Tourney 500/1k/5k vs 500/2k/5k vs 500/2k/10k - Discuss (1 Viewer)

[Psypher1000]

Hi folks,

I've now seen tournament sets with the following upper denom progressions...

500 / 1000 / 5000

500 / 2000 / 5000

500 / 2000 / 10000

I'm curious about the pros and cons of each. For those of you who went the 2k/5k or 2k/10k route, do you have any regrets about doing so? How did they work for you? How did the players respond?

For those of you who have hosted or directed tourneys with "alternative" chip progressions, what are your thoughts on the matter?

 

[ChaosRock]

I'm a big fan of the 500 > 2000 > 10,000 progression and both of my custom sets and one relabel follow this progression... To me it's a matter of sticking to the 4x/5x the previous denom in order optimize playability and chip count... I usually run a T20,000 tourney starting at 50/100, distributing (and storing) two barrels per player: 12/12/9/7... Hard to beat that imo... T10,000 are for color ups and re-buys... I do have extras of 500s and 2000 to facilitate color ups in some instances and to have full racks on each denoms if I want to store by chip denom... Other than the fact the 500 > 1000 > 5000 is (a lot!) more common (i.e. people are used to it), I cannot see any advantages of this progression...

 

[Mr. Cheese]

My recent CSQ Rounders Tournament set I went with the 500, 2000, 5000 denominations. I just felt like the 1k was redundant with a 500 chip on the table so the 2k would at least make the jump between denominations a little more regular. Should have probably gone with a 10k instead of 5k but I was only ordering a handful so I couldn't get the 10k

 

[Psypher1000]

@Mr. Cheese & @ChaosRock - After reading your feedback, I'm curious about three things...

- What is your set breakdown?

- What does your blind structure look like after 500/1000

- When do you color up your 500's?

 

[Mr. Cheese]

Starting stack is T10k
20x 25
20x 100
15x 500

In true Rounders format lots of chips on the table all the way until the end. The 25's are the only ones to get colored up.

Breakdown for my set:
200x 25
200x 100
160x 500
30x 2k (mainly just used for rebuys)
10x 5k (will be used for rebuys only)

 

[Trihonda]

Hmmm, on the verge of ordering my custom fat tire tourney set with standard denims.. Might have to explore this option...?

The 500/2000/10000 makes much more sense, if I can come to terms with the non standard denoms....

 

[ChaosRock]

@Mr. Cheese & @ChaosRock - After reading your feedback, I'm curious about three things...

- What is your set breakdown?

- What does your blind structure look like after 500/1000

- When do you color up your 500's?

I have a few sets that follow the 500/2K/10K progression... Two have the same breakdown of 200/200/200/160/40, one has 300/300/200/160/40 and one 300/300/300/200/60/40(bounties)... As you can see I love some full racks and have them whenever possible... The reason I have tourneys with the same amount of 25/100/500 is if I need to host a bigger crowd I can do 8/8/8/5 for a T15K... One can have less 500s and go 8/8/6/3 for a T10K as well... I wanted to have at least 12/12/9/7 for my usual crowd and one set with that breakdown for larger games... It's funny reading this as it seems I'm a tourney player... In reality I prefer cash many fold over tourneys...

Well, I do not have 500/1000 on my blind schedule... It goes 400/800, 600/1200, 800/1600, 1000/2000, 1500/3000, 2000/4000, 3000/6000 (sometimes I have 2500/5000 before the 3K/6K level, but not often)... Then I color up the 500s and go 4000/8000, 6000/12000, and so on... You can color up the 500s before that and just need to keep a few for the blinds...

 

[rowlin]

I know it's inefficient. I get it, really. But I like using 500-1000-5000.

Our format usually puts 100k to 120k in play. The game typically ends with just the 1k denomination on the table and blinds in the 2k/4k to 4k/8k range.

