11.5g World Poker Tour Casino Poker Chips - Unbiased Overview

I ate the remainder of pizza on my plate with haste, my eyes were hurting from the glare of the computer screen. I was in a long online poker tournament, that promised to go on for awhile; I was losing. Finally, with a stroke of luck, I managed to get a three of a kind of Aces. I instantly raised my ante and waited for others to fold; they didn't. Unperturbed, I continued the raising game with ignorance, until I realized that if I lost this hand it'd be game over. Quickly and with technological speed only an online poker game can have, everyone went all in with their Custom Casino Poker Chips.

The unfortunate aspect of online poker games is that before you've made your choice, you can't look at other players reactions for reassurance, only the cold beep of a confirm button. Slowly, the hands across the digital table were revealed, and I quickly realized I was alone; over half the players had better hands. I slammed my fist onto the desk and swore, promising I'd never play online poker again. This was the 21st game I had lost, and that was just one too many.

I told my coworkers the next day, and they looked at each other and laughed. By the look in their eyes, I could tell that they were veterans of recreational poker. I told them I was addicted to online poker chips, but then they told me I needed to feel a real one.

They kept laughing at me for days on end. Though there were friendly little love taps, I started to get aggravated, I always thought of myself as a real poker player. With a joking tone that had a hint of offense, I told them that maybe they'd like to have me take them down at their own game.

In no time, I was sitting there hunched waiting to be initiated into my first real game of poker. They threw over my chips and I picked one up; it felt wonderful. It was called a 11.5g World Poker Tour Casino Poker Chip, and every component of it screamed quality. The 11.5g World Poker Tour Casino Poker Chip came in black, blue and red, priced for one or in sets of 100, and each had a beautiful shiny finish. I loved the look and feel of them, and I still do.

The Poker Game felt a lot slower than when I played online, but more genuine. No longer did I suffer the impatience I felt when a player left his computer desk; instead, I had human players right in front of me. I felt like I was a part of a game, rather than just a participant. Moreover, I was having fun with my Casino Grade Poker Chips.

Now I'm part of a somewhat large poker group and I'll never go back. I haven't started up my poker program since, considering I have no need for it anymore. Those Internet accessed tournaments were a joke compared to the unbridled excitement one actual game of poker provides. Soon enough, I'll be as good as my new friends, but until then I'll cherish my 21st loss with my Clay Casino Poker Chips.

Let Brian Garvin and Poker Pro Jeff West teach you more about Casino Poker Chips and 11.5g World Poker Tour Poker Chips at Poker Stars Direct. Use this article freely but please leave the Author Biography and Links intact.

The History of Poker Chips

In a recent post, I talked about how you can start your own home game. One of the requisites of doing this however, is having the right equipment and what is the most vital piece of equipment for poker? Chips, poker chips that is.

For the uninitiated, once you've seen standard chips (even on TV), they're all the same. For the enthusiast though, each chip set is different and he has his certain preferences regarding this matter. Let's take a look at the basics of the chips you play with in poker so that you can pick out the perfect set to start your home game.

In the early days of gambling, people used different small items instead of chips. Pieces of wood, clay, and even gold were used as tokens for the game. It was only in the late 1800s that poker chips as we know them today were created for the special purpose of keeping count in poker. Those poker chips were made of clay composite. In the 1940s, plastic chips were manufactured and became widely available to the public.

Today, there are basically 3 types of chips according to the material. The most common and most affordable are the plastic poker chips. They are light and easily damaged so they are best used by beginners. The other type of poker chips is made of metal core. Poker chips made of metal core are heavier than the plastic ones and less prone to damage. They are favored by those who host home games as they give that "casino feel" and they are not too expensive. Perhaps the best kind of poker chips are made of clay composite. They are the most costly and not as easy to find as the plastic ones. Casinos use clay composite chips and in fact, they have them custom made. Most casinos have their logo inscribed on the chips - these are actually copyrighted.

You can buy poker chip sets with a specific number of chips in them. Usually included in the set are 2 decks of cards and a pair of dice. The set is normally housed in a metal case with an inner lining of velvet to protect the chips. Chips are of a variety of colors - red, black, white, green, and even pink.

