Looking for advice on a starter tournament set (1 Viewer)

[dparenti13]

Hi all,

Looking for advice on a good starter set. I'd like to get a 400-500pc T25 set for tournaments, and budget wise, shooting for ~50c a chip. I've been looking at the China Clays, particularly the Milanos, but the 100 chips are out of stock in a lot of places, and where they're in stock, they seem to be significantly more expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions on either where to find Milanos at a reasonable price, or better alternatives?

 

[Eriks]

If I was coming into the chip game today on that budget I would 100 percent go with these:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...d-cards-mold-textured-no-mold-05-2024.118316/

For an STT set you can easily get by with around 400 chips. Something like the breakdown below. I think you have to go with increments of 25 with the chips I suggested, but I might be wrong.

T25 x 125
T100 x 125
T500 x 50
T1000 x 125
T5000 x 25

 

[DeeVee8]

Hi all,

Looking for advice on a good starter set. I'd like to get a 400-500pc T25 set for tournaments, and budget wise, shooting for ~50c a chip. I've been looking at the China Clays, particularly the Milanos, but the 100 chips are out of stock in a lot of places, and where they're in stock, they seem to be significantly more expensive. Does anyone have any suggestions on either where to find Milanos at a reasonable price, or better alternatives?

My experience with Milanos wasn't great. Colors faded fast with my set. Imho, if you want China Clays, try Pharaohs, Dunes, Majestics, or Royals. I currently have a set of Royals from Apache. Very happy with them.

 

[ES_Threeper]

Apachepokerchips.com makes the Empire chips in your price range.

 

[BGinGA]

A 400-chip T25-base set adequately handles 10 players with up to 20k (12/12/5/6/2) starting stacks including color-ups:

125 x T25
125 x T100
50 x T500
75 x T1000
25 x T5000
---------
400 chips (in 25-chip increments)

Broken Arrow (vendor here on PCF) offers a monthly group buy of ceramic chips produced in China -- the web mold hybrid chips are highly recommended, and within your budget. Lots of existing artwork to choose from, or design your own.

 

[dparenti13]

A 400-chip T25-base set adequately handles 10 players with up to 20k (12/12/5/6/2) starting stacks including color-ups:

125 x T25
125 x T100
50 x T500
75 x T1000
25 x T5000
---------
400 chips (in 25-chip increments)

Broken Arrow (vendor here on PCF) offers a monthly group buy of ceramic chips produced in China -- the web mold hybrid chips are highly recommended, and within your budget. Lots of existing artwork to choose from, or design your own.

That was exactly the chipset/breakdown I was thinking. Do you think that's gonna be enough for color-ups & some rebuys?

If I was coming into the chip game today on that budget I would 100 percent go with these:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/thre...d-cards-mold-textured-no-mold-05-2024.118316/

For an STT set you can easily get by with around 400 chips. Something like the breakdown below. I think you have to go with increments of 25 with the chips I suggested, but I might be wrong.

T25 x 125
T100 x 125
T500 x 50
T1000 x 125
T5000 x 25

These look super nice, and definitely in my budget, but just concerned about the lead times? Seems like it'd take >2 months to get shipped out.. Anyone have a more accurate idea on time for those to ship?

My experience with Milanos wasn't great. Colors faded fast with my set. Imho, if you want China Clays, try Pharaohs, Dunes, Majestics, or Royals. I currently have a set of Royals from Apache. Very happy with them.

I'll look into these thanks, only reason I was specifically looking for Milanos was aesthetics.

 

[DeeVee8]

Yeah, my Milanos faded like lucky stripe chewing gum.

 

[allforcharity]

Let me know if you can stretch your budget to 4.67 a chip....

 

[RedDirtBo]

These look super nice, and definitely in my budget, but just concerned about the lead times? Seems like it'd take >2 months to get shipped out.. Anyone have a more accurate idea on time for those to ship?

It does take a bit of time. The group buy is open for about a month, then the order is placed. It takes about one month to produce the chips, and another month for them to make it over the Pacific.

