8.5 vs 11.5 grams

[blue eyes]

Hi everyone, my wife may buy me poker chips for my birthday, and as she doesn't know much about them, has asked me a few questions. There is one post I saw that I hope someone can shed some light on. Obviously 8.5 gram chips are cheaper, but someone wrote that 8.5 were better chips then the 11.5. Has anyone ever used both so they could explain why that is ( at least why it is for some people )

Thanks.

I don't need any advice on where to get them, I see the another thread on that subject.

[Leo]

i prefer 11.5 (super-heavy-weight). i don't know why but the heavier the better i think. if you hold a bunch of heavy chips in your hand the bet seems more serious
that sounds corny. anyway, i would go with the 11.5 i don't understand how the 8.5 could be better in any way.

[mindgame]

The extra weight is very popular with some people....

Now REAL chips, the ones you use in casinos, are frequently weighted--but usually only the higher (100+ denoms). This is accomplished either by using a metal core which is engraved and exposed, or by adding (usually brass) powder to the chip mix. There are some chips, like the Hyatt Regency Casino in Lake Tahoe or the Las Vegas Harrah's roulette, which are made on a solid brass core and have only a minimal amount of "clay" material for color. Gorgeous, very heavy (I'd guess 14-17 grams), expensive and now no longer made at all.

But we are talking home game chips. The 11.5's have a solid metal core which is then covered in a fairly cheap plastic material that isn't much at all like the stuff real chips are made of (which also has plastic in it--each chip company has a "secret" formula). Some people like the weight. I don't like the chip. I don't think you're getting your money's worth, because they cost about 35%-50% more than the cheaper "diamond" 9.5 gram chips. I know there are some 8.5's out there too, but I don't have any experience with them. The 9.5 gram diamond chips are very, very adequate for most home games, especially tournament games (where you need to have about 1000 chips in at least 4 colors). I say if you want to spend more than the $100 that will cost you, then go out and buy real chips--top hat and canes that are used in 75% of the casinos (which are 9.5 grams, by the way).

Don't get me started on chips. I collect them and I could talk all day. If you want to know everything in the world about chips, go to thechipboard.com. It's the chip collector message board. People there are amazing. Dealers, WSOP players (final table), one LV poker room supervisor, a law professor, college profs, chip brokers...everyone in the world who collects chips. But if you ask them for a recomendation they will steer you toward 75 cent/each to $1/each chips because they (as collectors) believe any of these Chinese made chips on sale in frightening abundance at ebay are basically worthless. One thing is true...buying an expensive set, or building one from scratch like I did from real casino chips that have been "retired"...you will have something that you could resell some day for more than you paid for it. But if you just want a nice set so you aren't using K-mart plastic Blue Red White--get the Chinese 9.5 gram chips. No one will be disappointed at your next tournament and you won't have to spend $600-1,000.

[blue eyes]

thx guys, that was helpful

[ORGrinder]

hey mg... are their any 9 or 9.5 gram chips out there with the edge spots on them? all i've seen with the edge spots are the 11.5 gram chips.

as i mentioned before, i like the edge spots, but i also like the idea of having something more "authentic". since you're saying that most casinos only use the heavy weighted chips for the higher denoms... when it comes time for me to upgrade my chips i think i'd like to stick with a chip more like the ones in the casinos (weight wise).

[american mutt]

I have 11.5g.
I like the weight, so the chips don't bounce around
when you throw them in the middle. Thats why I went
with the heavier ones. 8.5g are better than plastic though.

[mindgame]

Most ring game poker isn't played with high demonimation chips. I sure don't know anyone who's playing in a game where they are using $100 chips--that would be $200-400 game!

So if you want the authentic casino feel, you don't have to have weighted chips. In fact, I collect high denomination chips ($500 and higher) and almost all of them are standard (9 to 9.5 grams).

But getting edge spots on cheaper chips is a problem. The only ones I know of are the 11.5 Chinese chips you see all over ebay. In fact, the damn edge spot search is what got me hooked on chips in the first place....as I looked at more and more--and nicer and nicer--chips, I just really wanted a chip with an authentic edge spot, rather than the edge marks that are injected-molded in.

