Question about chip denominations for cash game. (1 Viewer)

[mummel]

So true. Many different opinions. What Im trying to do is avoid needing more chips later on because I didnt buy the right denoms that I needed now, that may end up being a different color that my existing chips. That would drive my OCD nuts.

200 X $1 would cover a 9 player game at 9 X 22 X $1, which would hopefully be enough.

 

[mummel]

And all this math assumes 100X BB starting stacks. I've read that some guys prefer deep stacks. Whats the consensus on 100X BBs vs 200X BBs?

 

[bentax1978]

And all this math assumes 100X BB starting stacks. I've read that some guys prefer deep stacks. Whats the consensus on 100X BBs vs 200X BBs?

I don't know what the consensus is, but I personally prefer 200BB to 100BB.

 

[Shaggy]

we play a 200BB .25/.50 cash game... basically $100 buy-in. I happen to prefer to pre-build starting stacks because everyone buys in for $100. I start with:
12x $0.25
12x $1
12x $5
1x $25

all rebuys are handled with $25 and later on $100. There is never a need to get more smaller chips on the table, because there was enough at the start and the rebuy can break the chip from others.

This allows me to have a single table set of 400 chips... yes 400 chips.
100x $0.25
120x $1
130x $5
40x $25
10x $100

We make "change" as @Mental Nomad described. Fewer chips in the set allows me to buy higher end chips.

 

[mummel]

we play a 200BB .25/.50 cash game... basically $100 buy-in. I happen to prefer to pre-build starting stacks because everyone buys in for $100. I start with:
12x $0.25
12x $1
12x $5
1x $25

People dont mind 4 denoms on the table?

 

[Mental Nomad]

I seem to play my best at about 100bb. Certainly more comfortable there.

Lately, I've been buying in short stacked to remind myself what it's like and how others feel... Normally, if I fall low, I'd top right up.

I also enjoy the change when I'm 200 deep and since others are also... But it's different, and less common in my games.

Much depends on the other players - what you like in one group, you may not like with another.

 

[Shaggy]

People dont mind 4 denoms on the table?

why would they... more colorful chips to look at. Plus my players like seeing the big boys on the table... when a $25 gets bet... its serious... when a $100 gets bet... its real serious.

 

[mummel]

why would they... more colorful chips to look at. Plus my players like seeing the big boys on the table... when a $25 gets bet... its serious... when a $100 gets bet... its real serious.

Do you have enough $1s with your breakdown at only 12 chips for each player?

 

[Mental Nomad]

People dont mind 4 denoms on the table?

Not in a cash game, in my experience.

People really track the $1 and $5, the workhorses. A stack of quarters doesn't add up to much, and a green $25 bank chip or two is an obvious and easy count.

If you had other denoms in the workhorse range - like a $2 and a $10 in addition to the $1 and $5, it could get ugly.

As is, the $25 is a bank chip, and the quarter is a frac for blinds and limping. The game is played in dollars and fives, and that's just two denoms.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Also, nobody complains if I get a hundo plaque or two on the table... Moar cool stuff is always better.

When there are just a couple of them, it's not confusing, as long as they don't look similar to the workhorses.

 

[Shaggy]

Do you have enough $1s with your breakdown at only 12 chips for each player?

similar to the rationale with the quarters... ones get bet preflop and a little on the flop... fives get bet on the turn.

I have had about 10 sets that use this breakdown. For my game... I wouldn't do anything different. I've even had smaller sets with very limited ones... I can get by with 100.

 

[bentax1978]

Everyone has, or eventually develops, their own personal preferences. Within a pretty wide range of breakdowns, there are no "wrong" answers.

As @Shaggy mentioned, he has quite a few sets with around 400 chips and 4-5 denoms. He can spread games from 0.25/0.25 to 1/2 with these sets, and it works well for him and his group.

I personally prefer a very different breakdown of my cash sets. I liked there to be a nearly endless supply of primary workhorse chips (which for my 1/1 games was the $5 chips). $1 chips were only used as needed (1-2 racks for the table was more than enough), and high denom chips only hit the table if I ran out of $5 chips, which wasn't often since most of my sets had between 800 and 1000 $5 chips. Of course one downside to this type of break down (besides a less colorful display of chips) is it requires 2-3 times as many chips.

I'm not advocating that type of breakdown for your game. I'm just pointing out that what you determine is the "ideal" breakdown for you game is going to depend on your personal preferences, and you'll likely find that those preferences (and your game) change over time,. So just keep that in mind as well.