[Buddha]

I was just wondering how many chips you guys use for cash game buyins. I am getting ready to start a 1/2 game, or at least have one and if it goes well, probably make it a weekly game. I will have 200 $1 chips, and 190 $5 chips after I get my chips from 99%evil. Is 20 $1s, and 14 $5s enough to start with for a $100 max buyin. I would think that 20 $1s is enough because you could always transfer chips between players, but was wondering what you guys did.

[PocketRocket]

A 1/2 game usually has a ton of 50¢ chips. As a matter of fact, for a limit game, you'd probably only use 50¢ chips. If it's a NL freezeout game, you can probably do with 50¢ and $1, and then use $5 as players are eliminated and stakes increase. A $40-60 buy-in would probably be more appropriate for $1/2, especially if there are going to be re-buys.

Originally Posted by Buddha

I was just wondering how many chips you guys use for cash game buyins. I am getting ready to start a 1/2 game, or at least have one and if it goes well, probably make it a weekly game. I will have 200 $1 chips, and 190 $5 chips after I get my chips from 99%evil. Is 20 $1s, and 14 $5s enough to start with for a $100 max buyin. I would think that 20 $1s is enough because you could always transfer chips between players, but was wondering what you guys did.

[jojobinks]

i'm not sure why you'd need all those 50 cent pieces. the game i play in gives each player 10 50c'ers (for small blinds). i believe we get 30 1's, and 3 5's.

20 $1's a piece is pushing it...there'd be a lot of change-making, methinks.

[MeridianFC]

Buddha, how many people do you have at your game?

At the spread you're talking you do need some .50 for the small blind, so I'd go:

20x.50
20x1.00
14x5.00

for a $100 buyin, though as stated above for 1/2 I'd probably let people buy in for the $50-60 mentioned above and just lower the amount of $5 chips. You need to have at least a stack of chips/player for the blinds IMHO as these get used every round.

You'll need some additional $5 or better yet a stack of $25 for rebuys. As long as you're not changing limits or playing in a crazy loose rebuy game you should never really need more than 500 chips for 10 folks based on the following:

Small blind chips value X 200
Standard bet chips X200
Over chips X50 (if value is X4-5 standard bet chip)
Rebuy chips X50 (if value is X4-5 over chip)

The .50 small blind is ackward so I might consider $1 small and big blind.

[hachkc]

Some folks I play with play $1/$2 where the SB is $1 and the BB and every remaining bet (flop, turn, river) is $2. I prefer a more structured approach such as .50/1 for blinds with $2 on the turn/river. I actually use .50 and $2 chips for this game.

How many players? Are you playing limit or no limit? For limit, you might want some more $1 chips in play but your counts should be fine. For NL, you should be ok. A lot of this depends on the players and type of game (limit, pl, no limit).

[Buddha]

I should have mentioned, it is going to be a NL game, with 1/2 blinds, so no need for $.50 chips.

I am expecting between 5-10 people for my first game, hopefully it will be between 8-10, but I am trying not to expect too much for the first cash game. Most of my friends always want to play tourneys, and I am liking cash games a little more.

No freezeout, just a cash game. Play till ya want to leave, come and go as you leave, though if someone wins a big pot, and then decides they have to leave, they may not get invited back.

I have some $25 chips, and actually a couple of $100 chips, though I doubt that I will need those

I will let people buy in for whatever they like, just a max of $100 so someone doesnt have the abililty to easily bully everyone else around, at least not at first.

[hachkc]

The only problem with your chip counts is how to handle rebuys if someone busts out. If you assume the worst case scenario that 10 players buyin for $100 each (20x1 & 16x5 for a total of 360 chips) , you'll only have 30 $5 chips left. This means the 2nd and subsequent buyin will have to happen from the table which isn't necessarily a bad thing; just be aware of it. You may need a rule that all money won (cash or chips) stays on the table.

Personally, I'd stay away from $25 and $100 chips as a security measure especially if you have folks you are not personally familar with showing at the game. Its harder to sneak in five $5 chips than it is one $25 chip.

[gwilkx]

for a $1/2 NL game, 20 x $1 and 16 x $5 should work great. depending on how aggressive your group is, a typical raised pot is likely to get the $5 chips in play. i have more $1 in my set, so i do 40 x $1 and 12 x $5, but you should be fine.

you will probably need some of the $25's for people who bust quick and want to get back in, since you'll be low on $5's in the bank, but there will be plenty of $5's on the table for change.

gw-

[Buddha]

I don't expect people sneaking in chips to be a problem, or at least not with most of my friends. That is part of the reason that I am not using the basic slug chips. I got some NJ Clays, and some Martini Clays for the chips. Not saying that people couldnt get them online and bring them in, but I dont forsee that to be a problem.

I figure I could use the $25s to exchange chips with other players on the table if someone needs to rebuy. Also, I can always order more chips if I find out that I am getting 8-10 people regularly, and feel the need for them without exchanging chips from other players.

I already planned on making the chips/cash stays on the table until you cash out. If you win $300, you will have $300 on the table until you are cashing out for the night. I dont want people taking chips on/off the table as they please. It will only cause problems.

[jmda]

We play a lot of 1 2 no-limit and I can assure you that you will need at least $2000 worth of chips if not a lot more - on a full table that is only two buy-ins a piece. We played the other night after my tourney and all of my 500+ $1 chips were in play + $5s were in play too. I could have had more $5's in play and gotten by with 300 or so, but I am guessing there.