Thanks to the popularity of poker, buying chips is not a difficult task. You can visit your local sporting store and chances are that they have chip sets. Better yet, you can search on the Internet. There is a host of poker chip vendors online that offer more variety when it comes to poker chips. You can specify the quantity of chips in one set and you can even specify which colors you want. When shopping around for poker chips for your home game, make sure that you will have enough poker chips for the number of players you are expecting. This is a case of having more is better than having less.

Once you have your chips in hand, do not let them go to waste by not taking care of them. Always keep them clean and in good shape. The case that comes with the set is meant for a purpose - to protect the chips - so use it.

Paul Graham is a poker enthusiast, a writer, researcher, speaker, and consultant. You can visit his blog and sign up free to get blog updates by email, along with game winning tips, tested poker strategies, the latest poker news, free poker tools, additional resources, and a whole lot more! Go now to http://www.SmokePoker.com and you'll also receive a Free Poker Bot for streamlining and automating your poker play, as a thank you for visiting!

How to Choose Casino Poker Chips That Are Right For You

If you are interested in playing various types of poker, it is likely that you are interested in how to choose casino poker chips that are right for you. It is essential that you know and understand, right up front, that poker chips are a gaming item that are not created equally. You should learn that they are typically composed of different materials, and varying amounts are needed to play when it comes to group gaming. In this how-to guide, you will learn how to choose casino poker chips that are right for you by learning more about the products in general.

Step 1:

As mentioned previously, poker chips are typically composed of many different types of materials. You can choose among clay poker chips, metal poker chips, wood poker chips, and even plastic poker chips. The first step in choosing the right type for you is to learn the differences between these types. Seeing that this step has alerted you to the fact that there are different materials used in the composition of the chips, the next several steps in this how-to guide will be used to introduce you to the main points of each type of material.

Step 2:

When purchasing casino poker chips, you will find that most varieties are composed of clay. Clay is considered to be a high grade material when it comes to quality, appeal, and ease of use in the poker industry. Many professionals and leisure players alike agree that these are among the "fanciest" that one can choose from. While composed of clay, there are usually mixtures of other materials as well, but only a small percentage. Casinos typically only use poker chips that are 39mm as far as diameter. Most clay options are this size. You can purchase them in grams from eight to approximately eleven and a half.

Step 3:

Metal casino poker chips are a great option for the player seeking quality and durability. These pieces are not composed entirely of metal, only a center core piece that is metal. The outside of the metal is typically surrounded by metal. Many casinos make use of these types of poker chips because of the fact that they have some weight to them and have a long life.

Step 4:

Wood poker chips are typically not very popular when it comes to playing chip sets. In today's world, wood casino poker chips are generally only gathered by those who collect and are put on display. If you do elect to play with wood chips, it is important to understand that they are no longer very easy to find. In addition to this, they do not reflect the same quality and overall durability as types that are offered today.

Step 5:

There are many casino poker chips sold that are composed of plastic. These are not quite as durable as clay poker chips, or even metal poker chips, but they are reasonably priced and serve many very well! If you are shopping for poker supplies on a budget, you will simply enjoy the design and light weight characteristics of plastic poker chips.

Step 6:

Now that you understand what type of casino poker chips are actually available today, the next step is to learn how many will be needed in order to enjoy a game with your peers. If you will be playing with up to three other players, it is probably appropriate to have at least two hundred chips on hand. For games that involve a total of up to six players, having about four hundred chips is appropriate. Six hundred chips are great for games with about eight players. Larger games that integrate up to about ten players benefit from having eight hundred or more poker chips on hand!

Step 7:

Now that you know a few steps on how to choose casino poker chips that are right for you, it is important to know where to shop for these items. There are many stores both online and in communities around the nation that specialize in gaming supplies. However, I feel that you will benefit from a store with a lot of variety and discounted prices. For this reason, I highly recommend using Poker Stars Direct. This online store offers high quality, discounted prices, and exceptional customer service. Be sure to check out the "Resource" section below for direct links to this online gaming super store!

