[AceDeuceNoUse]

I don't know if this has been discussed yet (at least my search attempts haven't found a thread), but does anyone play a cash-only set with very large quantities of BB denom/colors, with minimal proportions for SB/Antes? I'm thinking it might be a viable alternative for people in my situation, who:

1. Already have a dedicated tourney set
2. Don't want to worry about stamped/labeled denoms
3. Don't want to spend a lot of money (e.g. use Faux's, Sopranos, etc.)

I guess I'm thinking along the lines of what casinos use for most of the lower stakes (up to 4/8L and $100 NL), which is use mostly $1 chips and a fractional for antes or SB's (sometimes no fractionals at all, with 1/2 or 1/3 blinds). Players would then buy in for a large number of chips (1 rack or so), with only 2 denominations on the table at most any time. Obviously this creates additional equipment requirements (more racks for players, enough chips for rebuys).

With a minimum of 1250 chips (250 color1, 1000 color2), I can handle 10 players at any of the following stakes:

.05/.10, $10 buy-in:
20 x .05
90 x .10

.10/.25, $25 buy-in:
20 x .10
92 x .25

.25/.25, $25 buy-in:
100 x .25
OR
60 x .25
10 x 1

.25/.50 $50 buy-in:
100 x .25
25 x $1
OR
24 x .25
44 x $1

.50/$1 $100 buy-in:
20 x .50
90 x $1

$1/2 $200 buy-in:
100 x $1
20 x $5
OR
25 x $1
35 x $5

$2/5 $500 buy-in:
20 x $1
96 x $5

$5/10, $1000 buy-in (yeah, right ):
20 x 5
90 x 10

and so on....

I would probably need to factor in a 3rd color/denom for rebuys (perhaps valued at 4-5xBB) and/or antes for non-flop games, but this kind of arrangement makes Fauxs and Sopranos seem more attractive to me, as I have been fighting the stigma of non-denoms for a while now.

Is there an aesthetic or a "gotcha" that I'm missing? If so please set me straight.

[jdunford]

Originally Posted by AceDeuceNoUse

Is there an aesthetic or a "gotcha" that I'm missing? If so please set me straight

I think it's a great idea. The only problem is, you need 1000 of one "denom" (colour), and at least 250 of another... so a 1250 chip set for 10 players. That's fine for cheap chips, but can get expensive for a clay or ceramic custom or casino set.

Actually, every once-in-a-while you see a lot of 1000 very used solid ASMs or something similar on ebay that could be had for a song... Harlequin011 picked some up a while ago, iirc. Would be a lot of fun to play this way, and makes it easy to identify the chip leader at a glance: He's the guy hiding behind that castle of chips over there!

[BigKyle]

In every casino 1/2 game I have played in there are all $1 and $5 chips on the table. Occasionally some $25 chips are out there but it is almost all $5 and some $1 chips. I run my games the same way. For .25/.50 games, I like having some quarters and a bunch of $1 chips. The $5 help for rebuys, but I want all the $1 chips out first.

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Originally Posted by jdunford

I think it's a great idea. The only problem is, you need 1000 of one "denom" (colour), and at least 250 of another... so a 1250 chip set for 10 players. That's fine for cheap chips, but can get expensive for a clay or ceramic custom or casino set.

Actually, every once-in-a-while you see a lot of 1000 very used solid ASMs or something similar on ebay that could be had for a song... Harlequin011 picked some up a while ago, iirc. Would be a lot of fun to play this way, and makes it easy to identify the chip leader at a glance: He's the guy hiding behind that castle of chips over there!

Absolutely - I wouldn't think anyone would shell out over $1k for this kind of a setup - but less than $150 shipped for faux's or sopranos sure looks a lot better to me in this configuration.

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Originally Posted by BigKyle

In every casino 1/2 game I have played in there are all $1 and $5 chips on the table. Occasionally some $25 chips are out there but it is almost all $5 and some $1 chips.

I don't doubt that's the case outside of California - my only experience has been in the cardrooms here around L.A. that have 1/2 $40 and 2/3 $100 (or $80), which both use $1's almost exclusively.

[stardust]

Originally Posted by AceDeuceNoUse

I'm thinking it might be a viable alternative for people in my situation, who:

1. Already have a dedicated tourney set
2. Don't want to worry about stamped/labeled denoms
3. Don't want to spend a lot of money (e.g. use Faux's, Sopranos, etc.)

With a minimum of 1250 chips (250 color1, 1000 color2), I can handle 10 players at any of the following stakes:

I would probably need to factor in a 3rd color/denom for rebuys (perhaps valued at 4-5xBB) but this kind of arrangement makes Fauxs and Sopranos seem more attractive to me, as I have been fighting the stigma of non-denoms for a while now.

