LotsOfChips
Flush
Hello again!
This is my 100th post on PCF, so I thought I would use the occasion to reintroduce myself, to reflect a little bit on my chipping journey so far, and to give a shout out to some of the awesome members who I have met so far. (Sorry, it’s a bit rambling, so it may rate a TLDR).
I’m pretty much a poker newby. My earlier poker experience was in 25c ante mixed home games (dealer’s choice), but I hadn’t played live Poker for almost 30 years, and had never played live NLHE before joining the forum. I did play PokerStars “play money” NLHE cash and tourney games for a month or so, but the “all-in, all the time” mentality of many play money players didn’t seem like real poker to me.
I knew I needed to learn the strategy and finer points of NLHE if I was to have a fighting chance in the real money world. After spending a few months reading strategy books and Internet articles, I decided that battling bots and grinders with HUDs and player databases on the Internet poker sites didn’t have much appeal, so I started the search for actual live poker.
During a Google search for “home game poker” in my area, I stumbled on the PCF forum. I discovered that several local members were hosting games, and were welcoming other members to join in. So I joined up. First thing it asked for was a username, and being totally without imagination, I entered “Chip”. That was already taken, as were several variations, so I finally landed on “LotsOfChips”, which is absolutely not a description of reality, but more aspirational.
When I joined I had NO idea of the chipping world, and had a hard time believing that people would actually pay five or six dollars (or more) per chip. I knew that the plastic “Bicycle” chips from long ago were basically crap, and thought that the gift set of “Clay Filled Official Casino Weight” Bellagio WPT chips (undenominated of course) were the poker playing norm. I soon found out otherwise.
I decided that I wanted to acquire a set of “reasonably priced” denominated chips so that I could eventually host games of my own, so I started down the China Clay path (having learned that slugged plastic weren’t much of a step up from what I already had). I was looking at a bunch of different possible CC options (Milano, Majestic, Dunes, Pharoah, etc.), but decided to take the first rule of PCF (get samples) to heart.
By the time I actually got my hands on a mix of different CC samples (thanks @realcdn), I had the opportunity to play live poker with a bunch of different sets, including two of the nicest Paulson sets I could possibly imagine (the legendary Empress Star and Sunset Beach sets). Needless to say the CC’s were quite underwhelming (and slippery) in comparison, so I decided that I would have to revise my concept of what was “affordable”.
I started looking at building a couple of sets (one tourney, one cash game) of used casino Paulson. There were a few options in the sub $2/chip range (mostly Cleveland HS), but I didn’t see any that really knocked me out or that I really felt were close to a set that I would want to keep for the long term. Those sets that were available also seemed to only partially fill the layout I was planning, so I realized that it might take several months (or years) to build the set that I wanted.
Being a bit of an “I want in now, but I also want it right” type of person, I then veered into the CPC custom lane, which is where I sit right now. I’ve mostly picked out the base colors, edge designs, edge colors and quantities, and I’m working on the inlay design.
In the mean time, I have also acquired a custom Chanman table (used/refurbished but with a new custom cloth), four sets of plastic cards (one pair each of Prestige, Desjgn, Copag & Kem), ten beautiful cut cards from @Potsie1 (4x Desjgn, 2x PCF & 2x each of Formal Red and Formal Blue), and a kickass PCF oval table topper (thanks for the screwup at the Chinese factory, or I probably never would have got one). Now all I need are chips (and players... and a hot dog roller).
So, having rambled on about me, I now want to give thanks and recognition to the PCF community in general, and to several local members in particular for welcoming me into the chipper community, and in some cases into their homes and home games:
Edit - decided that this thread needs a little pr0n, so here are the cash and tourney CPC sets I am working on...
This is my 100th post on PCF, so I thought I would use the occasion to reintroduce myself, to reflect a little bit on my chipping journey so far, and to give a shout out to some of the awesome members who I have met so far. (Sorry, it’s a bit rambling, so it may rate a TLDR).
I’m pretty much a poker newby. My earlier poker experience was in 25c ante mixed home games (dealer’s choice), but I hadn’t played live Poker for almost 30 years, and had never played live NLHE before joining the forum. I did play PokerStars “play money” NLHE cash and tourney games for a month or so, but the “all-in, all the time” mentality of many play money players didn’t seem like real poker to me.
