Starting chips for $2/4 and $3/6 limit, plus ideal value chips (1 Viewer)

[MattyA]

This game is happening in early August, and there will be 7 or 8 players for $150-200 each to start, plus a few guys will bust out and reload. So maybe $2-3k total bankroll in play. Unless advised otherwise, I am planning to use only $1 chips for this game, plus value chips of course. I really don’t know yet if it’ll be a $2/4 or $3/6 game.

Couple of questions:
- Is it ok to use $25 as the value chips? I don’t have any $20s
- I was not planning to use any $5s, but would they typically have a role? Particularly in a 3/6 game where you could use them with a $1 for big bets and then not have to have so many chips out on the table
- What should be the starting stacks? I was thinking either a rack of $1 with 2-4 $25 depending on the buy in. But that’s not many $4 or $6 bets. Would 150 $1 chips be total overkill? That would be 1200 chips on a single table.

The other small practical point is that I don’t have enough $1’s for more than 80 per person, but somehow believe that’s a problem that can be solved in the next 3 weeks…….

 

[joeyshin]

@Magic Peter

 

[RocAFella1]

- Is it ok to use $25 as the value chips? I don’t have any $20s
- I was not planning to use any $5s, but would they typically have a role? Particularly in a 3/6 game where you could use them with a $1 for big bets and then not have to have so many chips out on the table
- What should be the starting stacks? I was thinking either a rack of $1 with 2-4 $25 depending on the buy in. But that’s not many $4 or $6 bets. Would 150 $1 chips be total overkill? That would be 1200 chips on a single table.

-Yes. $20s would be more efficient, but $25s would still work fine as a value chip.
-I would not use any $5s unless you're really short on $1s. Limit is best played with a workhorse chip and a value chip, perhaps a second larger value chip if you need more bank.
-At least a rack, up to 2 racks per person to start if you have that many in your set. Rebuys with additional racks if you have any, then $25s.

 

[MattyA]

Ok, that was my gameplan. Thanks for the input.

 

[churlbut18]

General rule of thumb for workhorse chip ($1):

1 rack per player for $2/$4
1.5 racks per player for $3/$6
2 racks per player for $4/$8

For $2/$4 to $3/$6, this is good for 8 player

1200 x $1
100 x $20 (or $25)

 

[warma]

The other small practical point is that I don’t have enough $1’s for more than 80 per person, but somehow believe that’s a problem that can be solved in the next 3 weeks…….

Since you don’t have all of them and you’re seeking to fill in the gap, with 7-8 folks at $2/$4 at $100 buy-in, I’d recommend a bare minimum of 800 $1, really no less than 900, with the $25s covering the gap. If you can get the 1200 recommended above, even better. At some point above the 2nd rebuy (total) the extra chips just sit on the table.

 

[MattyA]

Yeah so basically I need a rack per person minimum. I have some more racks of 1’s they just won’t be matchy-matchy which will crush my OCD tendencies.

Btw, related, what do you use for a $4/8 game if you don’t have $2 chips or a $5/10 game if you don’t have snappers? We won’t play those stakes but I’m curious now. For $5/10 I guess everyone with a rack of $5 chips and a barrel of $1’s to cover a small blind that would be set at $2 or $3? For $4/8 I’m not sure what you’d do….i guess use $1’s and $5’s but it’d be a bit clunky with the composition of each bet.

 

[RocAFella1]

$4/8 can still be played with $1s

I wouldn’t use $2s personally until $6/12

 

[MattyA]

$4/8 can still be played with $1s

Just a lot of chips! Hence the 2 racks pp advice above.

 

[ArielVer18]

Btw, related, what do you use for a $4/8 game if you don’t have $2 chips or a $5/10 game if you don’t have snappers? We won’t play those stakes but I’m curious now. For $5/10 I guess everyone with a rack of $5 chips and a barrel of $1’s to cover a small blind that would be set at $2 or $3? For $4/8 I’m not sure what you’d do….i guess use $1’s and $5’s but it’d be a bit clunky with the composition of each bet.

4/8 is traditionally played with $1s. Limit games are 3/6 or 4/8, and occasionally 2/4. With $1s, you can play $2/$4, $3/6, and $4/$8. with $2s, you can play $4/$8, $6/$12, and $8/$16.

You don't want to play 5/10 with $5s. If you don't have snappers but want something between 4/8 and 6/12, try 4/8 half-kill or full kill. Alternatively, use a mix of 39mm chips and pretend they're all worth $2.50 and bigger 43mm chips worth much more, like $25 or $100.

 

[MattyA]

Makes a lot of sense. For this game I’m guessing we end up playing $3/6 and that’ll be that.

 

[warma]

If this is going to be your thing and the stakes may change, you can either go lots of chips or custom non-denom chips. I and others chose the latter.

 

[MattyA]

Or, lots of chips AND....

On a serious note, custom chips are in my future, just don't know when. I have only ever played limit in casinos...home games have always been $0.5/1 or $1/2 NL. So not sure how this will play out. Sort of an experiment.