I've been thinking about a similar setup. I tend to agree that a 4:1 ratio of chips denoms is a good choice for this kind of game. Since these chips will be either 1) very cheap or 2) you don't have to care about the money I'd add a third denom just to be on the safe side for rebuys and total bank. In that case I'd go with a 20:5:1 ratio, i.e. 50 color3 in your case.

[mizuchaud]

How about that super snapper idea smoore had a while ago?

Originally Posted by smoore

I'm curious as to what everyone thinks the "perfect" pink chip game breakdown is. One group I'll be moving very close to and will be playing with more often has started a rotating game of sorts and one of the nights is a mixed HE/7S/O. I figure this is the PERFECT place to start a pink chip game. They are playing 2/4 right now so I don't think 2.50/5 is a stretch at all.

That makes me need a non-denominated snapper and super snapper. The snapper is pretty much a no-brainer for me, I want a solid hot-pink chip with a hotstamp. I think one cool hotstamp would say SNAPPER in the middle and some text around it might read, "Welcome to the world-famous pink chip game!"

So... the "super snapper"... To keep cash off of the table and to keep the chipset count down I could use the super snapper. I figure a 214 or 414 purple w/hot pink and it's own hotstamp with SUPER emphasized more than SNAPPER and the same text as the snapper around the edge of the stampable area.

How much should this thing be worth? In the traditional $5/$10 game, don't they use $10? I don't think I like this because you can bet a super snapper for the big streets and the whole point of the 2/4 chip structure is to make the pots look huge, driving action. What if I made it worth $20 ($10 for the $2.50/$5 game). This way they serve as markers for having lots of cash but can never be bet unless the big streets are raised. Once the big streets get raised I don't think the visual size of the pot is going to be a problem when it comes to driving action. Could be a fun intimidation tactic to use the super to raise a weak opponent... they might be scared of those chips 'cause they rarely have any An additional benefit is that now my one rack of super snappers is worth double, and they match the most common FRN used to rebuy by fishes... the infamous $20 bill (two supers for the half stake game).


At half stakes there is $162.50 available for each player, $325 each at full stakes. Basically 32.5 BB per player. I need a little help here with the math... I know that if someone is losing, someone else is winning the money so how deep can someone go (half the table? three quarters?) in terms of big bets lost and have the game stay within the chipset? I guess if it got really wild and wooly we could just have $100 play but I'd like to keep the cash off of the table for this game. If it regularly got wild and wooly I'd be SO willing to have another chip made...

The 4A14 black chip w/pink and purple, same sort of hotstamp but this one would say...

wait for it...





HONDO!
(probably even with the exclamation point)

So, those are my thoughts so far, everyone SOUND OFF!

Or a variant, use one chip as the main chip, and then use the super snapper at 10X the first chip to clean up stacks...

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Originally Posted by mizuchaud

How about that super snapper idea smoore had a while ago?

Or a variant, use one chip as the main chip, and then use the super snapper at 10X the first chip to clean up stacks...

Ugh... need to read it a few more times to make sure I understand


I "think" the concept is similar to what I'm thinking, 1 main chip, 1 other value on either side of the main (above or below) used in smaller ratios. Not sure about a 10x super snapper... but I'm a bit of a casino purist, so I'm trying to emulate what happens at the card room (minus the rake, of course ).

[dad604]

Originally Posted by AceDeuceNoUse

Absolutely - I wouldn't think anyone would shell out over $1k for this kind of a setup - but less than $150 shipped for faux's or sopranos sure looks a lot better to me in this configuration.

I shelled out over $1k for such a setup. I have over 1100 Pharaoh's, 400 $1, 400 $5, 200 $25, 100 $100. Trying to get the $1's and $5's to 500 each. I have only the $1's and $5's in use so far for my cash games. Having lots of $1's in the game is good, promotes lots of action.

2 denoms is great for a cash game. 3 would be good too if you need to add another denom for certain limits. I have to use 3 denoms for 5/10 FL HE, if I can get a few more $'5, then I can use only 2 denoms.

[AceDeuceNoUse]

Originally Posted by dad604

I shelled out over $1k for such a setup. I have over 1100 Pharaoh's, 400 $1, 400 $5, 200 $25, 100 $100. Trying to get the $1's and $5's to 500 each. I have only the $1's and $5's in use so far for my cash games. Having lots of $1's in the game is good, promotes lots of action.

Sounds like a fun set to play with! Hope you can get more of the 1's and 5's, that would be a great game. I wish I could afford to do the same, but the arrival of my custom BCC tourney set from earlier this year limits my budget for my cash game endeavor.

Regarding my comment, I was referring to a $1k+ expenditure for a set with a 20:5:1 ratio for only 3 colors/denoms; I think it makes more economical sense for such an large outlay to garner a set that could serve as both a tourney and a cash set, as yours can. I wouldn't be able to equip anything but the strangest of tourney breakdowns with my idea.