Micro Stakes/Beginner Tournament Chip count + starting stacks (1 Viewer)

[pokermijo]

So after putting a lot (really A LOT haha) of thought into it, I have come to the decision that I am going to be purchasing a cash set of Dunes chips and a Tournament set of the Bud Jones Hybrids. I was searching the forums quite a bit trying to find a good answer and couldn't really find one catered to me so I apologize ahead of time if this thread type has been answered multiple times. On to the questions...

1. a.With the cash set, I plan on using the $5's as 5c whenever micro stakes games are wanting to be played at 5c/10c blinds. With that being the case, what would be a good chip count to cover both 5c/10c and 25c/50c games? I can't give too much detail on play type/style as I really don't have a specific group I play with at this time other than my roomies. Assumptions being made, let's say 8 player tables with about 50/50 split of aggressive and tight players. I'm thinking something around the 400-600 chip range, but am definitely open to a higher chip count for future proofing both player size and higher blinds. (As a side note, would it be a good idea to range my denoms up to the $100 chips to future proof this set? Should it even be something I should consider being I don't have a set group? double-side note, I also have plans on getting $20 plaques and utilizing those in 25c/50c games, would it still be wise to get $25 chips in the case that I am future proofing my set as well?)

b. With micro stake games, generally what is a good buy-in amount and starting stack? To be flexible, would it be best to order more $5 than I normally would? I haven't had much experience with micro stakes, just 25c/50c games thus far, so I'm not entirely sure how much play the 5c chips are getting once further into the game.


2. a. The tournament set, I'll be really honest, I have no clue where to start. I don't need enough chips to host a 30 man tourney, making assumptions at most let's assume 15 player max. What would be a good amount of chips to have utilizing the denoms that will be available in the set?

b. Although not necessary...with chip count and breakdown, if you wouldn't mind making a suggestion on starting stacks utilizing your suggested chip count that would be greatly appreciated as well. (not too concerned with an answer for this part as I could easily do a search once I get a chip count down).

 

[Psypher1000]

Cash set

The first thing that screams at me is using the $5 chip as a 5c chip, but not doing the same with the other denoms. I'd strongly suggest treating them all the same...$25 chip as 25c, $100 chip as $1, etc. It keeps everything consistent, and it's a way to play small but have fun w/the bigger values. Alternatively, get the grey 50c chips and use them as nickles instead, possibly even removing the labels as a better visual reminder (and, if Apache offers them, replace the labels w/5c labels).

While I don't recommend using the fiver as a 5c chip, doing that does offer one distinct advantage - you can either get away with fewer chips, or have a slightly more flexible breakdown.

If you use a non-$5 chip for the nickle, I'd recommend...

100x 5c
200x 25c
200x $1
80x $5
20x $25


If you use the $5 chip as a 5c proxy, then...

200x 25c
300x $1 (or 200, if you want to save $30)
80x $5
20x $25


In an 8-person 25c/50c game w/$50 buyins (assuming 100 BB buyins for these discussion purposes), the $5's and $25's alone will cover 3x buyins from every player which should be more than enough.

As for buyin amounts, I'm going to assume you're playing NLHE. If that's the case, I typically recommend 100 BB buyins, but you could easily do 80-200BB's. In the case of 5c/10c, make it a $10 buyin - two five dollar bills. You could up it to $20 buyins, but what you're going to get there is people throwing down $20 bills and making change at the end of the night starts to get difficult if the bank wasn't smart enough to bring sufficient $5's and $1's.

Don't worry about starting stacks for cash games too much - those can be easily varied based on chip availability and the flow of the game. If I were making the initial buyin stacks, though, I'd go...

10x 5c
18x 25c
5x $1

After that, I'd probably just use the $1's for rebuys and have them make change at the table as needed.

Tournament Set

5k-15k starting stacks are pretty common; I usually settle on 10k stacks with a 12/12/5/6 breakdown. So for 15 players max that puts you at...

180x $25
180x $100
75x $500
90x $1000

Once you add in chips for color-ups, 1x rebuys all around, extras for loss/damage, and even barrels, that puts you at...

200x $25
200x $100
100x $500
120x $1k
60x $5k

So, 680 chips; and since you're not going to leave an open barrel in a rack (right?), add in another 20 of somethings...bounty chips or extra $1k's/$5k's if you want to allow for more rebuys. In short, 700 chips for a T10k tourney w/15 seats using the starting stack above.

If you want to go more economical, you can also run the same T10k tourney with 8/8/4/7 starting stacks using the following 560-chip breakdown:

140x $25
140x $100
80x $500
140x $1k
60x $5k

 

[pokermijo]

Alternatively, get the grey 50c chips and use them as nickles instead, possibly even removing the labels as a better visual reminder (and, if Apache offers them, replace the labels w/5c labels).

This is something I just thought of right after I had made my post. I have been keeping a close eye on apache's thread as I saw you ask if labels will be available. It also gives me an opportunity/reason to get the 50c chips as I am diggin the color, but couldn't think of a use for them until now

If you want to go more economical, you can also run the same T10k tourney with 8/8/4/7 starting stacks using the following 560-chip breakdown:

140x $25
140x $100
80x $500
140x $1k
60x $5k

I'm really diggin this setup here. I could also up the count to 600 chips from here to add in a barrel of bounty chips + possible extras couldn't I? As you mentioned, can't leave a rack empty right? (y) :thumbsup:

 

[Poker Zombie]

If Apache does not put out a nickle chip, the 50¢ relabel is the best option. Gear can probably make up labels that match quite well for minimal cost.

