How to Select the Perfect Poker Chip Set

Once you start holding poker tournaments in your home, you need to purchase a good poker chip set. Even if you are just entertaining your friends on the weekend, a good poker set can add to the fun and create a sense of authenticity to your events. With the right set, you will have everyone in the neighborhood waiting for their invitation to your home on poker night.

How Many Chips Do You Need?

The first thing to consider is the number of chips you need in your poker set. Some people make this decision based on their budget, but the number of people typically playing with you has to factor in as well. Think of the maximum number of players that have shown up for any of your events to date, then plan for that number to increase in the future. Your poker chip set needs to last for a very long time, so you need enough chips to grow.

A good rule of thumb is to have at least forty chips per person on hand. If you are working on a tight budget you could get away with a smaller set that allows your players to have thirty chips each. If you can afford to invest a bit more, go with fifty to a seventy-five chips per person.

Once you have this number, you can start shopping for your poker chip set. Poker sets typically come in even hundreds, which means 200 chips and upwards. They can go up to 1,000 chips per set.  Always round up from the number of chips you decided you need. This means if you need about 250 chips, you should go with a 300 chip poker set. It is always better to have extra chips than to not have enough for everyone at the table.

Types of Poker Chips

There are three types of poker chips to choose from that you will encounter while shopping for poker chip sets:

1. Clay
2. Composite
3. Plastic

You should only consider plastic chips if you are on a very tight budget and cannot afford the other types in the quantity that you need. You may be able to find composite chips for just a little more, so definitely price shop before deciding this is all you can afford.

Clay chips are clearly the preferred choice, since they look and feel like authentic casino poker chips. Paulson poker chips are the most sought after because this is the brand that serves authentic chips to the biggest casinos around the world. It was once impossible for regular players to purchase from Paulson, but they are now releasing poker chip sets for individual buyers. Just expect to pay more for these poker sets.

If you can’t afford clay chips, then go for composite chip sets. These will include a metal insert along with a composite material around the insert. Clay chips are made of composite materials also, but they do not have the metal insert that you find in composite chips. If there is metal inside, then it is not a Paulson chip!

Some composite chips are nicer than others. The best will feel a lot like authentic casino chips, so they are a great option if you cannot afford clay chips right now.

Consider the Poker Chip Case

Once you decide what type of chip you want and how many chips you need, it’s time to consider the case that your poker chip set comes in. The more professional, higher quality cases tend to come with the higher priced clay poker chips, but you can find some nice cases with composite chips as well.

It is easy to overlook the case when shopping for a reasonably priced set of poker chips. It’s true that some of the cheaper sets do not come with cases or come with very flimsy, unattractive cases. You have to decide if this is a trade-off you are willing to make or if you want to go up in price a bit to get a very nice case.

Your budget is always important, but that cannot be the only factor guiding your decision. The perfect poker chip set will fit your budget, include more than enough chips for your largest events, and will be made of the best possible materials. If you can cover all of those bases, you will have a great poker set that serve you well for years to come.

After choosing a poker chip set, learn how to clean poker chips so you can get them shined up and ready for the first big night of play.