Plastic Poker Chips

Plastic poker chips are the standard chip that most people have used to play poker at some time. The 100 piece standard red, white, and blue plastic poker chip set can be found at most department stores for under $5. There are some better quality plastic chips available. These weigh more than the standard cheap chips and they cost more.

Composite Poker Chips

Composite poker chips are usually made out of plastics that surround a metal core. They usually weigh 8 to 14 grams and measure the casino standard diameter of 39 millimeters.

Composite poker chips are usually durable and fairly inexpensive. These are much better than plastic poker chips. Composite poker chips have a 'smooth' feel to them as opposed to clay poker chips that feel 'soft' in comparison. This softness makes clay poker chips easier to pick up. The smoothness of composite chips can make them slip off a persons hands.

Clay Poker Chips

Clay poker chips are usually made out of clay and other materials that surround a metal core. They usually weigh 8 to 14 grams and measure the casino standard diameter of 39 millimeters. Real clay chips have a distinct soft feel that many people prefer.

Clay Composite Poker Chips

Clay composite poker chips are made out of plastics that surround a metal core. Unlike composite poker chips they have a soft feel that is comparable to real clay poker chips.

Casino Poker Chips

Casino Poker Chips usually weight about 9.5 to 11 grams. They are custom made for each casino in small numbers. If you ever go to a casino in person, you can buy chips intended for use at that particular casino.

You don't have to cash in theses chips when you leave the casino so they can be used personally. If you ever decide you want to cash in the chips, you can return them to the casino they came from for their face value.

Poker Chips Sets

Poker chips sets usually include a quantity of poker chips, a deck of cards, and a storage case. Standard size sets include 200, 300, 500, or 1000 chips but a poker chip set could contain any number of chips.

The number to get depends on the number of players. For the home player a 500 piece poker chip set will probably be big enough for all situations.

As a rough guide
four players or less 200-300 chips
seven players or less 400-750 chips
seven players or more 750-1500 chips

Which Poker Chip Is Right For You

$$ If you don't mind a standard plastic poker chip, you should pick up a set at your local department or toy store. They break easy but they are very cheap and easy to replace.

$$$ Composite chips, clay chips, or composite clay poker chips are recommended for most poker players. They look and feel like real casino chips, will last a long time and are reasonably priced. There are other standard chip weights than those compared here, including 5 gram, 8 gram, etc.

• 7.5 gram poker chips are good entry level choice. Compared to standard plastic chips, they feel 'professional'. You can buy a 500 piece set with storage case for under $50.
• 9 gram poker chips don't quite feel as good as casino chips but are close. They cost a little more than 7.5 gram chips but have a better feel. You can buy a 500 piece set with storage case for under $75.
• 11.5 gram composite, clay, or composite clay poker chips are recommended for someone who wants a real casino class poker chip at a reasonable price. They have a very nice feel and they won't break the bank. You can buy a 500 piece set with storage case for under $100.
• 13 gram or heavier poker chips are the best in this category but they will cost more money than the same number of 11.5 gram composite, clay, or composite clay poker chips. You can buy a 500 piece 13 gram or heavier poker chip set with storage case for under $200.

$$$$$ Casino poker chips are very high quality and a pleasure to play with. However the cost will prohibit most people from being able to afford playing with them.

Poker Chip Quality

As with most things, the more you pay, the better the quality. For example, you may find a store that has two 11.5 gram composite chip sets, similar in all respects, except price.

Cheaper sets might have slight color variations, be unbalanced, vary in weight, or have other similar inconsistencies. This will probably not bother most people but if you or your opponents are accustomed to the best, it might be worth spending more.

In general, the heavier the chip, the better it feels. 13 to 14 gram clay chips are harder to find and more expensive than other chips but they are considered best by most people.

Gamblers that spend time in casinos might prefer an 11.5 gram chip because it is closest in weight to the casino chips they are used to. People who have never owned a poker chip set or have only played with plastic chips should be happy with a 7.5 to 9 gram set.

Buy Poker Chips Online

If you prefer shopping online or if you can't find a store in your area that sells the kind of poker chips you want, there are many places to choose from. For the largest selection at the lowest price, compare prices at amazon. They allow wholesale companies to list poker chips and other gambling accessories. If you do some searching, you can find the ideal poker chip for your needs (at a cheap price).

Storing Poker Chips

If you buy good poker chips make sure you buy a protective storage case, if it isn't included. When not in use store your set in a cool, dry, dark location and they should last a lifetime.