Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
This site contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, Poker Chip Forum may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
I usually post my game pictures in a variety of threads, but would like to chronicle them in one place. It will also be nice to be able to walk through my existing sets and the new ones I have in the works.
So please enjoy this thread with pictures of my games, chip sets, builds, and my general chipping progress!
I've been playing with some of the same guys for over 15 years. It has become more consistent in the last 5 years when I moved into this house.
We had been rotating hosting duties and getting together between 15-20 times a year, though I hosted probably 1/3 of the time. Since joining PCF in 2018, I stepped up my setup and host 90% of the time with this group. I also attend a lot of Denver area PCF games, and really appreciate the hard work that goes into hosting any game!
I host poker in my insulated but unfinished basement. We play cash most of the time, though I'm pushing for more tournaments to be the mix with pre and post tourney cash games.
I learned the ways of PCF and was gifted this hotdog roller in 2019 and it is a game changer. Highly recommend it for hosting and it cleans up easily too.
2 tables, one permanent, and one folding.
Gasser chairs.
Beautiful set Mark!! If the 1420 ever tilts you we are looking for a barrel of $25s and exactly thise (3) nasty barrels of $500s that look out of place up top there!! Lol damn partial racks!!
Can't wait to see some live photos from the game!! Always your chipping Brother Ben
I was intending 8 max, but with my new armless chairs, I think there will be enough room for 9. Plus, we're running 9 on it this Saturday, so I'll let you know how it goes.
I obviously appreciate the card room name and buttons
Congrats for the chips and table too!
It's a very nice idea to build a table around a PCF topper!
Well done Mark!
First love of ceramics
When I first got into chipping, I didn't know about Paulsons or any real clay chip. Before I found this site, I actually found good advice and bought samples. I bought a lot of samples. Of the ABS, slugged, china clay, and ceramics I had tried, I really liked some of the ceramics. I wasn't in love with any of the designs that I had found, but I did like the Nevada Jack skulls. I was about to buy a nice set, when, on a whim, I bought an "expensive" sample set of real casino chips (Horseshoe Cleveland). Having gotten my taste of Paulsons, I found this site and fell head first into the clay world.
Set influences
Two of the more playful inlays that I really admired were @Rhodeman77 's Club House and @Perthmike 's Motswari Lodge. I loved the differences in the denomination inlays. When I discovered that the same artist designed both sets, I knew that was fate. I later contacted @p5woody to get into his queue. He is a busy man and I knew that by the time my turn came up, we would come up with a good design, even if I didn't know what kind of chip set it would be yet.
I fell in love with @Mr Tree 's Paymaster set. I loved the story and honor for his father. I loved the full face graphic of the ceramic. I loved the different images on each chip. I loved that it was a durable/working chip. I loved that it was different than the other HOF chips, it was ceramic.
Working on the set
After several months, my turn in Woody's queue came up. We started out working on the Coyote Gulch for an inlay replacement on THC chips.
Coyote Gulch is a natural space that extends up to my backyard. We've seen coyotes hunt and wander in the land just on the other side of our fence. (that's in the inlay)
I had some of the chips, but just couldn't get the other "right" pieces to the set. I didn't worry about that because I knew once I had the basic artwork, we could always color match, etc to the chips at a later date.
In less than a week, we went through 13 different versions that became an echo of what the inlay is now. After the 6th version, it came back to me, "Maybe this would be a good design for a ceramic chip."
Ceramic?
I started talking with @Marhault about coordinating a set purchase and started assessing whether a ceramic chip could be possible.
The 14th version was the first to look like a ceramic design. We started working on a full cash lineup of traditional colors in a 25c, $1, $5, $20.
I discussed the possibility of changing this into a tournament design, or into a hotstamp. I can attest that Woody has saint-like patience.
About three weeks in I confirmed with Todd and made a firm decision that it would be a ceramic set. Oh and now Cali colored too.
Once I knew it was going to be a ceramic California colored cash set, it moved really smoothly. I had a clear idea of what elements and colors I wanted to play on each chip. Woody was able to implement my ideas, bring them to life, and add his own flair. I felt like we both brought a lot to the project and actually worked together on it.
I added the Coyote at the bottom and had it step out of the inlay.
Woody introduced the sky gradient (which I absolutely love).
I found the font used in the name.
Woody suggested the edge spot progression.
At the very last minute, I even snuck in an unconventional denomination into the set. The "America" chip.
Going way farther back to when I played poker in college:
I had a really "nice" set of suited chips (I thought they were the clear superior option to dice chips). We would play 10c/25c cash games.
I knew that the traditional order of value for chips was white, red, and blue (usually $1, $5, $10), but since we were playing smaller stakes, I shifted all of the colors down. So white was 10c, red was 25c, and blue was $1. When my friends and I would bet one of each color, RED/WHITE/BLUE, we started to call it the "America" bet.
Later when we moved up in stakes, it was a blue quarter, white $1, and red $5 and AMERICA became worth $6.25.
Since getting into chipping, I've alternated between many different sets. When someone bets a quarter, a $1 and a $5, they often will still say "America" (even if the colors don't align to the set in play).
