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Buying poker chips? Here's what to look out for!

The main thing to consider when buying poker chips is the material of the chips. This is the main difference between chips of different brands. There are usually three different materials that poker chips are made of: plastic, clay and ceramic. Think about what kind of chips you want before you play. Do you want chips like those found in the casino? Then you'll probably want to choose clay or ceramic.

Another aspect to consider when buying poker chips is the amount of chips. If you are going to play poker in a small group, 300 chips will be enough. If you are going to play poker with more than six players, we recommend you to buy 500 or 750 chips. If you are going to play with more than ten people, you will need at least 1000 chips.

Not all chip types use the same values. Some brands start at 1, others at 10, 100 or 1000. It doesn't really matter what values are on your chips, as long as you have enough different values. This way you can make logical stacks to play with.

It is also important to ensure that the colours of the poker chips are distinctive enough. This way, you can easily tell the chips apart while playing poker. There is little chance of them ending up in the wrong pile. Chip colours are usually carefully chosen by the manufacturer.

The quality of poker chips is not the same for every brand. Although chips are made of the same material, there can be a difference in the quality. At MEC Shop , we sell high quality brands in different price ranges.

What material are poker chips made of?

Many different materials are used in the manufacture of poker chips. To get a clear idea of the differences between these materials, we have explained the most common variants.

Plastic Poker Chips

The cheapest poker chips on the market are in most cases made of plastic. The cheapest are made of 100% plastic. These chips are relatively light. They often weigh less than 10 grams. However, many plastic poker chips are not made of 100% plastic. They are often referred to as ABS chips. ABS poker chips are made of plastic, but they are reinforced with a metal frame on the inside. This makes them feel more real and heavier. ABS chips are usually around 10 grams each.

The values on plastic poker chips are represented by printing or a sticker. For people who are serious about poker and want to match the casino quality, plastic chips are often not interesting. In most cases, plastic poker chips look quite basic. The look of casino chips is often more luxurious, and is better reflected in poker chips made of clay or ceramic.

Clay Poker Chips

Clay poker chips are the poker chips with the most weight. This gives an instant feeling of luxury and is nice for players who like to shuffle their chips around. Clay poker chips are also available in two different varieties. The most common variety is the clay composite poker chip. This means that the material is not 100% clay, but is made up of a mixture of different materials. In most cases it is clay and plastic. The other variant is pure clay. You don't see this variant very often, because it is relatively expensive to produce. The poker chips from the big casinos in Las Vegas are in many cases made of pure clay. This material is the strongest material for poker chips. The weight of clay poker chips is usually between 11 and 14 grams per chip.

The values of poker chips made of clay composite are usually indicated by means of stickers. This is because it is difficult to print on clay. However, these stickers are firmly attached and are usually glued to an inlay, so they almost never come off. Poker chips made of clay composite usually consist of two or three colours. This also has to do with the way the chips are manufactured. Poker chips made of pure clay do come in multiple colours because they are molded under pressure. It is also possible to press the text and values onto the chip.

Ceramic poker chips

The last and in most cases the most expensive variant of poker chips are made of ceramic. Ceramic is a baked clay that is harder and lighter than ordinary clay. Ceramic chips can be printed in full colour and therefore have the most beautiful designs. While poker chips made of clay composite often weigh around 14 grams, the average weight of a ceramic chip is around 11 grams.

Due to the luxurious look and endless design options, ceramic chips are often the chips used in casinos to play poker. A Anzahl of the leading casinos in Las Vegas use ceramic chips, which are collected by players all over the world.

What values are used for poker chips?

The values of the poker chips vary from brand to brand. Poker chips for tournaments have no currency on them. Cashgame chips usually have the value of a $ on them. There are also poker chips with Euro denominations. These are perfect for cash game play. In Holland Casino, the chips at the cash game table also have a Euro denomination.

How are poker chips made?

How exactly poker chips are made depends on the material of the chips. The ABS and plastic chips are made through an injection molding process. The clay and ceramic chips are molded and pressed under high pressure. For multi-colour chips, the base is poured first, then the other colours are pressed in.

How the poker chips are made in real casinos and what materials are used for this is usually kept well under wraps. This is to prevent people from copying the chips and bringing them into the casino. Poker chips in the casino are made unique by combining specific materials such as clay composite and plastic. In some casinos plaques are used to express high values. You can see this, for example, in the famous poker scenes from the James Bond film Casino Royale. In casinos, these plaques all have a unique serial number, making them virtually impossible to forge.

What else do you need to play poker?

To make your home game complete, there are a few more things to consider Anzahl . In addition to using quality poker chips, we always recommend playing with 100% plastic poker cards. They don't bend, so your cards aren't easily visible to your opponents. Furthermore, these cards glide across the poker table, making dealing a lot easier. Don't have any playing cards yet? Then you can also order your chips and poker cards as a complete poker set.

Looking for a truly unique poker experience? Then it might be something for you to have a luxury custom poker table made. All your wishes can be incorporated into the design of a completely personalized table.