I knew I needed to learn the strategy and finer points of NLHE if I was to have a fighting chance in the real money world. After spending a few months reading strategy books and Internet articles, I decided that battling bots and grinders with HUDs and player databases on the Internet poker sites didn’t have much appeal, so I started the search for actual live poker.
During a Google search for “home game poker” in my area, I stumbled on the PCF forum. I discovered that several local members were hosting games, and were welcoming other members to join in. So I joined up. First thing it asked for was a username, and being totally without imagination, I entered “Chip”. That was already taken, as were several variations, so I finally landed on “LotsOfChips”, which is absolutely not a description of reality, but more aspirational.
When I joined I had NO idea of the chipping world, and had a hard time believing that people would actually pay five or six dollars (or more) per chip. I knew that the plastic “Bicycle” chips from long ago were basically crap, and thought that the gift set of “Clay Filled Official Casino Weight” Bellagio WPT chips (undenominated of course) were the poker playing norm. I soon found out otherwise.
I decided that I wanted to acquire a set of “reasonably priced” denominated chips so that I could eventually host games of my own, so I started down the China Clay path (having learned that slugged plastic weren’t much of a step up from what I already had). I was looking at a bunch of different possible CC options (Milano, Majestic, Dunes, Pharoah, etc.), but decided to take the first rule of PCF (get samples) to heart.
By the time I actually got my hands on a mix of different CC samples (thanks @realcdn), I had the opportunity to play live poker with a bunch of different sets, including two of the nicest Paulson sets I could possibly imagine (the legendary Empress Star and Sunset Beach sets). Needless to say the CC’s were quite underwhelming (and slippery) in comparison, so I decided that I would have to revise my concept of what was “affordable”.
I started looking at building a couple of sets (one tourney, one cash game) of used casino Paulson. There were a few options in the sub $2/chip range (mostly Cleveland HS), but I didn’t see any that really knocked me out or that I really felt were close to a set that I would want to keep for the long term. Those sets that were available also seemed to only partially fill the layout I was planning, so I realized that it might take several months (or years) to build the set that I wanted.
Being a bit of an “I want in now, but I also want it right” type of person, I then veered into the CPC custom lane, which is where I sit right now. I’ve mostly picked out the base colors, edge designs, edge colors and quantities, and I’m working on the inlay design.
In the mean time, I have also acquired a custom Chanman table (used/refurbished but with a new custom cloth), four sets of plastic cards (one pair each of Prestige, Desjgn, Copag & Kem), ten beautiful cut cards from @Potsie1 (4x Desjgn, 2x PCF & 2x each of Formal Red and Formal Blue), and a kickass PCF oval table topper (thanks for the screwup at the Chinese factory, or I probably never would have got one). Now all I need are chips (and players... and a hot dog roller).
So, having rambled on about me, I now want to give thanks and recognition to the PCF community in general, and to several local members in particular for welcoming me into the chipper community, and in some cases into their homes and home games:
- @Jeevansluck , who has been a member only a few months longer than me, but who already has an impressive 1400+ posts, who has bought and sold more sets in that time than I will own in a lifetime, and who I consider a good friend.
- @T_Chan , who is not only a magician and artist at building the world’s finest poker tales, but is also a truly nice, easy to talk to person, with more innate integrity than anyone I have ever known. Truly a person I admire and respect!
- @Lemonzest , whose cash game features a great setup of table and chips, a great group of players, and a great host. He doesn’t really believe that I haven’t played poker in decades (partly because I won big at my first game out), but invites me to his games anyway.
- @allforcharity, who has provided me with invaluable advice and insight into building custom sets. Appreciated more than I can say!
- @grantc54 for the generous loan of the CPC color samples, for understanding why I haven’t shown up at his regular smoke-filled games, and for still inviting me to the smoke-free ones.
- @realcdn, @Gear, & @Wifey for not taking too much of my money at Nav’s last cash game. I’m learning, hopefully faster than I’m losing.
- To all of the other members who have responded to my posts with replies or likes/loves/laughs/etc. Your feedback and support has made this forum a treat to be a part of.
Edit - decided that this thread needs a little pr0n, so here are the cash and tourney CPC sets I am working on...
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(and the ensuing headlines - "Poker Chip Enthusiasts Busted For Gambling In International Park") 