Let Brian Garvin and Poker Pro Jeff West teach you more about Poker Chips and Casino Poker Chips at Poker Stars Direct. Use this article freely but please leave the Author Biography and Links intact.

History of Poker Chips

Poker chips have been around for almost as long as the game of poker itself has been around. Although, these poker chips were definitely not what you or I would pick up for a gaming session with our buddies. During the 1800s, as poker and gaming in general was gaining popularity across the United States, particularly in the west, there was a need to keep track of the game play and of winnings and losses.

Not everybody had the same currency, and some people had no currency at all. Instead, perhaps they had small pieces of gold they were able to mine out or other expensive ores, gems or minerals. Maybe they just had a lot of supplies or even exotic or hard to grow foods. This was all most people had, so these were used by players as poker chips. However, there was also need for standardization and larger amount of chips.

Players wanted to play with more money than they always carried with them, or if they did have their money with them, they didn't want to leave it on a table with a bunch of angry, edgy guys getting drunk and losing their money. And who can blame them for that? So bars and gambling houses began providing poker chips to these players. They would hold on to the money, probably collect a fee for their efforts, and everybody would be on an equal playing ground and their money and valuables would be safe.

Of course, there was no such thing as plastic in these days, or any mass produced poker chips of any kind. In place of these items were stones, pieces of wood and even bones. These small gaming houses, which were also probably brothels as well, began the trend of taking people's money or valuables and turning it into house poker chips that had the same value. But in fact, the history of poker chips can actually be extended much farther back and across the globe. Different civilizations loved to gamble and different kinds of games were played by all, all with their own "poker chips" to keep track of it all.

By the late 1800s, there were finally clay poker chips being made. As technology improved and new materials and production methods began appearing, plastic chips and acrylic chips also started to be made. Other materials include ivory and composites of stones and other materials.

The History of Poker Chips - Paying Dividends for Poker Players Today

By the middle of the 20th century, the massive casinos that have come to be the preferred destination for gamblers around the globe began to popularize. This meant two things, both of which have helped all poker players everywhere. First, there was a need to start producing literally millions of poker chips. These casinos are massive and they have thousands of people playing at any given time and there's more casinos than one could count.

Secondly, there was a need to be able to separate and authenticate the multitudes of poker chips on the market. With today's technology, that means that poker chips used by casinos have microchips implanted in them, weigh very specific amounts and come with different sizes and textures. Of course, a casino's poker chips are also intricately designed and styled so they cannot be forged by a would be counterfeiter.

But because of the companies that now have the ability to mass produce millions of poker chips and because they also have the ability to customize these poker chips to every possible detail, the average poker player like you or I benefits the most. That's because finally there are extremely high quality, affordable and customizable poker chips that we can use for our personal games.

A good set of poker chips used to set you back enough so that you probably couldn't even play any poker for a while after you bought them! That's not the case anymore, as you can buy a great set, that looks and feels great, and impresses your buddies, for extremely cheap prices.

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Poker Chips Will Enhance Your Home Game

If you asked twenty people why they play poker, they would all say, "To make money" - and they'd all be lying. "To make money" is the reason that people go to work every day; it's not the reason they play poker.

People play poker for the challenge. They play it for the camaraderie. They play for the experience. They play to have fun. Poker is a rich and complicated experience. It's a game that takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. It's a game that demands respect.

Anyone can run a home game with nothing but a deck of cards and a kitchen table and that's fine if you're only goal is to make money. But there's something empty about playing poker with dollar bills on a kitchen table. It's like drinking wine straight from the bottle. There's just something wrong about it.

Cheap poker chips aren't much better than dollar bills. The experience is a little better, but the chips sound hollow and they're clumsy to handle. You may not be drinking wine straight from the bottle anymore, buy you are drinking it from a water glass-not much better.

Now imagine a poker game that's set up on a beautiful new Texas Hold'em table with a new set of clay poker chips. The felt is soft and it makes sweeping the chips easy. The clay chips provide and added dimension to the game- the soft, musical clinking sound that occurs when you toss the chips in the pot. Now you're drinking wine from fine crystal stemware.