Thank you to - @Marhault for communication, coordination and helping out with so many things. @ABC Gifts and Awards for the amazing dealer buttons. @teeniemarkle for discussing with me the finer points of edge spots and inlay designs for months.
Last, and definitely not least, @p5woody for his amazing patience and artistry.
It easily took over 40 versions, but we finally got here. Thank you again!
Coyote Gulch custom ceramic
Custom art by @p5woody
250 Green 25c - morning with rolling fog 400 Blue $1 - Day with sun peaking through white clouds 500 Yellow $5 - Sun setting 100 America $6.25 - Early evening with fireworks 150 Black $20 - Night with full moon 2000 Blurple non-denom workhorse - early morning with snow starting 100 White non-denom value - full snowy day
First love of ceramics
When I first got into chipping, I didn't know about Paulsons or any real clay chip. Before I found this site, I actually found good advice and bought samples. I bought a lot of samples. Of the ABS, slugged, china clay, and ceramics I had tried, I really liked some of the ceramics. I wasn't in love with any of the designs that I had found, but I did like the Nevada Jack skulls. I was about to buy a nice set, when, on a whim, I bought an "expensive" sample set of real casino chips (Horseshoe Cleveland). Having gotten my taste of Paulsons, I found this site and fell head first into the clay world.
Set influences
Two of the more playful inlays that I really admired were @Rhodeman77 's Club House and @Perthmike 's Motswari Lodge. I loved the differences in the denomination inlays. When I discovered that the same artist designed both sets, I knew that was fate. I later contacted @p5woody to get into his queue. He is a busy man and I knew that by the time my turn came up, we would come up with a good design, even if I didn't know what kind of chip set it would be yet.
I fell in love with @Mr Tree 's Paymaster set. I loved the story and honor for his father. I loved the full face graphic of the ceramic. I loved the different images on each chip. I loved that it was a durable/working chip. I loved that it was different than the other HOF chips, it was ceramic.
Working on the set
After several months, my turn in Woody's queue came up. We started out working on the Coyote Gulch for an inlay replacement on THC chips.
Coyote Gulch is a natural space that extends up to my backyard. We've seen coyotes hunt and wander in the land just on the other side of our fence. (that's in the inlay)
I had some of the chips, but just couldn't get the other "right" pieces to the set. I didn't worry about that because I knew once I had the basic artwork, we could always color match, etc to the chips at a later date.
In less than a week, we went through 13 different versions that became an echo of what the inlay is now. After the 6th version, it came back to me, "Maybe this would be a good design for a ceramic chip."
Ceramic?
I started talking with @Marhault about coordinating a set purchase and started assessing whether a ceramic chip could be possible.
The 14th version was the first to look like a ceramic design. We started working on a full cash lineup of traditional colors in a 25c, $1, $5, $20.
I discussed the possibility of changing this into a tournament design, or into a hotstamp. I can attest that Woody has saint-like patience.
About three weeks in I confirmed with Todd and made a firm decision that it would be a ceramic set. Oh and now Cali colored too.
Once I knew it was going to be a ceramic California colored cash set, it moved really smoothly. I had a clear idea of what elements and colors I wanted to play on each chip. Woody was able to implement my ideas, bring them to life, and add his own flair. I felt like we both brought a lot to the project and actually worked together on it.
I added the Coyote at the bottom and had it step out of the inlay.
Woody introduced the sky gradient (which I absolutely love).
I found the font used in the name.
Woody suggested the edge spot progression.
At the very last minute, I even snuck in an unconventional denomination into the set. The "America" chip.
Going way farther back to when I played poker in college:
I had a really "nice" set of suited chips (I thought they were the clear superior option to dice chips). We would play 10c/25c cash games.
I knew that the traditional order of value for chips was white, red, and blue (usually $1, $5, $10), but since we were playing smaller stakes, I shifted all of the colors down. So white was 10c, red was 25c, and blue was $1. When my friends and I would bet one of each color, RED/WHITE/BLUE, we started to call it the "America" bet.
Later when we moved up in stakes, it was a blue quarter, white $1, and red $5 and AMERICA became worth $6.25.
Since getting into chipping, I've alternated between many different sets. When someone bets a quarter, a $1 and a $5, they often will still say "America" (even if the colors don't align to the set in play).
Thank you to - @Marhault for communication, coordination and helping out with so many things. @ABC Gifts and Awards for the amazing dealer buttons. @teeniemarkle for discussing with me the finer points of edge spots and inlay designs for months.
Last, and definitely not least, @p5woody for his amazing patience and artistry.
It easily took over 40 versions, but we finally got here. Thank you again!
250 Green 25c - morning with rolling fog 400 Blue $1 - Day with sun peaking through white clouds 500 Yellow $5 - Sun setting 100 America $6.25 - Early evening with fireworks 150 Black $20 - Night with full moon 2000 Blurple non-denom workhorse - early morning with snow starting 100 White non-denom value - full snowy day
You nailed it. I love sets with the changing inlays, starting with clubhouse and motswaris just like you mentioned. You absolutely crushed it, glad to see that it came together so nicely.
Yeah this sometimes does get added to the verbal part of the bet. About as often as you would think. I think @Kyle was here playing when someone threw in an "America, Fuck yeah!" with a Red, a Blue, and a Yellow chip...
I think 