For the tournament set...
It sounds like you are looking to develop a player pool. That means a lot of new players. New players like to play a lot of hands - it makes them happy. Having to make change makes them unhappy. Therefore, you should make sure that starting stacks are flush with small chips for early level play. 12 or even 16 $25 chips per player to start. Make the new players happy. Let them limp in a lot without having to break their big chips. Pros can sit like rocks. New players are action junkies - give them the ammo to play.

The following breakdowns occurred because of a limit of having to buy chips in multiples of 25:

Total 800 chips:
25 x300
100 x200
500 x200
1000 x75
5000 x25

Starting stacks up to 9 players:
T15,000
25 x16
100 x6
500 x6
1000 x6
5000 x1

Starting stacks up to 14 players:
T10,000
25 x16
100 x11
500 x7
1000 x5

Starting stacks up to 18 players:
T8000
25 x16
100 x6
500 x6
1000 x4

YMMV, but I have found that with green players, roughly 1 in 3 will rebuy. This setup keeps you covered, even in the event of a heavy-rebuy night.

I also have a time-tested setup involving only 500 chips, but the 800 set-up is better because... moar chips!

... and if the $90 difference is going to break your bank, then poker may not be the game for you...

 

[Psypher1000]

The following breakdowns occurred because of a limit of having to buy chips in multiples of 25

Is this a confirmed limitation for the initial group buy? When I bought the Majestics during the presale I didn't have to adhere to x25 multiplier, and there's nothing in Josh's post nor the webstore about it that I can see (I haven't ordered mine yet).

... and if the $90 difference is going to break your bank, then poker may not be the game for you...

IDK...we all start somewhere. We have a number of friends who are single mothers and/or low income, and all they can spare is about $10/game. We play a crazy form of 5c-25c spread limit and/or $5 tournaments and it works out great for them.

I could also up the count to 600 chips from here to add in a barrel of bounty chips + possible extras couldn't I? As you mentioned, can't leave a rack empty right?

People have been jailed for less. Fill that rack (and, subsequently, the birdcage)!

 

[Mental Nomad]

I plan on using the $5's as 5c whenever micro stakes games are wanting to be played at 5c/10c blinds.

You need to clarify...

Do you mean 5c/10c no-limit holdem?
Or do you mean a 10c/20c limit holdem game (which would also play 5c/10c blinds.)

For the limit game, you'd want a lot more nickel chips than you would for a no-limit game.

With micro stake games, generally what is a good buy-in amount and starting stack?

I find that 100 big blinds is the right size for a NL game, whether it's micro stakes or not. Some people like to buy in shorter (50 bb or 80 bb), others like to buy in deeper (100 bb).

The bigger question is whether the stake are, themselves, right. A 100 bb buy-in for a 10 cent big blind is ten bucks. If ten bucks is too "cheap" to lose for your player, the game may not play well. But if that's a good increment for you crew, you should be fine.

 

[pokermijo]

Games would be no limit for sure. My roomies would definitely prefer. 25/.50 games but the reason for micro stakes set is just in case after a few beers we decide to have a micro stakes game.

Poker may definitely not be the game for me, but I'm confused on where you got the $90 difference from? I'm guessing a difference of chips at the dunes price from your chip suggestion?

 

[Psypher1000]

I'm confused on where you got the $90 difference from? I'm guessing a difference of chips at the dunes price from your chip suggestion?

It's the difference in price between the 500 & 800 chip sets he's referring to.

 

[pokermijo]

Ah okay, that's why I was confused. I mentioned for the tournament set I was going with the hybrids so my mind was trying to do math for hybrid pricing not the dunes pricing haha

 

[Poker Zombie]

IDK...we all start somewhere. We have a number of friends who are single mothers and/or low income, and all they can spare is about $10/game. We play a crazy form of 5c-25c spread limit and/or $5 tournaments and it works out great for them.

For playing, yes - but for hosting... Hosting poker is a pricey endeavor. The plus side is that you play in all of your games, and thus your game improves. The downside is that tables, chairs, chips, cards... starts to add up, even when you really try to keep costs down. And if you are looking at "the future" you are almost assuredly looking at extra costs above what you may have already sitting around. I wouldn't think the extra cost is that much - if you were going to focus on the future. The Hybrid group buy chips will be limited, so bumping from a 500 to a much more flexible 800 piece set is cheaper than a 500 set today, and a different 800 piece set in 3-4 years becuase you cannot get enough chips to just do an add-on.

 

[Psypher1000]

Hosting poker is a pricey endeavor.

In @pokermijo's case some of the burden of hosting is shared by his roommates, but fair and proper points all around.

 

[pokermijo]

From a hosting prospective @Psypher1000 is right. Until I am able to settle into a place of my own, I share the household and hosting isn't something that I can begin to dive right into. Makes even more sense now that your comment was from a hosting prospective as well and not so much a player prospective.

Hosting isn't as easy now only because of the drastic changes of all of my roomies work schedules. Some weeks they or I work early in the morning/ on weekends, so any hosting that I would do would be limited and catered more to friends or family atm. Which is why I don't wanna go too crazy too soon (tables, chairs, felt, etc). At the same time though, when the opportunity arises, I feel it would be nice to have a set and not have to be in such a rush to get one when prices could increase a bit when that time comes.