A good set of poker chips is still a necessity for those players who insist that they play poker only for money. Psychological studies show that people play looser when they use poker chips.

The reason for the looser play is because poker chips are symbolic representations of real money. It's easier to throw a $100 chip into the pot than it is to throw a $100 bill into the pot. Poker chips provide a mental degree of separation from "real money." That's good news for you because a loose home game is a profitable home game.

Looser games aren't the only benefit that poker chips provide. They provide a rich poker playing experience. They provide an authentic casino feel. Have you ever tried to rifle through a stack of dollar bills at a table? Not much fun. Not nearly as fun as shuffling chips or pulling off a chip twirl.

There's also something to be said about a nice set of poker chips as a status symbol. Cheap plastic chips say, "I play poker every once in a while." But a nice set of clay poker chips say, "I love this game; I'm a poker connoisseur- and I know what I'm doing." Those of you who've played with clay poker chips before know the difference they make in game play. Those of you who haven't, probably think I'm exaggerating.

If you haven't played with clay chips before, go out and get a set. It is truly a different poker playing experience and one not to be missed.

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What We Know About Dice Poker Chips

Anyone who enjoys playing poker is going to sooner or later want their own chips. Having your own chips guarantees that there will always be chips on hand when friends drop by even unexpectedly and you want to entertain them with a pick up game of poker. With so many different kinds of poker games it is easy to find a game everyone knows how to play or can pick up in a few minutes.

It is easy to buy poker chips at almost any department store and even some grocery stores carry them as well in their party supply section. However if you want something with a little more quality than a plastic chip you may want to look into clay resin chips as they look, feel and sound more like real casino chips and last far longer than do those cheap plastic chips. One of the more inexpensive but really great looking chips are Dice poker chips.

What are Dice Poker

Dice poker are simply poker chips made of clay resin that feature as part of their rim design pictures of dice. The chips are named for this picture. You can purchase dice chips in a variety of colors and individually as well as in gaming sets.

Who Sells Dice Poker Chips

Almost anyone who sells a variety of poker will have dice poker chips for sale. Many people find these chips attractive and well designed and choose this design quite often. Stores carrying poker, tables and gaming accessories will probably have a set of dice chips or you can find them online. Simply type in dice poker in your search box and you will come up with a variety of sellers who are more than willing to supply you with a set of dice poker chips.

Individual Dice Chips

Some companies offer individual dice poker for sale. These individual chips can be bought to replace lost or worn out chips for your dice set, or can be purchased by a collector who enjoys collecting chips of different designs much like a coin collector enjoys purchasing new coins for their collection. While you can make up your own chip set from purchasing these chips individually you are better off to get a set that comes with a carrying and storage case to keep your chips in good condition and all together.

Sets of Dice Chips

Dice poker chips come in different numbered sets to meet just about any poker or game playing need. Many times these sets include dice and cards as well as the chips. They all come in a convenient carrying case which helps to keep all your game supplies in one neat and convenient package.

300 Piece Set- The 300 piece dice poker set is the ideal set for the beginner poker player who is just starting out and doesn't know if playing poker is just going to be a phase or a long term passion. These sets usually contain 11.5 gram resin chips with a metal insert to make stamping the design easier.

Most sets include 100 white, 50 red and 50 blue chips although you may be able to find sets offering you a choice of colors. Look for a set that comes with an aluminum case and includes two decks of cards and 5 dice and you will be set for just about any type of gaming that strikes your fancy.

300 piece dice poker chip sets are good for 3 or 4 players.

500 piece sets- You can also buy dice poker sets that have 500 chips. These sets usually have 150 white chips, 150 red chips 100 green chips and 50 each blue and black chips. They too come with 2 decks of cards and 5 dice so that you can enjoy a variety of games of chance.

Many of these 500 piece sets also include a dealer button. The aluminum case is sturdy enough to hold all your chips and convenient enough to travel. It is nice looking and the heavy duty hinges will make it long lasting so that you won't have to replace the case in order to keep your gaming supplies all in one spot.