It's pretty convenient to only have a single denomination when it gets short handed. Even the drunk guys can understand "match that stack" in an all-in situation.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Anyone consider using 500 / 2,500 / 10,000 ?

.5 / .25 / 1 / 5 / 25 / 100 / 500 / 2,500 / 10,000 / 50,0000 / 250,000 / 1,000,000...

 

[BGinGA]

Not much to add, ChaosRock covered it all quite nicely.

Except to say that T2000 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> T2500. It works tons better with blind structures, and is easier for players to calculate bets at the table. The T2500 is just less efficient, and more unwieldy in actual use.

Only time I prefer a T1000 chip is when it is the smallest denomination in a T1000-T5000-T25K-T100K-T500K set.

 

[Mr Tree]

I'm going 25/100/500/2000/10,000 in my new hot stamp set.

Not traditional in the least but when you step back it makes a lot of sense.

 

[slisk250]

Here is the way I see the progression and I'll use Mr. Tree as an example since his next set mirrors mine in denom....Ask yourself this question.

Will players showing up at a future SOP even be the least bit concerned about the chip denom in this case? Will they be mumbling to themselves about it being the only thing they didn't like? I don't think so. I think they'll be saying how awesome those hot stamps were and how much they fit in with everything. The sensible multiplier a 2000 offers pays off in a 5 table main event. Everything I view here from the HP sets a standard of being unique and using a denom that is gaining acceptance just makes sense.

 

[bivey]

No, no, no! 500-1000-5000 allows for more customs. Inefficiency mandates more chips equalling bigger win for chipper.

If i go 5000-2000-10000 then I'd only have 5 customs in a tourney set, a T50k would never get used. At least with the 500-1000-5000 I can have a 25k that some players think will actually see the felt.

 

[links_slayer]

5-25-100-500-1000-5000 denoms have worked fine for my games but of course ymmv. full disclosure: i've never played in a tourney that used the other denoms suggested itt and elsewhere

 

[pltrgyst]

Anyone consider using 500 / 2,500 / 10,000 ?

.5 / .25 / 1 / 5 / 25 / 100 / 500 / 2,500 / 10,000 / 50,0000 / 250,000 / 1,000,000...

Yeah -- I did that. Once, with my first semi-custom chip set. The $2500 used to be my avatar on CT.

At intermediate levels, the 2500 is too much math for many people. I'd never do it again -- 500-2000-10000 is far more manageable.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Yeah -- I did that. Once, with my first semi-custom chip set. The $2500 used to be my avatar on CT.

At intermediate levels, the 2500 is too much math for many people. I'd never do it again -- 500-2000-10000 is far more manageable.

Maybe the mistake is in thinking about it as 500-2000-10000 and 500-2500-10000...

How about:

One, Five, Twenty Five.
One hundred, Five hundred, Twenty Five hundred.

1, 5, 25,
100, 500, 2500

I don't see why these are understood any differently. I do hear you that people have trouble with it, really, but I just don't get why, if 2500 is a problem, why 25 isn't a problem, and why we don't all use 1, 5, 20, 100 instead of 25.

<shrug>

 

[rowlin]

I think it is because blinds in the later levels are typically in increments of a thousand (ie 1000/2000, 2000/4000/, 3000/6000, 4000/8000) and not increments of 2500.

The $25 chip is a cash game chip when used with $1s and $5s, so the comparison there may be apples to oranges.

 

[BGinGA]

Correct, Larry. People don't have an issue with 25,000 either. But 2500 is an oddball amount. Same as with 250...... nobody thinks in terms of twenty-five hundreds or twenty-five tens. Twenty-five cents and twenty-five thousand are pretty instinctive.

In addition, the number of chips required to post blinds using T2500 chips vs T2000 chips is larger on average, making those bets harder to construct.

And don't you shrug your shoulders at me, MN...... lol

 

[slisk250]

No, no, no! 500-1000-5000 allows for more customs. Inefficiency mandates more chips equalling bigger win for chipper.

