bank = $1,712.5

50 $0.25 chips
100 $1 chips
100 $5 chips
50 $20 chips (must be $20s not $25s)

400 count set - bank = $2,962.5

50 $0.25 chips
100 $1 chips
150 $5 chips
100 $20 chips (must be $20s not $25s)
If the game plays big, 80 $20s and 20 $100s

Cash plays if needed, but only big bills.

DrStrange

 

[Puggy]

Thanks

 

[BGinGA]

Colors/spots may be the same, but bear in mind that the Casino de Isthmus chips referenced below are on a different version of the PAULSON CHIPS mold, which has a much larger recessed area. A standard size label will look funky in that larger space..... and a label that fills the larger recess won't match size-wise to re-labeled Classic and/or Pharaoh's chips.

If you're going to apply your own labels, you could widen your spectrum as to what chips you need to complete your set. It's only the edgespot design that matters in that case, and that's shared with the Paulson Pharaoh and Casino de Isthmus chips.

 

[Mental Nomad]

(must be $20s not $25s)

I think I know the general arguments for/against $20s versus $25s in a cash game... although I find the arguments either way fairly unconvincing. To me, personal preference seems to be a far stronger factor than any real argument I've considered. (Note: I consider personal preference perfectly valid.)

Is there something specific to a short-handed game with a smaller rack that makes it especially important to have $20s? Perhaps related to the likelihood of having cash in play? I don't quite see it.

 

[DrStrange]

The preference for a $20 chip vs a $25 chip is specific for the game I am hosting. My normal bias is towards a $25 chip due to player preference and that most sets us $25s rather than $20s.

Players rebuy for $20 in my traveling game. This is a friendly social game with $0.25/ $0.50 blinds and a $20 buy in. yes it is short stacked but that suits the kind of players for this game. So one buy in equals one $20 chip once all the lower value chips get into play.

Sometimes the players end up having to use twenty dollar bills if we run out of chips. I don't want people to be betting $25 chips and $20 bills together.

Most other situations I use a $25 chip at the request of the players, most of whom haven't ever played at a casino with a $20 chip in play. ($20 chips are mostly a California card room artifact where they play a lot of limit poker.)

DrStrange

 

[Mental Nomad]

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. In a game where the $20 is the standard buy-in and rebuy, being played with a short rack such that the low chips generally all get into play halfway through the night, it fits... people actually do end up buying a chip at a time.

Thanks.