[ky70]

Hello all,
Considering adding a cash game but I'm stomped when it comes to how many chips of each denom to hand out per player that will flow smoothly and also alllow for rebuys.

I want to do a $20 buy in with blinds of .25/.50 for a cash game but how many of each denom should I give each player? I would use existing tourney denom chips of 25, 100 and 500 for the .25, $1 and $5 chips. I came up with this structure for per player chips:
20 - .25
10 - $1
1 - $5

But I'm not sure if that's using too many chips and I would be looking at 310 chips for a full 10 person ring game and then another 310 to cover rebuys?

Any direction is appreciated and also please post your existing per player chip handout for your cash game

Thanks!

[hachkc]

Is this just a standard cash limit game or are you thinking a no limit cash game? Dealers choice or just hold'em?

On the surface 31 chips seems kinda of light for a cash game, you could scrap the $5 chip for 5 more $1 chips. I personally prefer more chips especially for cash games, keeps the game moving if people don't have to worry about making change too often. Also, a $20 buyin seems kinda of tight for .50/$1 (.25/.50 blinds); or do you play where .50 is the big bet all the way through (P/F/T/R). If .50 is the big bet all the way through, I'd definitely scrap the $5 chip and go with more .25c and $1 chips.

Hope this helps.

[CaptLego]

Yeah, If you're playing no-limit, I'd probably go for more $1 chips. If you're playing limit, then more $.25 would be handy.

Either way, keep in mind that you only need a few bigger denom chips for rebuys. The rebuy guy can get change from a bigstack.

[ky70]

Sorry guys...I'm deciding between no limit or $5 max bet.

Thanks for the advice...and .50 would be the big bet all the way through

If someone is the overwhelming chip leader at the table do you color up there chips in order to have more lower denoms for rebuys (For Example, giving the chip leader three $5 chips and taking away 15 $1 chips)?

[R Deckard]

I regularly host a 50¢/$1 Kill limit HE game with standard betting structure (25¢/50¢ blinds, 50¢ bet P/F, $1 bet T/R, 4 bet cap per round). Most of my players are newbies and are more comfortable only buying-in a small amount at a time, so I tell them $10 is the minimum, but $20 is the recommended buy-in. Last game I had 9 players and everyone bought in for $20. I gave each player 20 25¢ chips (green JBs) and 15 $1 chips (black JBs). Rebuys I either gave out the same distribution, or all $1 chips (I have a lot of $1 chips), since there were enough 25¢ chips in circulation for them to make change. Everything went smoothly, and the $20 buy-in seemed to be the right comfort level for the players, too.

My recommendation for a smooth cash game is to use as few colors as possible and to give out as many of the lowest denom chips as you have first, because you then have less need for change-making and an easier time pot-splitting (ideally, if you had enough chips you could give out only a single denom like in the card clubs). Plus, everyone feels good with a big mess o' chips in front of them.

Don't micromanage the change-making--you have enough other things to worry about. The players will handle it automatically, unless they have serious issues with simple arithmetic. Once all the small change is out, you use the bigger denom chips for rebuys, and the players can easily make change amongst themselves. Just give the guy 4 $5 chips for his rebuy, and trust that he will figure out what to do with them on his own.

So if you have 10 players, $20 buy-in, and a 500-chip set with 200 25¢, 200 $1, and 100 $5: give each player 20 25¢ and 15 $1 to start, and then start using up the rest of the $1 and then the $5 for rebuys as the game goes on.

Also, if your players are newbies, I advise against playing cash no-limit, unless they don't mind tremendous swings in their bankroll. But since straight limit seems a bit dull at 50¢/$1, I recommend making it a Kill game--it adds just the right amount of excitement, I think, without overextending the newbies. The only downside is that you'll need a Kill button, and it adds a bit more complexity to the rules.

Just remember to go to the bank and get a bunch of $1 and $5 bills for cashing people out, because everyone only brings $20 bills.

[ky70]

Thanks!!! This is very helpful!!!!

[dad604]

I think the chip amount you list would do fine for your game. Try it and see how it works and if it needs some fine tune up then do it the second game.

[smoore]

my $25 max buy NLHE game uses:
20 - $1
20 - $0.25
I have a few stacks for rebuys but then I just color a chip leader at 1 stack of $1 for 4 $5 chips. Everyone loves to try to get the $5 chips.

[Timmay]

Well, here is what I do...

Got the Faux Clay chips and I usually only have 8 guys that play ring games, and we like to do different amounts from week to week (all depends on the price of gas...so recently we have been playing .10-.20 lol)

anyway, I have 400 orange and 200 grey.
with eight, each player gets 50 orange and 25 grey
so .25 for orange x 50 is 12.50
and .50 for grey x 25 is 12.50
$25

same can go for any amount
.50 x 50 is 25.00
1x25 is 25.00 for a buy in of $50

.05 x 50 is 2.50
.10 x 25 is 2.50 for $5 buy in

like I said, works great in any amount of blinds and buy in.

[Benny Blades]

My cash game setup is the following:

$25 buy-in
$25 in chips (20) .25 (10) $1 (2) $5…stack of 32
Unlimited re-buys if you bust or fall under $8
Blinds are set at .50/$1, No Limit

I recommend to my group that they bring plenty of singles for cashing out…I’m not an ATM!. I have one set of 500 (Chipco-Crystal Oyster’s….200- yellow 250 white 50 red for 24 total buys) for my cash game and another set of Chipco’s for the end of the night tourney.

I have enough chips for re-buys and players make change at the table when all the yellow .25 chips are in play. For re-buys I issue a stack of white $1 and red $5 to total $25 and have them buy yellow .25 for blinds at the table from someone. If for some strange reason I run out of my cash game chips, I’ll issue a green $25 and have that player make change at the table.