650 piece set- The 650 piece dice poker chip case comes with the same style chips and and aluminum case as do the other dice poker chip cases. They also include a dealer button for Texas Hold'em and two decks of cards. This set is for the more serious poker player who enjoys playing with a little larger group of people and wants to have the chips to accommodate everyone.

1000 piece set- The thousand piece dice poker chip set is for the person who enjoys having a crowd for those Thursday night poker tournaments. This set is designed to accommodate 14 to 16 players and comes with 300 white, 300 red, 200 blue, 100 green and 100 black chips.

You also get ten dice instead of the normal 5 dice that accompanies these sets and 4 decks of playing cards as well as 2 dealer buttons. This is the perfect set for the really serious poker player who loves the thrill of tournament play. Just imagine 4 tables of 4 players each where the winner takes all. This is some serious neighborhood poker playing.

Like the other sets this 1000 piece dice poker chip set comes with an aluminum case to keep every thing right at your fingertips.

For those who wish a little more fancy dice poker chip there are also tri colored chips available.

Whether you are a new poker player just starting out or an old hand at the game who enjoys the thrill of tournament like play there is a dice poker chip set available for you. These nice looking chips have the look and feel and casino chips at a more than reasonable price.

Learn more about Poker Chips and Casino Poker Chips from Brian Garvin & Jeff West at Poker Stars Direct.

What Is A Good Weight For Poker Chips?

I have been playing poker since my college days. I went to a small school in western Massachusetts. The funny thing is back in those days we would use anything as poker chips. It was not uncommon for us to scrape our pennies together or even break open a bag of potatoes chips that we heisted from the dorm room across the hall to use as our poker chips. Well since then I have matured and in this article I will talk about 13.5g poker chips.

I highly recommend using 13.5g poker chips.13.5g poker chips are the heaviest chips available on the poker market today and are typically of the highest quality grade. These poker chips feel like casino quality chips because they usually are casino quality and are a ton of fun to play with. In fact, these chips are usually better then casino quality poker chips. Think about it a little. The companies that produce these chips have stiff competition and casinos would not pay that much money for the quality of the chips we get on the market! A typical casino uses the 11.5 gram chips that are 39mm in diameter.

The 13.5 gram chips are a little heavier and usually a stronger chip. Again I recommend these. For example, when you have your buddies over playing a tourney and they are dropping the chips on the floor and spilling beer on them. Figuring out what kind of poker chip to splurge on, especially if you play often is important too. Those of you who host poker games should make sure your chips can withstand the consistent handling. (see above about dropping on floor) 13.5g chips are perfect for regular players because the wear and tear that human hands place on chips can be a force. Poker chips are often handled aggressively, (everyone likes to shuffle them etc..) and the cheap ones just may fall victim to the trash can after a dozen games.

Your 13.5g poker chips will compliment your poker set nicely. Good poker supplies make a huge difference in the world. Don't ever even think about short changing your game if it is something you really like. Spend a few extra bucks to get something nice that will last you a lifetime.

You can find 13.5g poker chips pretty much anywhere now. I have seen them at casinos, novelty stores, gaming stores but more importantly online gaming stores. Online gaming stores are turning up all over cyberspace and will often provide you with far cheaper price options for your high quality poker chips. If you don't feel like hopping in your car and heading to a local store, then do yourself a favor and take a peek and see what you can find on the web. However, be careful, do some homework, and don't settle on a store that is not highly suggested by other poker nuts!

In conclusion, take your time when choosing your 13.5g poker chips. Do some quick research and find a reliable source for your poker chips and accessories. Make sure you find the cheapest price for the amount of chips your willing to purchase. So at your next poker tournament that you host you will look like a king and not a peasant!

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Clay Poker Chips: Free Cleaning Tips

It's traded hand to hand, shuffled from one side of the table to the next, and tossed back into the pot time and time again. It sees a lot of action, and represents everything that you bring to the table. Of course you've guessed it; I'm referring to the darling of the table, the poker chip.

