What Are The Colors Of Poker Chips Worth
Let’s deal with the material aspects of poker chips value that are used in casinos. The following points apply to both tournaments and cash games. The primary colors of value of poker chips are almost universal: $ 5 is red chips, $ 25 is green, and $ 100 is black. Every poker game relies on three things: a table, a deck of cards, and some chips. When it comes to finding a poker table and a deck of cards, there isn't too much you need to know.
If you are setting up a poker home game and want to know what each chip is worth and how many to give to each person, you have come to the right place. I have been a poker tournament player for over 10 years and can give you
What are the poker chip values for home games?
- White or Gray – $1
- Red – $5
- Blue – $10
- Green – $25
- Black – $100
- Purple – $500
- Yellow – $1,000
- Pink – $5,000
- Orange- $10,000
While these are the traditional values assigned for poker chips, what denominations you use can be tailored for whatever type of game you happen to be playing. The rest of this article will cover everything you need to know about optimizing your poker home game so that your friends will think you are a pro.
What Values for Common Chip Sets?
The traditional chip values for each color were established by casinos to represent real money. In other words, a blue chip at a casino can be traded in for a $10 bill
Nowadays, this system doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for home games unless you happen to be playing a high stakes cash game
Most people either play cash games for small amounts of money, where the highest denomination is something like $5. Or, they play a tournament.
Setting Up Cash For Games
In cash games, your chips count as actual money and there is no prize pool. If you run out of chips you are out of the game unless you reload. This format is the easiest to organize and play, since you don’t have to worry about a tournament clock or rising blind levels.
Cash Game Chip Values
If you are using your poker chips to play a home cash game, I recommend just following the traditional rules. White is $1, red is $5, blue is $10, green is $25
If you want to play higher stakes, say $5/$10 or $10/$20, you will need black and possibly purple chips. Or, you can just convert the white chips to $100 and red to $500 if your set does not contain black and purple.
How Many Poker Chips Do We Need for Cash Games?
A good rule of thumbs is to figure that you need at least 50 chips for every person in the game
If you have 6 or more players, you will definitely want to invest in a 500 piece set, like this inexpensive one (Click to see Amazon Listing).
If you want to customize the denominations of an individual poker chipset, you will likely need to get a higher-end brand, like my absolute favorite chipset.
How Many Poker Chips per Person? What Do They Start With?
In cash games, poker players may buy in for as much as they want. If you want to set a minimum or a maximum, that is fine. A 20 big blind(bb) minimum and a 100bb maximum are common.
Here are the chip distributions for common stack buy-in sizes:
$1.00/$2.00 Blinds
$2.00/$5.00 Blinds
$5.00/$10.00 Blinds
$10.00/$25.00 Blinds
What If We Want to Play Smaller Stakes?
If you want to play a small friendly game, feel free to play as low as you want. For example, you could make chips worth the following:
- White – $0.10
- Red – $0.25
- Blue – $1.00
Here is a good distribution for playing .10/.25 blinds. For a friendly game, I recommend playing with 40 big blind stacks of $10 each:
$0.10/$0.25 Blinds
By choosing to play 40bb each, no one would be likely to lose more than $50 in a typical night. I included the 100bb distribution if you prefer deeper stacked play.
Tournament Setup & Starting Stack Distributions
Tournaments are actually a fairly recent invention that has grown immensely in popularity since Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker in 2003. Now, it’s the most common poker format played in home games.
The great thing about tournaments is that it’s easy to limit the amount you can lose in a session. If it’s a $10 buy-in that’s all you can lose for the events. Just throw your money in a hat and play.
Tournaments do, however, take a bit more organization and
- Setup and decide on the prizes
- Manage the rising blind levels
- “Color up” the chips as the blinds go up
Poker Tournament Chip Values
If you decide to play a poker tournament and want to be able to play more than 5 or 6 blind levels, then you will need at least 4 chip colors. Most chip sets now come with at least red, white, green, and black.
Here is a simple and flexible chip value system commonly used in live poker tournaments:
- Red – $25
- White – $100
- Green – $500
- Black – $1,000
- Pink – $5,000
This distribution will work perfectly in most events with less than 30 people.
If you get to the point where $5,000 or $10,000 chips are needed, you can just bring $25 chips back into play and change them to whatever is needed. Or, if you have a 5th color, usually either black or pink, you can designate them as $5,000 or $10,000 chips
How Many Poker Chips Are Needed for Tournaments?
Tournaments tend to require fewer chips per person since the chips are usually worth more each. Even so, a common 300 piece set will still only accommodate up to 6 players. It is definitely worth your while to have at least a 500 piece set for every 9 people that will be playing.
I did some research and found a really good inexpensive 500-piece set (Click for Amazon price). I would suggest getting one of these for every 9-person table you are hosting.
What If My Chip Set Only Comes with Three Colors?
Some of the cheaper chips sets come with three colors. Usually, you get white, red, and blue.
For tournaments, if you only three chip colors you will want to assign them as follows:
- Red – $25
- White – $100
- Blue- $500
If you have different colors, use the same values but just assign them to whatever color you want.
How Many Poker Chips per Person?
For most home game tournaments, a solid option is to have each player start with 3,000 chips using the following distribution:
- 8 Red $25 Chips
- 8 White $100 Chips
- 2 Green $500 Chips
- 1 Black $1,000 Chips
This will have each player starting with 60 big blinds. I find this amount to be a good balance between having enough room to play without having the event take too long.
What If We Want to Play Deeper Stacked?
If you want to play a deeper stacked tournament and have enough chips to go around, I recommend starting with $10,000 chips each with the following distribution:
- 8 Red $25 Chips
- 8 White $100 Chips
- 8 Green $500 Chips
- 5 Black $1,000 Chips
What blind levels should we play?
Based on the recommended chip distributions, here is a solid blind level schedule:
Helpful hint: If you want a deeper stacked feel to the tournament but don’t have many chips, just play a standard 3,000 stack with longer blind levels. Instead of the usual 15 or 20-minute blind levels, you might play 30 or 45-minute levels.
How Long Should Blind Levels Be?
For most home games, I advocate never having blind levels higher than 20 minutes. 15 minutes is a really popular choice. Even 1 table events will still last a couple of hours using this speed.
If you want a fast event, go with
When Should I Color up the Chips?
Here is a good schedule for removing smaller chips and introducing a larger denomination:
What Is a Good Tournament Prize Schedule?
For friendly home poker tournament games, I recommend a fairly wide distribution of prizes. Therefore, I suggest paying out at least 1/3 of the field. Here is an example payout structure:
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, I have given you all the information you need to get set up for your poker home game. If I missed anything please be sure to let me know in the comments and I will get it added.
Also, if you need more help planning your poker event, be sure to check out my article on hosting the perfect poker night. And don’t forget to use high-quality playing cards, they’ll take your game to the next level. Thanks for stopping by!
Related Products
If you want to really add class to your home poker games, here are a few products that I recommend:
What Are The Colors Of Poker Chips Worth It
- Copag Playing Cards– My favorite premium brand of playing cards. Trust me on this, don’t use those cheap Bicycle cards anymore.
- Octagon Folding Table– For smaller games with 5 players or less.
- Oval Poker Table– For games with 6 or more players.
- Heavy Duty Folding Chairs– These will fit any size player up to 600 pounds. I come from a rather “large” family if you catch my drift. Make sure you have good solid chairs to prop them up.
Related Questions
What is a short stack in poker? A short stack if poker is usually any chip stack that is 40 big blinds or lower. 50 to 100 big blinds is a
What poker table shape is best for home games? The best poker table shape for a home game varies based on how many players you are hosting. You will also need to factor in the size of the space you are fitting the table into. A safe bet is to buy an oval-shaped table. They usually seat at least 6 players comfortably and come in a variety of sizes.
How many buy-ins should I take to a poker game? When going to a casino or home game to play poker, it is usually a good idea to take at least 3 buy-ins for the stake you intend to play. However, it is a personal decision as to how many buy-ins you can stand to lose in one session. Limiting the amount of money you can lose in a poker session is known as setting a “stop-loss.”
When you can’t make it to a poker table at the casino, a private poker game among friends is the next best thing.
There’s nothing like sitting around a table with a few of your closest friends, winning all of their money.
For people who really have a love for the game, a cheap set of poker chips will not do.
Plastic chips that scratch or break will kill the mood. But, a heavy, well-made chip will create exactly the setting you want.
Chips should feel as authentic as possible so that players feel like they’re right there in the casino.
If you’re a poker fan or you’re shopping for someone you know, you need to look for chips that are 11.5 gram weight or higher.
They should be made from sturdy materials, and, if you’re going for that authentic feel, they should be designed with the standard red, green, blue, black, and white coloring.
If you’re on the market for a new set, here are some of the best poker chip sets of 2019:
Fat Cat, 11.5 grams, 500-count
This poker chip set from Fat Cat comes with everything you need to host a game at home. It includes 500 Claytec 11.5 gram poker chips.
Of these 500 chips, 150 are white, 100 are blue, 150 are red, 50 are green, and 50 are black. The chips are blank, so this set is well-suited for any game, no matter how low or high the stakes are.
This set also includes two decks of cards as well as big blind, little blind, and dealer buttons. All of these items come in a padded aluminum case that allows for easy organization and transportation.
A molded tray at the bottom of the case keeps chips stored in rows with a compartment for the cards and buttons in the middle.
The aluminum case will be able to protect the chips through travel and storage without denting. The clasps on the case keep it closed securely to prevent the case from opening and spilling its contents.
Check out the Fat Cat chips on Amazon.com here
Claysmith Gaming, 13.5 grams, 600-count
This Claysmith Gaming set is another great option. The chips are weighted at 13.5 grams so you know they are sturdy with an authentic feel.
The chips are labeled in denominations ranging from $1 to $5,000.
This set contains 600 chips in total. Of these 600 chips, 100 are $1, 100 are $5, 50 are $10, 100 are $25, 50 are $50, 100 are $100, 50 are $500, 25 are $1000, and 25 are $5000. Each chip has it’s own color so it is easily distinguishable.
This set also includes two decks of cards, five dice, and a dealer button. These items are storable in a padded aluminum case for easy transportation.
The bottom tray of the case is shaped to allow for neat storage.
Check out the Claysmith Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Smilejoy, 11.5 gram, 200-count
This Smilejoy poker chip set is great for someone who is more casual about playing poker.
The chips are high quality and the set is small, perfect for someone just starting out who isn’t sure that they want to invest in a larger set yet.
These classically designed chips come in red, green, blue, black, and white coloring.
Of the 200 chips, 75 are white, 50 are red, 25 are blue, 25 are green, and 25 are black. They are not labeled with any denomination so they work well in both low stakes games and high stakes games.
This set also comes with two decks of cards, five dice, and a dealer button.
These items can be conveniently stored in the padded aluminum case that they ship in. This case also locks, for extra protection. Two small keys are included in the set.
Check out the Smilejoy Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Kovot, 11.5 gram, 300-count
This poker chip set from Kovot has some great reviews.
The standard 11.5 gram chips will have you and your poker buddies feel like you’ve made a trip to the casino for the night.
This 300-count set comes with blank chips. Of the 300 chips, there are 50 each of black, red, blue, and green and 100 white chips.
These chips are made from a hard plastic rather than clay, but they are still sturdy and heavy.
Also included in the set are five dice, and two sets of cards as well as big blind, small blind, and dealer buttons.
This set comes in the standard aluminum case for easy travel and organization. The case is lockable with latches so your chips will stay secure and safe.
It’s a great set for pros and beginners alike.
Check out the Kovot Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Clay Pro Poker Set, 320-count
This Pro Clay Poker Set provides the most authentic experience possible and comes with some extra items not found in many other poker sets.
The chips are made from casino-grade clay, so they are heavy with an authentic feel. There are 320 chips in total.
Chips are labeled with 1, 5, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000. Of these 320 chips, 75 are labeled 1, 75 are labeled 5, 50 are labeled 25, 50 are labeled 50, 25 are labeled 100, 25 are labeled 500, and 20 are labeled 1000.
These chips do not have a dollar sign on them specifically so that players can choose if they want chips to represent dollars or cents.
So, if you want to play a low stakes game, a 50 chip can be worth $0.50, but if you want to play high stakes, it can be worth $50.
This set also includes two decks of cards, five dice, buttons for a big blind, small blind, and dealer, as well as a green poker, felt, and two cutting cards.
If you’re looking to create the full casino experience, you’ll find it with this set.
The carrying case for these chips is vinyl leather and the inside organizer tray is made from wood instead of plastic.
This case is more sturdy than the cases for some of the other sets in this list.
Check out the Pro Clay Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Da Vinci, 11.5 gram, 200-count
This small poker set from Da Vinci is another great one for casual players and beginners, but with a few more perks than the Smilejoy set.
There are only four chip colors in this set: red, black, blue, and white. There are only 50 of each chip. They are the standard 11.5 gram weight with the classic striped design.
The chips have no denomination printed on them so they are good for low and high stake games.
This set also comes with buttons for the small blind, big blind, and dealer, as well as two packs of playing cards and two cut cards.
This all comes in the standard padded aluminum case with a molded tray to keep everything in its place.
Check out the Da Vinco Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Brybelly Poker Set with Wooden Carousel, 11.5 gram, 200-count
This Brybelly poker set is unique because of the wooden carousel that comes with it.
Rather than packing away in a case, these chips organize into a convenient round carousel with a handle.
This is a good set to put on display at home if you’re a real poker lover.
This set comes with 200 chips in the standard design, colored red, blue, green, black, and white.
Of these 200 chips, 50 are white, 50 are red, 50 are green, 25 are blue, and 25 are black. The chips are the standard 11.5 gram weight with no printed denominations so that it will suit any game.
The carousel also stores two decks of cards. If you do you want to transport this set, there is a convenient handle and the chips are stored securely.
What Are The Colors Of Poker Chips Worth
There’s more of a spill risk for this than with the latched cases, but it’s possible to transport it in one piece with some care.
Check out the Brybelly Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Da Vinci Monte Carlo Poker Club Set, 14 gram, 500-count
This Monte Carlo Poker Club Set is a luxurious option for someone who really loves the game.
What Are The Colored Poker Chips Worth
The chips are a heavy 14 grams, made from clay composite. There’s a golden laser ring on each chip.
The design on the chips is more intricate than traditional designs overall.
There are 500 chips in total. There are six different colors and corresponding denominations.
White chips are $1, red chips are $5, green chips are $25, black chips are $100, blue chips are $500, and yellow chips are $1,000.
This set also comes with two decks of cards and two cut cards along with buttons for dealer, little blind, and big blind.
These items are all storable in the standard padded aluminum case. This case can be locked to keep items secure during transportation.
Check out the Monte Carlo Poker Club Set set on Amazon.com here
Silly Goose, 11.5 gram, 300-count
This poker chip set from Silly Goose is another classic set. The chips are designed with the standard colors: black, green, red, white, and blue.
They have the classic striped design and are unmarked so denominations can be set for each game.
This set comes with 300 chips in total. Of the 300 chips, 50 are green, 100 are black, 50 are red, 50 are white, and 50 are blue.
This set also comes with two decks of cards, five dice, and buttons for dealer, big blind, and small blind.
These come in an aluminum case with lockable latches and two small keys.
The styrofelt padding inside the case and the molded tray on the bottom of the case will keep everything organized for easy storage and transportation.
Check out the Silly Goose Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Da Vinci, 11.5 gram, 500-count
This 500 chip set from Da Vinci has a beautiful modern design in the classic poker chip coloring.
With red, blue, green, black, and gray chips marked in denominations ranging from $1 to $500, this is a great basic poker chip set.
The chips have large lettering for denominations and all have the same picture of a crest in the background.
Of the 500 chips, 150 are blue $1 chips, 150 are red $5 chips, 100 are green $25 chips, 50 are black $100 chips, and 50 are gray $500 chips.
The set also comes with two cut cards, two decks of cards, and buttons for dealer, small blind, and big blind.
This all comes in the usual aluminum carrying case with a padded top tray and a molded bottom tray.
Check out the Da Vinci Gaming Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
Trademark Poker, 11.5 gram, 500-count
This poker chip set from Trademark Poker is the ideal set if you’re looking for the classic, authentic casino feel.
The large quantity of chips makes it great for large tables. The chips weigh the standard 11.5 grams and come in classic colors with the striped design.
There are 500 chips in total. They have no denominations printed on them which makes them great for both low stake and high stake games.
Of the 500 chips, 150 are white, 200 are red, 100 are green, and 50 are black.
This set also comes with two decks of cards and buttons for the dealer, big blind, and little blind.
The lockable aluminum carrying case is 22” long with a velvet fabric lining and a molded bottom tray.
Check out the Trademark Poker Chips set on Amazon.com here
JP Commerce, 13.5 gram, 500-count
This is probably the coolest looking set in the list. This Pro Poker Clay Poker Set from JP Commerce has a sleek design that plays on the classic dice and stripes. The chips are black with white stripes.
There are also stripes that correspond to the standard colors and denominations.
There are 500 chips in total. Of those 500, 150 are gray striped chips marked 1, 150 are red striped chips marked 5, 100 are green striped chips marked 25, 50 are blue striped chips marked 50, and 50 are brown striped chips marked 100.
These chips are not marked with dollar signs, so they can be played as dollars or cents — the green chip could be $0.25 or $25.
This set also comes in an aluminum carrying case with 5 dice, a dealer button, two small keys, and two decks of cards. The organization tray in the case has also just been redesigned to be sturdier and stronger.
Check out the Pro Poker Clay Poker Set on Amazon.com here
Brybelly, 14 gram, 1000-count
This poker chip set from Brybelly is huge. With 1,000 chips in total, it is the largest set on the list. And, at 14 grams, has some of the heaviest chips.
This is another set that has a more modern design that plays on the classic colors and stripes.
This poker chip set offers ten different chip colors in the following colors and denominations: gray 1 chips, red 5 chips, dark blue 10 chips, green 25 chips, light blue 50 chips, black 100 chips, purple 500 chips, yellow 1,000 chips, pink 5,000 chips, and orange 10,000 chips.
These chips are not marked with dollar signs so they could be played high or low.
This set only contains poker chips, no other items. It also comes in a square plastic carrying case with removable trays and a sturdy black carrying handle.
This case is great because it displays the chips while they are stored so you can show them off a bit.
Check out the poker chip set from Brybelly on Amazon.com here
Smartxchoices, 11.5 gram, 300-count
This poker chip set from Smartxchoices contains all of the basics with the classic design that we all know and love.
The chips come in the standard colors: green, blue, black, red, and white. They also have the classic design of stripes and dice.
Of the 300 chips, 100 are white, 50 are red, 50 are green, 50 are black, and 50 are blue. This set is great for beginners. It has enough chips for a table of 4-6 people.
It also comes with two decks of cards, five dice, and buttons for the small blind, big blind, and dealer.
This comes in the typical aluminum carrying case with lockable latches, a padded interior, and a molded tray for storage.
These particular chips are made from polystyrene, a strong plastic so that they will last for years to come.
Check out the poker chip set from Smartxchoices on Amazon.com here
Doublefan, 11.5 gram, 300-count
This poker chip set from Doublefan comes with 300 chips at the standard 11.5 gram weight. They are made from composite resin for an authentic feel.
They come in the standard poker chip colors but in a more rich and saturated shade.
Of the 300 chips, 50 are red, 50 are blue, 50 are black, 50 are green, and 100 are white. The set also comes with two decks of cards, five dice, two small keys, and a dealer button.
These items are all stored in a small 15” long aluminum case with two latches.
The interior of the case is lined with a padded top and a molded bottom to keep chips secure and in place during transportation and storage.
Choosing the right poker chip set will set the stage for the game. If you choose a cheap set, you won’t be able to create the feeling that you’re in the casino.
But, with a quality, weighted, sturdy set, you can bring the casino right to your own home. I hope that one of the poker chip sets on this list caught your eye so you can start hosting some great poker nights.