If that is too long for you, Apache poker chips has just started selling a 43mm Web mold chip(same as the group buy) that would get to you considerably quicker, if you like the design.

https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/monaco-ceramic-poker-chips/

 

[dparenti13]

It does take a bit of time. The group buy is open for about a month, then the order is placed. It takes about one month to produce the chips, and another month for them to make it over the Pacific.

If that is too long for you, Apache poker chips has just started selling a 43mm Web mold chip(same as the group buy) that would get to you considerably quicker, if you like the design.

https://www.apachepokerchips.com/product/monaco-ceramic-poker-chips/

Yeah those look nice as well! Seriously considering a lot of the chips on apache now, really liking the Majestics. What are your guys’ thoughts on china clays vs the ceramics?

 

[BPTDirector]

I would choose ceramic because of the China Clay smell.

 

[demonnic]

Get samples. You'll get a lot of conflicting opinions. Some people can't smell the 'china clay smell' and there are reports newer china clays do not smell as much. I could only smell it very faintly on the samples I got from apache if I lean right in and snort the chip next to my nose. YMMV. Some people do not like the feel of the ceramics, some really do. The ceramics are very durable, I attacked one with various sharp metal objects to try and scratch it and most of them didn't leave much if any scar. The china clays seem pretty durable but can be broken.

Get samples.

 

[gaberr]

I ran a 2 table game in the 2008 era. $5 or $10 tournament.
BYOB but I had some snacks. I didn't drink beer then, but my fridge was always full.
Good music. Good lighting. A comfortable place to chill after being busted, because we'd play .05 .10 dealers choice games afterwards.

We had 18 minute blinds for the first 2 hours and 15 minutes after that and seemed just fine.

Spare cards for sure. Even if they are bicycle cards. Real plastic poker cards are easier to learn to shuffle properly on, though and might be worth showing the technique at the start of the game if you pass the deck.

 

[Bill_Man618]

Let me know if you can stretch your budget to 4.67 a chip....

Give em a few years. I rember saying I wouldn’t pay more than $1/chip…2 years later I spent $300 on a single and was buying racks at $4.50/chip with a smile!

 

[Bill_Man618]

I was also only a “sample collector”…well until I ran out of room on my shelf and had to buy storage for my sets. I couldn’t lie to myself anymore after that. Now I just accept I have the chipping bug and all you fuckers warning me we’re right all along haha

 

[gaberr]

Don't feel bad saying no to a friend of a friend who wants to play if they kill the mood or are bad for the game. It should be fun

 

[raynmanas]

These look super nice, and definitely in my budget, but just concerned about the lead times? Seems like it'd take >2 months to get shipped out.

2 months is nothing. you cannot beat these chips for this price.

if you like the apache monacos, they are the same exact chip (in 43mm). i'm personally not a fan of 43mm chips, but they are a very nice stock design and best immediate bang for your buck.

 

[philhut]

My advice is to observe the market for chips nobody seems to want. When I rejoined the online poker forum after being off for nearly a decade since homepokertourney and chiptalk days (last I remember were Aztar chips being sold...for a timeline). There were a window of opportunity of NCV tourney chips.
A few years ago the 36mm Paulson chips were a odd stepchild type of chip (strange small unfamilar and not common so many avoided them)....now they are somewhat of a niche rarity and somewhat popular. I built 3 sets of ncv tourney chips of the little chips.....my advice is to watch for what people aren't hot on yet and buy those, if the quality is there then you will find others will come around as well. Unless your rich then buy whatever you want.
Most of these sets were bought at roughly 50cents/chip with some addons slightly higher. Best tourney chip deals that I'll likely see ever.

 

[dparenti13]

Get samples. You'll get a lot of conflicting opinions. Some people can't smell the 'china clay smell' and there are reports newer china clays do not smell as much. I could only smell it very faintly on the samples I got from apache if I lean right in and snort the chip next to my nose. YMMV. Some people do not like the feel of the ceramics, some really do. The ceramics are very durable, I attacked one with various sharp metal objects to try and scratch it and most of them didn't leave much if any scar. The china clays seem pretty durable but can be broken.

Get samples.

I think getting samples is a good idea. Might just get a sample set of one of the ceramics and one of the china clays from Apache, and maybe the oversize ceramics to get a feel for those as well.

Does anyone know if Tourney sets of those kind of chips sell often on here or not so much?