If i go 5000-2000-10000 then I'd only have 5 customs in a tourney set, a T50k would never get used. At least with the 500-1000-5000 I can have a 25k that some players think will actually see the felt.

That can be easily remedied. Just order secondaries with bounty and rebuy chip.

 

[p5woody]

I might be ordering a new set of chips, I am on the fence 500/1000/5000 vs 500/2000/10000. I have always used the traditional 500/1000/5000. I don't play in casinos very often but most of my friends do, would this tilt players that play in the casinos a lot?

 

[ChaosRock]

I might be ordering a new set of chips, I am on the fence 500/1000/5000 vs 500/2000/10000. I have always used the traditional 500/1000/5000. I don't play in casinos very often but most of my friends do, would this tilt players that play in the casinos a lot?

I think that's really the only drawback of going 2K/10K woody... People are used to the 500/1K and imo, yes, it could be tilting to players that are used to live casino tourneys... However, a large part of that group also plays (or used to play) online with chips starting at T5... Now, I think you gotta balance the pros and the con you mentioned when making a decision... I usually play with the same crowd so it was a no brainer for me... But if you have a rotating group of guys that won't play often with you that the issue might be bigger for you...

I also do have sets that go 500/1K btw and I don't mind playing with them, although I prefer the 2K/10K sets... I personally have no issues at all changing blinds and chip denoms...

Not too helpful I know, sorry...

 

[derekdd23]

I might be ordering a new set of chips, I am on the fence 500/1000/5000 vs 500/2000/10000. I have always used the traditional 500/1000/5000. I don't play in casinos very often but most of my friends do, would this tilt players that play in the casinos a lot?

I think it depends on the players, I have played a ton in the casinos and dont mind the different structure. I have friends that play in the casinos that would complain the whole time. I generally stick to standard so that people feel more comfortable.

 

[BGinGA]

Paulo may disagree with me here, but....

I've found that a T2000 chip works best when it is the largest denomination in heavy use (T10000s used, but not very many). When the stack sizes or field size results in T50K chips seeing a lot of action, I think the structure would typically play out better if using a T1000-T5000-T25000-T100k chip progression.

I also think that T2000 works better when starting stacks are at least 10K combined with at least two tables. This is mostly a matter of having enough chips in play at the end of the tournament. You can certainly use T2000 chips with smaller fields and smaller stacks, but the benefits over using T500-T1000-T5000 are much reduced.

Another consideration is if the set is to be used for both cash and tournament play. I think a 25-100-500-2000-10000 progression works much better for cash game use when the denominations are viewed as cents (25c, $1, $5, $20, $100).

So imo, it really boils down to your projected usage of the set. If you plan on using smaller starting stacks for single table tournaments, I'd pass on the T2000. Either way, most players will adjust to whatever denominations are in play, same as T5-based events or those crazy bar tournaments that often seem to include T1, T10, or T50 chips.

 

[ChaosRock]

Paulo may disagree with me here, but....

I do NOT disagree at all, I think they are all great points!

I hadn't thought about the issue with the possible T10K/T50K/T250K, the T50K being sort of an awkward chip, because i don't run super large tourneys... But yeah, one can argue T25K/T100K/T500K might work better for deep in large fields... Or maybe it's just a matter of getting used playing with the T50K, idk... The point is well taken though...

But your underlying thought of the ideal chip set being a function of the field size, structure, starting stacks and how many chips (and which) you want to have on the table at the end is absolutely ON THE MARK, as usual if I may add.

 

[slisk250]

Yup on all points. I have the perfect solution that will get lots of support from the chip whores here.

Just make two custom tournament sets. One with each progression. Mafi mushkala...

 

[p5woody]

Lots of good information. I think in my case 500/1000/5000 makes the most sense. I host 10K tournament and we average 10 players. So we only have 100,000 on the table, so don't really have a need for a 10K chip.