Poker chips get handled, tossed and raked by everyone at the table. It's at this time when poker chips tend to pick up not only body oils from the players hands and fingers, but also tiny bits of food and beverages always present at a poker game. After repeated exposure to these conditions, poker chips can begin to change in appearance. The buildup of oils and food particles which get deposited during play will turn any shiny poker chip turn into a grimy token no one wants to pick up.

If your poker chips are beginning to offend your senses, then it's most definitely time to clean them. Just how you clean them comes down to personal preference, but there are a few general guidelines you can follow to keep your poker chips in pristine fashion, without damaging the chips. Please note that the following suggestions do not cover the cleaning of vintage poker chips. You are advised to seek out a qualified professional to clean vintage poker chips.

Although the choice in cleaning supplies seems limitless, when it comes to cleaning poker chips your choices are considerably narrowed down for you. In fact, there are three very important properties that your chosen poker chip cleanser must possess before it can be considered for use. To prevent damage to your poker chips, make your choice wisely.

When choosing the cleanser you intend to use, it's important to remember the cleanser must pass the following three very crucial criteria:

Removes Grime Buildup. The cleanser should be able to remove the aforementioned body oils and food particles adequately.

Leaves Ink Intact. The last thing you want is to remove the ink from your poker chips while cleaning. Be sure the cleanser isn't harsh enough to dissolve ink.

Leaves Poker Chips Hydrated. It may sound a little strange, but poker chips do need a certain level of moisture left in them, or they will become brittle. Avoid using agents such as rubbing alcohol, as it can remove ink and dry out your poker chips.

Some of the cleansers that veteran poker players use to clean their poker chips are mild hand dishwashing detergent, Sterling Magic and Armor All Multi-Purpose Cleaner. When using the Armor All, be sure you get the multi purpose cleaner and not the Armor All tire cleaner or other Armor All products as they will damage your poker chips. Another popular cleanser to use is called Quick'n'Brite. When used properly, all the above mentioned cleansers will clean your poker chips without any harmful side effects.

When cleaning poker chips, it's best to use a very soft-bristled baby toothbrush, or a very soft cotton towel. Pay special attention to protecting the center design. Try keeping your thumb over the center of the poker chip while using the toothbrush around the outer edge.

Rinse the poker chips in a bowl of water and wipe them dry with a soft towel or terry cloth. After a good gentle cleaning, you can add extra shine by giving them a dip in baby oil to restore luster. As always, due diligence is required by testing your cleaning method on one poker chip to see if you get the desired results.

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Buying Poker Chips: Clay, Custom, and Casino Chip Sets

If you're in the market for poker chips, it's a good idea to get the chip which best suits your needs. Poker chips come in varying weights and are made from different types of materials. The intended use should be the primary factor taken into consideration while making your poker chip purchase.

Poker chips come in different sizes which are measured by weight in grams. The most popular chip used in casinos is the 11.5 gram chips which are 39mm in diameter. These poker chips are used for their pleasing weight and size, plus they are not the most expensive poker chips on the block. With the amount of handling and abuse poker chips suffer, casinos would rather not shell out the extra money for the most expensive poker chips.

Actually, who could blame the casinos for wanting to reduce the costs involved in keeping an item which can be put in the players pocket and taken from the casino? Collecting poker chips is growing in popularity, so logically the amount of poker chips leaving the casino premises would also be on the rise.

If you're in the market for a regular game night with your friends type of chip, you may want to go with a less expensive poker chip yourself. If that is the case, then you have the option of going with the low budget ABS plastic poker chip. If you're intent is to impress your friends, or have a local charity poker night gala, then you may opt for the next step up the ladder which is the mother-of-pearl chip. The mother-of-pearl chips are also referred to as 'plaques'.

The clay chip is next in line, and most of them are made of ABS plastic with a metal insert to give it an extra bit of weight, which makes for a more pleasant feel to the hand. Some clay poker chips are made of a 'clay composite', and are what is currently considered to be the top of the line in poker chips.

