[KingZilla]

I'd like to share my set up for T1000 tourneys.
I use a cheap but EFFECTIVE product called the "Poker Game Watch" DVD. It's available at pokergamewatch.com for $12. They have many standard options available at that price.
Using their 10-20 starting blinds (good for a T1000 tourney), I am able to run a 10 player tourney (at my 10 seat table) on only 400 - 420 chips total. The chip distribution per player is listed as follows:
10 - $5
10 - $10
10 - $25
6 - $100
I color up at the $100 - $200 blinds level, removing anything less than $100's from the table. To run this set up perfectly, you will only need 400 chips: 100 - $5, 100 - $10, $100 - $25, and 100 - $100's.
Using the $10 chips enables two things to happen:
1) It reduces the total number of chips you have to buy by eliminating a large purchase of $5 chips (saving you MONEY).
2) The $10's come in handy when the blinds are 20-40, 30-60, etc.
Notice that the 100 - $100 chips equals all the money in the tourney by themselves, so color up is never a worry. I stated earlier that you can use 400-420 chips because I do have 20 - $500 chips to color up some of the $100's later on, which I recommend. This is not an absolute necessity, but a convenience and does make counting all those $100's a little easier when the blinds are high. Of course, players do get change from each other if they bust out of smaller chips, but it's a quick and easy process. I do not know of another method that allows 10 people to play on only 400 chips. My tourneys run so smoothly, that I ought to patent or copyright this set up (this is according to my players who have seen tourneys run MUCH worse). I do use 15 minute levels (probably pretty quick) but we are able to get in 3 tourneys a night so everyone gets a chance to "get even". Consider this set up for a very economical way to run your tourneys.

[CK15c]

When I purchased my WSOP replica chips from Cardroom Supply, I went with a 400 chip breakdown:

80 - T25
100 - T100
100 - T500
100 - T1000
20 - T5000

This allows starting stacks of 8 x T25, 8 x T100, 8 x T500, and 5 x T1000 for a T10000 game of 10 players. You can also scale down the starting stack, but with this start, the 20 left over T100's colour up all of the T25's perfectly, the 20 left over T500's colour up all of the T100's perfectly, and the 50 remaining T1000's colour up the T500's perfectly. If I really wanted to, I could put the T5000's in play as well (they colour up the T1000's perfectly, BTW). So, for a 400 chip setup, I feel like this is the perfect setup, while maintaining a simple structure with common denominations (Not sure if 10 is that common; not in casinos anyways). If you lower the starting stack, you could even have re-buys as without colouring the T500's and T1000's, you have T250000 available! A very versatile breakdown if I do say so myself!

BTW, if you get that patent, I'd like one on this setup Thanks!

[KingZilla]

Thanks for the reply. Unless I'm wrong, our chip ratios are almost identical. The only difference is your running a T10000 compared to my T1000. I guess we are both "geniuses". You should check out the poker game watch dvd if you don't already have a timer/manager system. I believe one of the standard options is for a T10000 set up.

[CK15c]

I use the PokerRoom.com free home game organizer. It works perfectly for what I'm doing. I use it to run bar tournaments where I work and haven't had a problem with it yet! The only thing I don't like about your structure is the T10 chip. Have you considered using just the T10 and maybe a T50? The T10's into T25's can be a little hairy whereas T10's go into T50's, and can go into T100's or T200's if you wanted. Just a thought. Thanks!

[h-train]

I always do T1500 with a breakdown like this 2 x T500, 3 x T100, 7 x T25, and 5 x T5. You can run a 10 man tournament with 170 chips.

Chris

[CK15c]

Originally Posted by h-train

I always do T1500 with a breakdown like this 2 x T500, 3 x T100, 7 x T25, and 5 x T5. You can run a 10 man tournament with 170 chips.

Chris

Yes, but if you do this, if math in my head is okay, allows for no colour-ups. There are also very few smaller chips so players will be making change very often. A local bar around here (not the one I run tourneys at) runs a T300 with 5xT5, 5xT10, 5xT25, and 1xT100 for 16 chips. They don't colour-up so 160 would work for them. They are also making change a lot. When I used to play there, I would setup the chips and change it to 10xT5 and 10xT25 with colour-ups (they had a lot more chips, but just one of those standard sets from KMart or something. I tried to teach them about chip structures, tourney structures and what not, but was unsuccessful.

[h-train]

Originally Posted by CK15c

Yes, but if you do this, if math in my head is okay, allows for no colour-ups. There are also very few smaller chips so players will be making change very often. A local bar around here (not the one I run tourneys at) runs a T300 with 5xT5, 5xT10, 5xT25, and 1xT100 for 16 chips. They don't colour-up so 160 would work for them. They are also making change a lot. When I used to play there, I would setup the chips and change it to 10xT5 and 10xT25 with colour-ups (they had a lot more chips, but just one of those standard sets from KMart or something. I tried to teach them about chip structures, tourney structures and what not, but was unsuccessful.

I colour up the T5's and T25's every week. I have been thinking about changing it to 10 x T5 and 6 x T25 though, because the T5's are what needs to be made change with the most.

Chris

[abby99]

Here's a T1500 breakdown that works well:

Starting stack: $5 x 10, $25 x 6, $100 x 8, $500 x 1 = $1500 (25 chips)

Allowing for color-ups, this tourney could be run with 300 chips:
$5 x 100
$25 x 75
$100 x 95
$500 x 30
$1000 chips if desired (no more than 15 needed)

Our blinds structure:
10-20
15-30
25-50
35-75
Color up 5's
50-100
75-150
100-200
150-300
Color up 25's
200-400
300-600
400-800
500-1000

Happy 4th, everybody!

[KingZilla]

Originally Posted by CK15c

I use the PokerRoom.com free home game organizer. It works perfectly for what I'm doing. I use it to run bar tournaments where I work and haven't had a problem with it yet! The only thing I don't like about your structure is the T10 chip. Have you considered using just the T10 and maybe a T50? The T10's into T25's can be a little hairy whereas T10's go into T50's, and can go into T100's or T200's if you wanted. Just a thought. Thanks!

Ok. I just offered my set up for those who may be interested. You have to keep in mind my starting blinds are 10-20. The $10's really do come in handy and you won't know it until you try it at these lower levels. The $50's are not needed for the lower levels and I remove everything under $100 once the blinds reach 100-200, also eliminating the need for any $50's. I don't run T10,000 tourneys so I can't comment on that set up. I stand by the poker game watch dvd for the reasons stated, mostly because a flat dvd can sit on top of your chips in the case with no problem when you carry the set around. I'm sure a lot of people have a set up that is perfect for them. I just wanted to post mine. As I stated I think you and I are on the right track since our chip ratios are almost identical.

[KingZilla]

Originally Posted by h-train

I always do T1500 with a breakdown like this 2 x T500, 3 x T100, 7 x T25, and 5 x T5. You can run a 10 man tournament with 170 chips.

Chris

As I told CK, whatever works for you is great. It just seems to me that starting with only 17 chips in front of you leaves one feeling a little "short". With that few starting chips, I can imagine there must be plenty of change outs going on. I have tried a few different set ups and the one I posted just works best for me and the tourneys really run more smoothly than any I have tried. I would still recommend you check out the poker game watch DVD if you don't already have a tournament timer/manager. I submitted a review of this product and am waiting for it to be posted by the moderators. Again, whatever works best for you and your players is a good thing.