Hi PCF,
I recently developed my interest in chips, although I've been playing poker for years.
I was always told that Paulson chips are great, but do you guys think a new chipper like me, who have only owned "Dice chip" before, should buy a set of Paulson?
Really, only you can answer that. I hope I'll give you some info that will lead you to your answer. There is a lot of good info on here. Before you do anything, here's some things to consider.
Are you looking for cash, tournament, or both? If both, you should be looking for two sets.
My advice is not to try for a multi-use set. There are way too many issues. If you only play one or the other, only get chips for what you play.
I've not played cash in a long time, so I focus on tournament sets.
I have a cash set I have never played with. I'm glad I got it, and am looking forward to playing with it, but just haven't played a cash game in a while. I wouldn't buy a second cash set without regularly playing cash games and seeing a different need for a cash set unless I played often enough for the variety is the spice of life argument to prevail on me to get a second cash set.
How many chips do you need?
Do you like a mountain of chips for every player, or do you think 10-20 per player per denom for most denoms is enough?
If you are buying for a 3-5 table tournament, and you carefully map out your game (starting chips, color ups, re-buys), and you add some chips for flexibility for when you decide to increase starting stacks, etc., you need 1500-2500 chips. If you could get Paulsons you like, with the denoms you need, does that fit in your budget? A pretty good rule is 400-500 chips per table, but it varies based on several factors. I have 3 tournament sets where I could do 25 chips each for 40 players with plenty for re-buys and color ups, and all are in the 1600-1700 chip range.
If you are buying a cash set for 1 table, depending on the stakes and variations on that, the number of players, you might be looking at 300-1000 chips. I have a 700 chip cash set designed for 1 table, but it could be from $.01 small bets to up to $100 tops, but not designed as anything other than fairly small stakes -- total bank of $7,450. For cash chips, I think in terms of the total value of all the chips. I know of cash sets out there with twice the chips I have but half the bank.
If you are buying for both, measure your needs carefully.
What is your budget?
Be realistic. If you need 3000 chips, Paulsons that fit your needs are $3.50 each, you are looking at $10,500. If your budget is $2,000, that's not going to work, but that doesn't mean you can't get some Paulsons. You could get a small set and another set or two to meet other needs. Of course I'm making up these numbers, but figure this out. Only you know if your budget is a hard one or not. Reality is your friend here.
I have a heads up set of Paulsons -- 100 of them. They are absolutely great chips! By far the nicest chips I have. And when I say by far, I mean really far. But would I buy Paulsons (those were a gift)? No because for the stakes I play for, I can't justify it. I'd rather have sets where I can get the number of chips I want and not feel bad about what I spent on them.
People get interim sets for multiple reasons.
[1]
Avoid this second most expensive mistake! -- They didn't carefully measure their needs and made a bad purchase. This will always feel like a total waste later. I have a somewhat expensive (at least to me) set like this, and some lesser expensive ones. I managed to sell some sets, but I lost money on them. It's worth playing around with spreadsheets to determine your needs and not thinking your game will never change.
Example: You start with 25/50 SB/BB and 10,000 to start. Then the WSOP goes from 10,000 to 30,000 and everyone (OK, actually just you, but it seems like everyone) wants something similar. Or you decide re-buys are now important but you didn't plan on that. Or you decide you need to do a special, year end event with larger starting stacks, but the set can't accommodate it. Or you discover that other games in your area offer players a better deal, so you need more chips to compete. The reality is that the poker world changes and you likely will too.
[2] They can't afford what they really want, but they need something quickly. They start building their chip war chest to get what they really want. Most of us don't want to stop playing until we can afford what we really want. That's not realistic if you rely on winnings to provide your chip budget. BTW, if you do that, you need to be realistic about what you are really capable of. They higher the stakes, the more difficult it is to win, so your win rate won't be as high. In other words, don't count on doubling the size game and thus double your profit so you can have the money for more stuff.
[3] They get a set they think they will be happy with and something changes. This is pretty common. I started off with a 7 color, 1000 chip set. It served me for 20 years, but was mostly used for cash. When I started playing tournaments, I realized I didn't really have enough of any of the colors to adequately handle a single table tournament without some quirky values that added confusion since they were undenominated. So I bought a single-table tournament set. I was very happy with it, but discovered two inadequacies. It completely was outdated when my game grew to 2 tables, and I realized denominated chips were a lot better! From there, I purchased some super diamonds with denoms. I hated the plainness, but it was a functional set. Though designed for 30, I discovered I really didn't have enough chips for 30. Rather than buy more, I went with China clays and a 40-player set. My game grew to 3 tables, and honestly in my current home, it's never going to be more than that unless I add a 4th out on the covered patio. Thus a 40-player set seems to fit my long-term needs. I now have 3 tournament sets that fit that bill. One of them I likely won't use and would be happy to sell. Though it has a ton of chips, it's better designed as a 2 table set. I had to re-do 2 denoms because they were hard to distinguish. That fixed problems with 2 chips, but created problems with another chip, naturally the biggest workhorse chips. It became a [1] problem for me.
[4] They need different sets for different games and get more sets.
[5] They buy with the idea they will add on later if they need more, but when the time comes, they discover those chips are no longer available and they can't add on.
[6] Variety is the spice of life. I personally alternate 2 tournament sets. I like both and use both. Then I have a third set for a secondary tournament if I ever have one. I'd probably enjoy a third set, but do I need it? No. If I alternated more than 3 when I currently host 14 times a year, to me that would be wasteful. If my chips were being used in another game I played in, which they were for a while, alternating makes sense. But alternating has its limits. I don't want sets to look at or simply be proud I own them. I want sets I use.
[7]
Avoid this most expensive ... mistake? too! -- They get hooked on chips! They need lots of chip sets. Some they have never played with. The pope will be a baptist before they play with some of them, but they've got 'em! The only people who have found a cure for this problem are no longer on poker chip websites and can't give you advice. You have now been warned.
You likely are not buying your last chip purchase. Hopefully one of the good reasons above is why you buy more than one set.
Consider custom or semi-custom
If you buy a stock chip, there is at least some risk someone will bring in identical chips and you will acquire some additional chips the expensive way -- buy paying face value for them! Semi-customs to me are labeled or on a mold where they offer some variety. It's much harder to duplicate those chips. It's a lot of trouble and expensive, so probably not worth the effort. True customs you never have that worry.
I'd consider this. I like what I've seen in group buys and participated in 2 of them. But I did custom labels for both. I'm pretty concerned about this issue, but not enough to spend the money on true customs because of the stakes I play for.
Samples are a good idea, though I wasn't able to get samples of the sets I like and use the most before purchase.
Just be sure you have fun along the way(y) :thumbsup:
