4 Types of Poker Chips for All Games

/in /by

Poker chips are a crucial part of the casino games as they are the medium of bet making in all the table games. There are various varieties and designs of chips according to the casinos they belong to. Every casino has a different chip design and a few details which makes them unique and hard to counterfeit. Poker chips are also available at the game stores to be purchased for playing poker at home. There are mainly four types of poker chips that are used for poker games, depending on the game or the event.

Metal Chips

Metal chips are not usually used for tournaments and daily casino games. It is more suited for a collection set for poker lovers. These chips are made with quality metals and laser-cut designs for a unique look which will complement a great chip collection or games for special occasions with family and friends. Finding an authentic collection of metal chipset can take time and research as they are only made as limited editions by poker chip manufacturers. You will have to look out for the manufacturer’s websites or eBay if someone is selling it. Metal chips can be very expensive as some of the chipsets in the past have been made with real gold, silver, and bronze alloys.

Metal Chips

Ceramic Chips

Ceramic chips are made with clay and go through a complete finishing to have a smooth surface. The manufacturers make sure that the chips are made with better quality ceramic for longer life. They are hard to break and have quality engravings. Ceramic chips are made with injection moulding process, and the designs are printed over the chips for high definition detail. They are the best chips for handling and doing tricks. You can buy the chips from the original manufacturers’ websites. They can be a little expensive for casual gaming but a perfect option for luxury casinos and big-pot party games.

Composite Chips

Composite and clay chips are made with clay and feel similar to the ceramic chips in weight and designs. They can be a little rough on the feel, but the style is similar to the ceramic versions. Clay chips were used in the saloons and card rooms during the old times, but then a harder composite was introduced for much durable and brittle roof chipsets.  These chips can perform tricks better than plastic chips because of being heavier and having a better grip. It is a great option for a decent chipset for home games during parties.

Composite Chips

Plastic

Plastic chips are the cheapest you can get. But some companies also make high quality plastic chips which can have several other functions. Casinos use plastic chips with inbuilt chips to prevent counterfeiting of their casino chips. These chips can be produced in bulk and can be a great choice for casinos to save money on buying chips. The ceramic and composite versions contain a risk of breaking even though they are pretty durable. The plastic chips, on the other hand, are unbreakable, which drops the worry of care.

4 Ways of Identifying Authentic Poker Casino Chips

/in /by

The game of poker is a worldwide phenomenon, and anyone who has been introduced to the game finds themselves enjoying it at some point in their lives in future. The professional poker lovers like to buy expensive chips for their gaming traditions while some even go on to collect poker chips as a hobby. There are different types of chips available based on the material, quality, and price and some chips are only made as limited editions for the collectors. But one has to be careful in collecting or buying chips as many duplicate chip manufacturers trick the buyers with lookalike chips which are not authentic. Here is how you can identify the authenticity of poker chips.

Knowing the manufacturer

poker chips

Each casino chip manufacturer either has a casino game manufacturing company or are the casinos itself offering similar chips to that they use in the casinos. If a manufacturer only makes casino chips, then there is a high chance that the poker chips are invaluable. The casinos have their own marked chips which no one is allowed to take out of the casino. But they do have their own store from where you can buy authentic chips for playing at homes. They are of the same quality but do not have the mark of the casino. The independent casino games manufacturing companies can be linked to multiple casinos and can offer you more varieties on chips.

Notice the artwork

You will need some research before you buy a chipset. Each chipset has a unique design or pattern which is made with high accuracy. If you find an artwork which is highly integrated into the chips, then you are in luck. The chips can also be identified through the different colour combinations, which are called edge spots. To check out the authenticity of the chips, one needs to know about the edge spots of the real casino chips.

Following the poker websites

poker

Casinos and manufacturers release limited edition poker chips from time to time for their die-hard poker fans. If you really need the assurance of the authenticity of expensive poker chips, the best way is to follow the news from the store of such manufacturers to get your hands on authentic chips. There are different material and designs released for poker players by the manufacturers. Sometimes they also release metal chips which are sprayed with gold silver and bronze coatings which can be a big addition to your collection.

Serial Number

Many times the manufacturers add a serial number on their chips or authentication. It is of either 5 or 6 digits. This number depicts the edition, product number, and identity of the chips. All the chips will have a special faded serial number. Sometimes, only one chip will have the serial number engraved. This can be a great way to recognize chips as authentic.

 

 

Etiquettes for Handling Chips in Casinos – For Beginners

/in /by

Casinos are always crowded with gamblers and party peeps. There the big bets made every day and both the casino and players get benefitted by it. Casinos use chips instead of real cash to ease betting as well as to keep track of the entire money exchange that goes inside the casinos. They also make the games more entertaining as the players forget that they are actually spending their hard-earned money market and do not feel that bad about betting. The pros also know some tricks to fidget with the chips while they are planning their moves. As a beginner, you should learn some chip etiquettes handle your chips with style.

Handling Chips

Handling Chips

The chips are equally valuable to the real money, and no one wants to keep filthy notes in their pockets. Same goes for the maintenance of the chips. Casinos offer fresh and clean chips to all their players. They also expect the players to take care of the chips and avoid spilling drinks and snacks on the chips. Also, avoid holding the chips with the same hands that you have been eating with. It will make the chips oily and disgusting to hold, at least for other players who win them from you. Try to keep the chips untouched as long as you can unless you are betting or playing with the chips.

Tricks with the chips

If you have seen poker videos, you must have noticed how the pros fidget with the chips. Playing tricks with the chips is pretty common, and the players use it to keep their body busy while their brain is thinking. You can learn how to shuffle the chips with one hand, and throw them perfectly at the targets. These manners will not help you get luckier but will surely make you look like you know what you are doing. Learning to shuffle the chips can take a lot of time which you can actually focus on developing strategies. But when you play at major tournaments, and all the other players are fidgeting around you, you might regret not learning some tricks for yourself.

 

Denominations

If you are playing a game where you are free to make any bets, it is recommended that you have enough of the small denominations so that you can save more money when you do not feel confident of winning. This way, you can play more hands without getting distracted from your strategy and save the big bets for stronger hands. You can always exchange bigger chips for smaller denominations from the dealer, but it is suggested that you get them from the exchange counter before entering a game to not disturb the flow of the game.

How to be a Chip Leader in Poker Tables

/in /by

Poker games are the most fun games in the casinos which make players compete with each other until one player wins the entire pool of the table. Learning poker rules is only the beginning of playing poker. It takes years to master it and become a chip leader among the pros.

A chip leader is a player with the maximum chips at a table. This might seem like a huge success, but it is equally hard to maintain the spot of the chip leader as you become the biggest loot for other players at the table. The bigger the pot you have, the bigger the target you will be for other players. Becoming a chip leader is not a mapped process. It can happen slowly or in an instant with a big pot win. It is also equally unpredictable to lose your maximum chips to become the last player. You will need a strategy to make your way slowly to become a chip leader and hold that position until the game ends. Here are the strategies to become and remain a chip leader (please watch) at a poker table.

Make smart decisions

Since you are a chip leader, you will be provoked to play the games every time. The players around you will be hungry to steal from your pot. You cannot be reckless trying to punish them just because you have enough chips to bet. Remember that the game of poker is never over until it is actually over.

smart decisions

Avoid unnecessary risks

Having the freedom of playing aggressively does not mean that you can implement it in every hand. You need to learn to be aggressive according to the right situations. Preserve your chips to only use when you have a high possibility of winning.

Play one round at a time

When there are only 4 to 5 rounds left, and you are leading with a good number of chips, try to hold your excitement, win the entire table. Having lofty expectations can take down a big pot instantly. Always concentrate on one hand at a time instead of using a long term strategy.

Avoid tilt

Avoid tilt

Being the chip leader is not permanent, and you can get into a streak of loses which can bring down your chip count to average. Coming down from the spot of chip leader is normal, and you should be calm enough to rebuild your stack if you have a great fall. Deal swiftly with the bets that go against you and move on to the next round.

Adapt to opponent strategies

While you have your own strategy to play the games, make sure that you are keeping an eye on the strategies of your opponents as well. You should be able to adapt to the situations based on how your opponents are playing.

How Casinos Recognize Counterfeit Chips

/in /by

Every casino has its own unique chips for games which are considered equivalent to the amount of currency used to buy them. These chips are highly unique and have various security measures to detect their authentication. If you have any plans of trying counterfeit chips in a casino, you will hardly have any luck as there are several measures to recognize the chips. Even a good dealer can tell between an authentic and a fake chip. Being caught with fake chips will invite a lot of questions and severe investigation, which can lead to big fines and up to 6 years of imprisonment on being guilty. Here are some of the properties of real casino chips which cannot be duplicated completely.

Weight

Casino chips are designed especially for an accurate weight. The usual casino chips were considered to weigh 11.5 grams. Many casinos try to keep their chip weights secretive about maintaining uniqueness but is usually between 8.5 grams and 10.6 grams.

Edge pattern

Edge pattern

Edge pattern or edge colour are also uniquely designed for every casino. Every casino has a unique engraving of their identity on their chips. The edge colour and design of chips differ in every casino. These markings distinguish the age of the chips as well as which casino they are from. No casino accepts chips from another casino. Some casinos do offer an exchange of chips if they are operated from a single operator. In any other case, the chips are flagged as counterfeit right away.

Colours

The colours of the chips are also unique and different for every casino. Even if two casinos use the same colour (for example green), they will be of different shades. The casinos also make sure that they remove any chips which fade away with time to make sure there is no counterfeiting activity going on using the same colour chips.

UV markings

 
Even if someone succeeds in fooling the casinos with all the above traits, there is one last unique trait about the chips which make them unique. It is the UV markings or the RFID markings. These markings are checked at the cash counters for authenticity, and any chips without the right markings will get rejected. If it is not your fault, then you will have to request the management, and they will try to help you in finding a solution.

In case you find fake chips and know that they are fake, the right thing to do is to return them to the management. Explain what happened and they respectfully accept the chips. Do not expect money for your honesty as the chips hold no value to the casinos, and they will probably throw them away. You may get a complimentary drink, but even that is not guaranteed.

 

Pros and Cons Of Different Types of Chips

/in /by

Poker is one of the most popular games which is played around the world with special poker chips at casinos and homes with or without money. The poker chips are made of different quality materials depending upon various factors, such as price, material, and longevity. It depends on the purpose of the chips and how much one is willing to pay for the chips while deciding which type of chip to pick. There are generally four kinds of poker chips – Plastic, Ceramic, Composite, and Metal. Here is a list of the pros and cons of the chips to pick the one that fits your needs.

Plastic

Plastic chips are used majorly for home as well as public casinos. They are made with quality plastic materials by the best casino game manufacturers. There are also much cheaper versions of casino chips available at any game store.

Pros – Plastic chips are super cheap and are a good choice for playing poker at home on a regular basis. They look at good as other chips if bought from an original manufacturer and have high durability.

Cons – They can look less like the professional chips and more like toys. They are only good for normal games and will not look at a professional level gaming tournament.

Composite clay

Composite clay

Made with clay and mixture of composites which adds more texture and weight to the chips making them more professional and nice to hold.

Pros – Quite affordable for a serious poker player. Have good durability due to concrete build quality. It can come with different designs and textures and offer a traditional casino feel to the players.

Cons – There are not many options available for designs and graphics. One can not find more custom options as they come in only traditional design patterns.

Ceramic

Ceramic chips are a more advanced version of clay chips which are made of ceramic mixtures. They are mostly used in luxury casinos for offering a rich feel of playing at the tables.

Pros – Smooth to handle, and offer more designs and personalisations. Professional players find ceramic chips best for doing tricks while they play at the tables.

Cons – Can be expensive for daily use chips. They are also made in a larger bulk which might not  be an appropriate choice for home games.

Chips

Metal

Metal chips are mostly meant for collections by the die-hard lovers of casino games. They are only made in limited editions and can be hard to purchase.

Pros – Pretty heavy and have metal engravings which offer a detailed texture feel. Metals like gold, silver, and bronze can be used for making metal chips, making them more valuable.

Cons – These chips can be very expensive and get sold out quick. One needs to keep track of the manufacturers for getting their hands on metal chips. They are not suitable for normal casino games as they look more like real money which is not the taste every professional player likes.

 

Top 7 Poker Chip Sets to Buy in 2020

/in /by

If you are a fan of poker and want to have your own poker chip set for playing at your home with family and friends, here is a list of the best chipsets you can buy in 2020. All the chips are from authentic casino games and accessories manufacturers.

Bicycle Carousel

The Bicycle Carousel an affordable, high-quality chipset which will fit perfectly for casual gaming at home. It has compact storage and is convenient for get-togethers of more than 4-9 players. It comes with two decks of cards, and the chips are made of plastic that is not too good or too bad to handle.

Bicycle Carousel

Brybelly Ultimate Heavyweight

This chipset is made for larger tournaments for a special home held casino tournament. It can provide the larger player number and multiple games at once. This chipset contains 1000 chips which are neatly stored in boxed storage. The material quality for the chips is clay composite which is much better than plastic and also less durable.

Kovot 300

The Kovot chipset is a compact and strong chipset which comes with a neat suitcase for easy and stylish transportation. The case comes with a security key which protects your chips from getting lost. It also contains two decks of cards which makes it a perfect carry around chipset. The chips are made of still look good.

Griffco Personalised

If you love poker a little extra, then you will be impressed just by the looks of this chipset case. It offers a rich leather finish storage which can be customized with the owner’s name. You can also customize on the engravings of the case. It contains only 100 chips which make it more suitable for chip collection.

The Greenbacks

This chipset case by History Chips is made of the traditional metal box and has engravings of American currency so that new players can remember how much they are betting. It is a good learning chipset which comes with two playing card decks. It does not contain any 10s or 50s but still is a good fit for beginners.

The Greenbacks

Brybelly Wooden Carousel

This chipset by Brybelly has suited for family games as well as hangout games with friends. Its wooden container makes it look authentic and attractive. It offers five chip colours and two decks of cards but has an open container which is not very safe for bumpy rides.

Da Vinci Executive

A great choice for beginners to start learning poker in style. The chips feel high-quality to handle and also has the sound similar to clay composite versions which makes them also good for learning tricks. The chips are enough for 6 to 8 players to play comfortably. It also contains two decks of cards and a set of dice.

 

 

Why Casinos Use Chips for Currency

/in /by

Most of the casino games that you watch on the television or the internet consist of playing chips. Casinos use their own unique chips that can be exchanged for money. These chips are used for placing bets and have become a fixture for casinos. The professional gamblers (Watch This Video)also enjoy using chips instead of real cash, as it makes the game more interesting and fun. The texture and quality of the material is also responsible for making the chips special. But what is the real importance of chips in casinos and why casinos invest big amounts of money for making quality chips? Here are some reasons why casinos use chips for the games.

Mental separation

Playing for money can make the players think twice before betting the valuable cash in front of them. The chips make the gambler think of them as different entities than cash. Although chips have the same value, it makes it less stressing and more fun to throw away colourful tags than cash. The idea of betting money becomes much easier when people do not look at it as their hard-earned cash.

Mental separation

Security issues

Casino owners take their security very seriously, and chips are a part of their security measures so that the customers and their guests do not face any loss due to counterfeit currencies as well as thefts. They can keep track of the suspicious individuals who try to steal chips. Anyone who wants to take out money from the casino will have to cash out the money in exchange for chips. People are also not allowed to take the chips out of the casino and make the chips invalid if they do so. In case of a big robbery which can cause loss to the casino, they can change the entire current chip production and start with new ones.

Easy to use

Easy to use

Chips also make the game much easier to play, and money becomes easy to count and handle. Having to take different bills can get stressing for the players. Carrying the bundles of cash around and counting the money every time while betting can be troublesome when you need to concentrate on the game. People play bets of millions in the games and having that much of cash on the table seems stupidity of management. Chips are a good alternative which makes the process of counting and betting much easier.

Collection of data

The chips used in casinos also have RFID tags which define the uniqueness of the chips for each casino. Many casinos have installed the RFID tags in the chips to quickly scan them for authenticity. The RFID tags help the casinos in many ways, including Growth Of dealer mistakes, chip movement, and counterfeiting. This can help in monitoring the profits easily as well as keep track of any frauds. In future, the casino chips can also have RFID chips which reveal their owner’s identity and their skill level.