Kentucky
Two Pair
I wanted to start my intro with a thank you. It was about 20 years ago when I got a set of 300 dice chips and had a great night playing my first cash game with some buddies. But if you’d have asked me then how many nights I’d spend playing poker over the intervening 20 years I’d have massively overestimated. Fast forward to this year, around 6 weeks ago,and I’m back from a trip to Vegas with a strong desire to try for a fourth time to get a regular poker night going.
The notion of a custom set of chips crossed my Google search - I do have a semi regular cocktail night at home and some chips with my cocktail theme would be cool. Google eventually led me to @BR Pro Poker and when I saw the Tiki Kings I knew I had to have them (I have a signature Mai Tai, but then, who doesn’t). Looking for more info on the Tiki Kings led me to PCF. Uh-oh. Dutifully, I ordered a single sample set, because you told me to. They were good (and they only had to be not terrible because Tiki) so I quickly ordered a full set.
And then I had three weeks to wait, so what am I going to do? Teach myself to shuffle that sample set and read more Poker Chip Forum. I read and read, about Bounties and Rebuys and starting stacks and moar and tournament denoms and how to chip up and cash denoms and Group Buys (hello @The Nuts ) and Tina and moar… I soaked it all up like a sponge - and kept emailing Kristil to change my order every time I realized I’d made a rookie mistake. (And you don’t need me to tell you she’s a star and handled all my changes with speed and good grace.)
To cut my long story short all your advice paid off. Last night 7 of us Dads from my kid’s soccer team played a T5 tournament, $20 buy-in, with 2000 starting stacks of those Tiki Kings. The bourbon was flowing and the Kings looked great. The T1K custom plaques sprinkled spice to the 1 rebuy and the T25 chip up. The blinds structure was spot on - we finished when y’all said we would - and the bounties spread the money around with 5 of the 8 grabbing at least one.
And the best part - I won my first tournament! I wasn’t sure if winning is the best way to get the game regular but I’m too competitive to pull my punches and I guess some nights you just run hot. My players happily decided I was still down overall considering the investment in chips and cards and table top.
I was too excited to take any pictures- I’ll try harder next time. I already have some guys from work coming over next month.
The notion of a custom set of chips crossed my Google search - I do have a semi regular cocktail night at home and some chips with my cocktail theme would be cool. Google eventually led me to @BR Pro Poker and when I saw the Tiki Kings I knew I had to have them (I have a signature Mai Tai, but then, who doesn’t). Looking for more info on the Tiki Kings led me to PCF. Uh-oh. Dutifully, I ordered a single sample set, because you told me to. They were good (and they only had to be not terrible because Tiki) so I quickly ordered a full set.
And then I had three weeks to wait, so what am I going to do? Teach myself to shuffle that sample set and read more Poker Chip Forum. I read and read, about Bounties and Rebuys and starting stacks and moar and tournament denoms and how to chip up and cash denoms and Group Buys (hello @The Nuts ) and Tina and moar… I soaked it all up like a sponge - and kept emailing Kristil to change my order every time I realized I’d made a rookie mistake. (And you don’t need me to tell you she’s a star and handled all my changes with speed and good grace.)
To cut my long story short all your advice paid off. Last night 7 of us Dads from my kid’s soccer team played a T5 tournament, $20 buy-in, with 2000 starting stacks of those Tiki Kings. The bourbon was flowing and the Kings looked great. The T1K custom plaques sprinkled spice to the 1 rebuy and the T25 chip up. The blinds structure was spot on - we finished when y’all said we would - and the bounties spread the money around with 5 of the 8 grabbing at least one.
And the best part - I won my first tournament! I wasn’t sure if winning is the best way to get the game regular but I’m too competitive to pull my punches and I guess some nights you just run hot. My players happily decided I was still down overall considering the investment in chips and cards and table top.
I was too excited to take any pictures- I’ll try harder next time. I already have some guys from work coming over next month.