A new poker chip to make it on the scene is called 'Nexgen', which is made up of a type of clay composite material with a metal insert added to give it a weight of either 13gm or 15gm. It is yet to be seen whether this new poker chip will become the next favorite among avid poker players, or become the new choice for casinos.

You can purchase poker chips at novelty stores, online auctions, casinos and online gaming and hobby stores. Of course the price you pay for your poker chips will depend on the type of chips you choose, and the vendor. Before buying any of the higher end poker chips you should always do your research, and also ask other poker players where they purchase their poker chips.

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Poker Chip Sets - From Coins to Professional Clay Poker Chips

Poker Chip Sets - Where did it all start?

Keeping a straight flush or better yet, a royal flush in your hand is indeed a sign of a good hand. You can play all you can, stack poker chips over and over again, but did it ever strike you how this game of poker started? It has always been stated by philosophers all over the world how important it is to know your historical roots. One poet even cryptically said that he who cannot draw over three thousand years is living from hand to mouth, whatever that means.

To save you from the trouble of understanding that line, it simply means that you have to know your historical roots in order to become a human being, or a true poker player for this matter. In a game of poker, you surely don't want to look like a sore loser right? Yes, it is understandable that studying history can become so boring. It must be so tedious that you must have slept your history classes way back in school, unless you are a history aficionado. In any case, poker chips and threrefore poker chip sets also have a history of their own, which is quite interesting to say the least. So why not take a little break from the games and know a thing or two on how poker chip sets came to be.

Poker Chip Sets - A History of Poker

First, it is a good idea to start the lesson with poker itself. There would not be any poker chip sets if there was not any game to play with them, right? Anyway, the history of poker is arbitrary, just as a heated game of it with drunken friends who are trying to cheat each other. Truth is that the game does not seem to have an origin, so how can you learn about the history of poker chip sets? Do not be saddened, because that just shows how old poker is today. Anyway, the first reference to the game in history was through a book of rules written by Jonathan H. Green back in 1834, where the game was an addiction among Mississippi natives.

It was even called the cheating game, no wonder. At least you now know that the game did not start in Las Vegas and that the game has involved a bit of cheating ever since it came into being. To continue, the game was first played with only 20 cards, using only the top five highest cards, namely the aces, the kings, the queens, the jacks, and the tens. During the time that Green was writing about the cheating game, poker was the number one game along the Mississippi River.

Poker Chip Sets - The Evolution of Poker

The game has evolved a lot of times since, starting from 20 cards, then going to 32, and finally reaching 52, plus 2 additional jokers. Still, the origin of the word poker remains a subject of debate. Some say that it came from the French poque, others claim that it must be the German pochspiel, while another group thinks that it is the Hindi pukka. Whatever it is, there is still an element of poker in it, all of the words starting with the letter P, perhaps? It does not end there yet, because there are some explanations that trace it to the English slang poke, which is no less used to describe the activities of a pickpocket.

The pickpockets added an R to disguise themselves. A more occult and magical point of view is believing that the word came from hocus-pocus. Now there are so many ruckuses as to how poker came around to be called poker, but it is still interesting to know that there are actually people who would flush each other just for the sake of naming things, not to mention the handful of foreign terms that you now have for your own use. Now how about the poker chip sets?

Poker Chip Sets - What came before poker chips?

In the early beginnings of the game, different gamblers had different currencies. Coins and gold nuggets were first used a long, long time ago. Widespread gambling had begun around the 18th century, and at that point, the differences in coins became a problem. To come up with a solution, gambling places, but not necessarily casinos, gave the gamblers an alternative. They used bone, clay, ivory, paper, shellac, and wood as substitutes. Yet another problem was created because of this. The cheating gamblers turned to forgery, which forced gambling establishments to brand their own substitutes in some way to make them unique in some way.

Come to think of it, poker chip sets were, in a sense, created to keep those cheaters away. But it doesn't change the fact that even when casinos become popular, chip forgery was still an activity not unknown to gamblers and establishments alike. Now that is the reason why each casino has its own specially designed chip that are extremely hard to copy. Indeed, it has become a challenging but exciting task to have their own brand of poker chips. It is also worth mentioning that by this time, the poker chip sets are now of various sizes and materials, depending on the value of a certain chip.

Poker Chip Sets - Technology

With the progression of technology, there are now many manufacturers of poker chip sets which serve many casinos. The chips also had a standard size and weight, which is 39 millimeters in diameter and 8.5 grams to 20.5 grams. Now the chips also come in various quality materials and beautiful designs. Some even have microchips implanted on them, just to put a stop to forgery. These chips are not only available in casinos, but they have also become available to the public. It was because of the seemingly endless frenzy with poker that poker chip sets can now be seen at dining tables in many homes.

Now you know how the poker chip came into light. It is not actually the game itself that brought it into this world, but it is the means of substituting the money waged in poker that made poker chips the way they are. It is an invention out of practicality and convenience, you might say.

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Quality Poker Chips Are the Best Choice for Texas Holdem Home Poker Games

Success in poker is determined by two factors; the cards you are dealt and how you bet those cards. This applies in the casino, on-line or at home in a friendly game with your home poker buddies. Making the right bet at the right time will allow you to get the most out of your poker hand. How you organize and manage the proceeds of your betting, i.e. your winnings, will determine your eventual overall success or failure at your home poker games. The one with the most money or the biggest stack wins. It is important at all times during a poker game, to know the exact size of your stack so that you can make quick accurate bets. When home poker was primarily a penny ante game of dealer's choice, using loose change for betting, keeping track of your bank roll was not easy. Pennies, nickels dimes and quarters do not stack well. If the game was being played for higher stakes, the same applied trying to stack and manage paper money. Coins or bills were usually kept in a pile or piles in front of the poker player. It was difficult to get a quick accurate count when a player was required to make a raise or to call a bet. To further complicate the issue, gambling was and still is, illegal so any open display of money could cause legal issues. With the emergence of the No-Limit Texas Holdem Poker era, a better way to organize and manage home poker stacks was required.

This problem was quickly solved with the poker market being flooded by millions of poker sets of composite plastic poker chips mostly from China. However, these chips tended to be miss-matched, with inconsistent size, thickness and color. The current day poker player wants a poker chip that allows them to do the same things they see the Texas Holdem pros do on TV or in live tournaments. They want a weighted, easily stacked, easily identified, standard diameter and non-slippery poker chip. They want to be able to stack their chips to get a quick accurate count of their chip stack and to shuffle or perform other tricks with their poker chips, just like the pros. They want to feel like professionals when they are playing their home poker games. Creating a proper poker atmosphere will allow them to feel like pros, think like pros and desire to play like pros. Top professional quality poker chips can be a major component in creating a more professional attitude at your home Texas Holdem poker games.

There are many high quality casino grade poker chips on the market today that are ideal for home poker games. All-clay casino grade poker chips appear to be the most desired as they are known for their true clay feel, appearance and sound. However, plastic composite poker chips are making a strong impact as new manufacturing technologies are able to replicate the feel, sound, and appearance of the clay poker chips. Their quality has reached a point where these new generation plastic composite chips are also making an appearance in casinos around the world. Ceramic poker chips are also a viable alternative for home poker games. They have a professional feel and high quality graphics that have enabled them to gain a portion of the casino and home poker market.

Whatever your personal preference, all the aforementioned poker chips have a casino feel and sound with a consistent weight and size. They are easily stacked and easily identified to provide a quick accurate count. This accurate count will enable you to make a quick accurate bet and to ultimately, allow you to make the correct bet, at the right time, thereby increasing your chances for making the most of the hand that your have been dealt.

Chris Massini
Whether you play your home Texas Holdem or other poker games in a permanent home game room with a full size deluxe poker table, a family recreation room with a folding table or on a household table, the success of your home poker night is affected by your choice of poker chips. High quality poker chips help create a more professional and enjoyable atmosphere at your home poker games. Because we are an online business with lower overhead and operating costs we are able to provide the best quality professional poker supplies at the best possible prices. We are also able to provide you with fast, individual service and make customer satisfaction a priority. Visit our website today to view our entire line of professional quality Texas Hold'em poker supplies.