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How do you do random seating? (1 Viewer)

trigs

trigs

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I've been looking around for seating chips but there aren't many that I can find (only ones from ABC I've found so far which I'm considering buying).

I use playing cards currently (take out A-10 of two suits, one in the seat spot and one to draw from), but I don't like doing it this way.

How do you guys draw for seats? Is there a better way than using cards? Are there decent seating chips for sale that you can recommend? Thanks.
 
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Last time I hosted a tournament I had players draw a card and match it to the corresponding card on the table.

This was also in the UK, players drew from MGM Grand LV cards and matched it with Gloden Nugget LV cards on the table. Gave me a chance to show off some of my souvenirs.

The Blinds Up app will also seat players randomly for you.
 
The people who run regular tournaments in my city do it with cards. Granted, it looks a bit makeshift, but it works perfectly fine. Also has the advantage that getting replacements (should a card get damaged) is very easy and cheap.

You could always relabel either some Paulsons or CPCs with @Gear's help.

The latter is what I am going to do for my CPC tournament set which is currently in final pressing. Ordered an extra pack of chips, inlay is just some placeholder graphic, inlay will be cut out on delivery and replaced with thick laminated Gear labels.
 
I have table seating plaques. When I start my tournament I have starting stacks on the table in racks with a seating plaque face down on the rack. After I get paid the player chooses their rack and takes the seating assignment that comes with that rack. Position one is always the same at each table so as soon as a player chooses their rack they can find their seat.
 
Nex said:
You could always relabel either some Paulsons or CPCs with @Gear's help.

The latter is what I am going to do for my CPC tournament set which is currently in final pressing. Ordered an extra pack of chips, inlay is just some placeholder graphic, inlay will be cut out on delivery and replaced with thick laminated Gear labels.
Click to expand...

I was considering doing this as well. I'm keeping my eyes open for a nice barrel to buy.
 
Mr Tree said:
I have table seating plaques. When I start my tournament I have starting stacks on the table in racks with a seating plaque face down on the rack. After I get paid the player chooses their rack and takes the seating assignment that comes with that rack. Position one is always the same at each table so as soon as a player chooses their rack they can find their seat.
Click to expand...

A similar system here, except tradition dictates that whoever draws seat 1 gets to choose their seating location. Stacks are set out, but I have the seating cards and trade a card for the buy-in cash.

Most print shops would be able to supply laminated seating cards. Table x, Seat x.
 
I use laminated seating cards. I have my own laminator so easy peezy.

Seat Cards.jpg
 
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The few times I've hot-stamped tournament chips for people I offer them seating chip dies for use. They match the font and arrangement of the stamp in my avatar, and I usually use a different color for a different set of chips. Dealer then 1-9 (in case we go 10 handed at a table). Then on the other side I either leave blank or stamp with something generic so they all look the same. Signify each table as a color, then have people choose based on the # of seats.
 
timinater said:
A similar system here, except tradition dictates that whoever draws seat 1 gets to choose their seating location. Stacks are set out, but I have the seating cards and trade a card for the buy-in cash.

Most print shops would be able to supply laminated seating cards. Table x, Seat x.
Click to expand...
We used to let seat one choose their seat. I got away from that for one reason. My standard tournament is around 30 people at 3 tables of ten. If you let one pick their seat each table has to wait for someone to pick one before anyone can sit down. If one is at a predetermined spot everyone can sit as soon as they draw their assignment.
 
Mr Tree said:
We used to let seat one choose their seat. I got away from that for one reason. My standard tournament is around 30 people at 3 tables of ten. If you let one pick their seat each table has to wait for someone to pick one before anyone can sit down. If one is at a predetermined spot everyone can sit as soon as they draw their assignment.
Click to expand...

100% - We usually have just one full table so it doesn't result in total chaos to wait. Definitely like your approach for 2 or more tables.
 
I use roulette chips from Horseshoe Cleveland. I have three colors with chips numbered 1-8. For tournaments I issue chips in confectionery tubes with the roulette on the bottom. I keep the tubes upright in a box so you can't see the bottom chip color. When someone buys in I issue a tube at random. Color and number denotes table and seat.

For cash games players reach into a bag and pull out a chip. No reason I couldn't use the bag for tournaments other than the fact that some guys like to make a big production out of flashing the bottom of the tube to others trying to guess the number while making ribald comments before we get seated.
 
For league games, I let the computer do it. As players buy in, Tournament Director assigns them a seat.

For fundraisers, I have seating cards.
seating cards.jpg


Easy way to seat 100 players. When it comes time to distribute chips, I go around to the tables and exchange the seating cards for their starting stack. This way I get all my cards back otherwise players take them home accidentally. This way players also don't have to walk around with a stack of chips until the game starts.

I can't remember where I bought mine from, but I like @DoubleEagle 's custom cards. I might have to look into doing that for mine as well.
 
Mr Tree said:
We used to let seat one choose their seat. I got away from that for one reason. My standard tournament is around 30 people at 3 tables of ten. If you let one pick their seat each table has to wait for someone to pick one before anyone can sit down. If one is at a predetermined spot everyone can sit as soon as they draw their assignment.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. Seat number one always sits on the north side of the table. It makes moving players much easier when I know where seat one is.
 
Though I may invest in something better in the future, I'll just have my players draw cards from a selection of :ah:thru:8h: and :as:thru:8s:.

The player drawing the ace at each table determines what chair he/she wants and the other players take their seats based on that initial selection in respect to their card. I.E. the A is the button; 2 sits at CO, 3 at HJ etc.
 
I used to use dice marked 1-10 and a leather shaker (pill) bottle (aka a tally bottle in the pool/billiards world).
 
I think for now I may go with laminated seating cards since that's cheap and easy. However, if a set of seating chips or a nice barrel of Paulsons that I'd like to make seating labels for goes up for sale I'll try to snatch them.
 
trigs said:
What do you think about those? Are they plastic, ceramic, or clay? I know they're pretty cheap but are they worth it?
Click to expand...
They're quality ceramics and I like them because they fit in the same racks as the chips and one side is the same so you can just lay them on the table face down and ask people to choose. I have a red and a blue set - useful for two tables.
 
Darson said:
They're quality ceramics and I like them because they fit in the same racks as the chips and one side is the same so you can just lay them on the table face down and ask people to choose. I have a red and a blue set - useful for two tables.
Click to expand...

Cool. It didn't say on the site and I really thought they were just plastic. Maybe I will pick these up for now.
 
Here are some pics.

This is the uncut sheet of cards.

Seat Cards.jpg


Cut individual cards from sheet.

IMG_4816.JPG


Place in laminated sleeve. I use a credit card size.

IMG_4817.JPG


Run sleeve through card laminator.

IMG_4818.JPG



IMG_4819.JPG


Finished product.

IMG_4820.JPG
 
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I meant to post this some time back. I have a seating card at each seat. Players then draw a seating chip and go to the seat that matches. I'm set up for up to 3 tables. I have 3 different sets of seating chips. I turn them upside down on a table and shuffle them. Then players draw.

All are homemade, and were very easy to do.
 

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