Be careful...that chip bug is expensive if it bites you.

OH....and as far as bouncing your chips in the pot, or "splashing the pot" as it is called. That is a HUGE gaff in a casino. Really screws up the dealer, who is responsible for every chip that goes in, how many went in, and who put them in there. You should teach your players to place their chips in front of them neatly, so that it is very clear that they are theirs and that they've put in the correct amount. Someone calls a raise, say, that involves putting 15 chips in the pot--what a mess if he just tosses it in there. Makes dealers stop and have to count the whole damn thing.

So try to incorporate proper casino ettiquette in your games, or you could end up being very embarassed when you'll least want to be.

[ORGrinder]

where might i find a 9 or 9.5 gram chip with edgespots on them? like you said, the only ones i can find on the net with edge spots are the 11.5 gram chips... and like you, i want an authentic feeling chip.

[american mutt]

geez, ok ok. I can separate my home (rowdy punks talkin smack
and bluffin like mad) games from the casino (classy pleasant
and respectful) games. Sometimes we toss our chips, and since
they're heavy, they don't bounce. That's all I'm saying. You are
right though, but in my club,, I splash the pot whenever the
F**k I please!!!! :D
Sorry Mr. etiquette

[Hank]

JKeats,
I have been shopping for poker chips also. For Authentic clay chips with edge spots I think I am going to buy from pokerchips.com. I have not made up my mind yet. I purchased some samples to see what I like. A blank chip with edge spots cots 50 cents. But I think I might go with a custom chip, printed with a center design that I provide. At 95 cents a piece it aint no cheapo, but for a set I will have for years to come its worth it. Besides I plan to pay for the chips with my poker winnings.

[ORGrinder]

holy smokes... that's gonna be pricey. but hey... if you like em and you're willing to pay... more power to ya!

[mindgame]

An authentic casino grade chip with edge spots is typically 9 to 9.5 grams and they ARE pricey. Actually, 50 cents each without a stamp is a very, very good price. As a collector though, I just want to add that when you add your custom stamp, whatever it is, for your home game, you have not added to the value of the chip and have probably made it worth less for resale.
Also, you are going to be paying in the range of 1.00 each for your stamped chips--you can buy REAL casino chips for that--either from retired racks or casinos that have gone belly-up or been bought out or even--occasionally--never opened (so they're mint). Those chips will definately appreciate.

The number one reason for a custom stamp is to keep anyone from bringing chips into the game that you, as the house, have to pay off--in other words, for security. Number two reason is--for lack of a better word--vanity. They're just cool. But vanity comes with a price. I say that if you're going to drop a grand on a set of chips, hell, make sure you can get a grand back out of them (or, likely, more) somewhere down the line. Play with REAL casino chips. I do. Security is still an issue...but a very minor one. It would be a lot of trouble to track down a $5 chip from the casino--now closed--that my fives came from. It would be a lot more than $5 worth of trouble. I have three different racks of $25 chips from three different casinos and I never use the same rack twice in a row...so even slipping in a $25 is problematic. But the people at my games think that playing with the real, real thing's pretty damn cool, too.

[Hank]

Hey Mindgame,
Do you know of any good sites where you can purchase defunct casino chips. That was my original goal but those darn casino chip collectors make the casino poker chips so expensive If I could find real casino chips for a buck a piece I would jump on them.

I could see having chips stamped with your initials might have limited resale value, but you can have any graphic in the center of the chip, even in color. Talk about vanity, I was think of having a cartoon of me on the chip. Of course with my looks that would really hurt the resale value!! I was also thinking of doing some celtic knot work designs. I would prefer not to have any denomination on the chips. If I do purchase custom chips, I will attach a picture of what they look like.

[saper88aa]

5 star deal has defective chips for sale. They are the mistake hotstamp chips.there are about 12 cents for 11.5 grams dice chips. There in the online specials section

[Dave B]

go to any casino and buy $1 and $.50 chips and walk home with them.