Poker Chip Information
The obvious purpose of poker chips is to
represent money at the poker table. Each chip represents a
denomination of money, and home game and cardroom poker players
almost always use chips instead of cash at the table. The reason is
simple: the games are looser and easier to manage when playing with
chips.
Even in your friendly neighborhood game
of hold'em you should have a set of chips readily available. Can you
imagine your buddy at the weekly home game putting in an actual $20
bill on an inside straight draw? However, if he only has to splash
in a few chips, he is much more likely to make that awful draw.
Secondly, you can easily count and compare chip stacks with greater
speed and efficiency.
Also, if you're a nerd like me, you can
keep a few next to your computer to play around with while you play
online. What better place in there to practice your chip-shuffling
and other poker chip tricks than while you're playing in your pajamas?
What is the best chipset for your game?
Well, that depends on your priorities (as I so often like to say)
and budget. Are you looking for the most authentic poker chips
available? Or do you just need something to use for your Friday
night game at the lowest cost? Each type of poker chip has its
positives and drawbacks, so take a look at the list below to see our
thoughts on each category. The interesting thing is that with
poker's popularity these days, you can find pretty decent chipsets
at all sorts of retail stores.
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♠ PLASTIC POKER CHIPS ♠
Plastic chips are the least expensive
chipsets to purchase, but they also aren't very authentic or sturdy.
If you really just want something to get the job done, you can find
the cheapest of poker chip sets at 99-cent stores or in the Wal-Mart
toy aisle. However, there are also decent plastic chipsets available
which are decently sturdy. They can have a solid weight to them,
look similar to casino chips, and will work nicely for home games.
My girlfriend bought me a set of these a couple of weeks ago at Ross
of all places for $7 or $8.
♠ CLAY POKER CHIPS ♠
First of all, you should realize that
there are no pure "clay" chips around anymore. Actual clay chips
were used in the very early days of casinos in the late 19th
century, but were too light and were easily damaged. As early as the
1930s and 40s, special compounds were being created for use in
casinos, which added to the durability and security.
Today there are a handful of chipsets
that actually mix real clay with other synthetics. These are
generally pricier than their composite counterparts on the market.
♠ COMPOSITE POKER CHIPS ♠
This is the most common chipset on the
market for real home games. These composite chips usually have a
metal core for weight, and higher quality sets can feel just like
real casino chips. This type of chip would be my recommendation for
home games or promotional ideas, since they are professional looking
and feeling without being too expensive. Why not put up $40 or $50
for a good 500 piece chipset? You can find all sort of packages on
Amazon that include an aluminum (the best kind) case, plastic decks
of cards, dice, and a dealer button.
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