When hosting a home poker game, the quality of the poker chips can add to the experience and enjoyment of your players. Cheap plastic, low-quality chips should be avoided if at all possible. Take my advice, spend a few extra bucks, and purchase a high-end quality poker chip set.

  1. Heavy clay composite chips have the look and feel of authentic casino chips, making them great for poker enthusiasts. Composite chips made of heavy compressed plastic have a more slippery feel and make a harder clicking sound compared to clay composite chips. Carry cases designed with sponge linings help to protect poker chips.
  2. Poker chips are integral equipment, since they represent the currency used in each bet. Some important considerations when picking out poker chips are material and weight. The most popular materials for poker chips are plastic or composite for casual use, and ceramic or clay for casino or professional quality.

The 3 best quality poker chip set brands

Now let’s go through each type of poker chip so that you not only know what to choose but also what to avoid.

Poker chips are integral equipment, since they represent the currency used in each bet. Some important considerations when picking out poker chips are material and weight. The most popular materials for poker chips are plastic or composite for casual use, and ceramic or clay for casino or professional quality. The Chip Cave has the largest selection of clay-composite, ceramic, and plastic poker chips around. It’s as if you’re a kid in a candy store, where the candy is replaced with poker chips. I know, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Types of Poker Chips

The construction of the poker chip is what determines the quality and durability of a chipset. There are basically 5 types of poker chips:

  1. Pure plastic – Most commonly associated with the $10 kind you might see at the corner store. Good for kids only or if you want to play tiddlywinks. There are very few cheap plastic brands that are decent.
  2. Plastic with a metal slug – Has a metal weight inserted and often very basic markings. Sellers often claim these are “casino quality.” Don’t be fooled, they are often poorly made.
  3. China clay – The entry model design for quality chips. You can find some attractive chips at this level but the durability is generally lacking.
  4. Premium clay – These are often really good chips that have a casino feel and yet an affordable price. These are a good choice if you don’t like the “slick” feel of ceramic chips.
  5. Ceramic – Usually the top choice among discerning players. Ceramic chips come with an inlay design (not a sticker). As far as quality and weight go, you can’t beat these chips. 90% of poker players will probably prefer ceramic.

The Top Poker Chip Set Brands

#1. Scroll Ceramic Poker Chips

With a simple yet elegant design, these chips are my favorite choice in high-quality poker chips. While they are not as flashy or “exciting” they are also not gimmicky and are less likely to go out of style.

#2. Nile Club Ceramic Poker Chips

Nile Club poker chips are a very close second. With a denser harder feeling and a unique design, they are just downright cool in every way. Also, if you are looking for a bigger variety in denominations this is the brand to get.

#3. Nevada Jack Skull Ceramic Poker Chips

The most expensive of the three. However, they are arguably the most popular chip ever made. If you are looking for flashy then this is your chip. Design wise, they tend to feel more “plasticky” and somewhat softer than other brands. Even so, the quality is unmatched.

Reviews

Let’s take a closer look at each brand so that you can make an informed decision.

1. Scroll Poker Chips

Scroll poker chips have a simple”everyman” design that will appeal to a wide audience. They are not gimmicky and are unlikely to go out of style. If you want something more flashy or exciting, get the Nile club or Nevada Jacks.

Scroll Features

Beyond aesthetics, I really like how the Scroll chips have big easy to read numbers as well as denominations listed on the sides. They definitely also have more texture to them than most other chips. This doesn’t really add or detract from them, I just thought it was worth mentioning.

Scroll Poker Chip Specifications

  • Size– ~39.3mm wide, ~3.32mm thick
  • Weight – Just under 10 grams
  • Materials – Ultra-Hard Plastic
  • Design – Victorian traditional with square non-rounded edges
  • Texture – Coarse with a middle of the road density
  • Durability – Excellent
  • Sound – Firm to middle of the road
  • Value– Excellent for the class
  • Denominations Available= .50, $1, $5, $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000

Which Denominations Come in This Set?

The 600-piece set shown here comes with:

  • 150 each of $1 and $5 chips
  • 100 each of $25 and $100 chip
  • 50 each of $500 and $1,000 chips

What Kind of Case Comes with the Set?

Unlike the cheap metal case that is standard with most sets, the Scroll chips come with a really cool high-quality clear acrylic case. You can see the chips inside, which adds a bit of class and I think is a nice touch.

Cons

Here are a couple of minor issues associated with this set that you should be aware of:

  • Coarse texture – Those that like really smooth chips may not like the coarse texture of the chip surface.
  • Limited denomination selection – If you are looking for a poker chip brand with a really wide selection of denominations, you will find Scroll limited. There is a .50 chip and $1 chip but then it jumps to $5. This is fine for tournament games but cash game players might find this insufficient.

2. Nile Club Poker Chips

I have to admit, I actually have a soft spot for these chips. Being a history nerd I simply love the Egyptian theme.

The Nile’s definite have an interesting unique, yet simple, look. Each denomination has a different Egyptian themed image. I am pretty sure that these are going to be a big hit no matter what type of home game you play in.

Nile Club Features

While ceramic chips are actually really hard plastic, the Nile Clubs actually feel like real ceramic. These feel the densest of all ceramic chips.

Scroll Poker Chip Specifications

  • Size – ~39.25mm wide, ~3.35mm thick
  • Weight – 10 grams
  • Materials – Ultra-Hard Plastic
  • Design – Egyptian theme with each denomination unique. Edges are flat with beveled edges.
  • Texture – Semi-smooth matte finish, often shiny at edges. Feel harder than some other designs and actually feel like real ceramic.
  • Durability – Very good
  • Sound – Higher pitch sound due to hard feel
  • Value – Very good for the class
  • Denominations Available= $0.25, $0.50, $1, $2, $2.50, $3, $5, $10, $25, $100, $500, $1,000 (I love the fact that .50, $2, $2.50 $3 are an option, for cash game flexibility)

Denominations Customized For Each Set

When you purchase these chips, you have the option of ordering any combination of denominations you want. And the fact that there are 12 different dollar amounts to choose from, makes this a great option if you have specific needs for your home game.

The Best Choice for Low Stakes Cash Games

The fact that you can buy denominations as low as $.25 cents means that you can be really flexible when playing a home cash game. No longer are you stuck playing $1/$2 blinds any more. With this set, you can play an even “friendlier” game by offering blinds as low as 25c/50c.

What Chip Breakout Do You Recommend?

Choosing the right amounts of chips can be important. However, the chips you select will vary based on the type of games you host. Here are my quantity recommendations based on three different scenarios:

Poker

ChipsTournamentsSmall CashMid-Stakes Cash
$0.2501250
$1 0225100
$50100225
$2520050125
$100 150050
$50010000
$1,000 5000

Here are the stakes you can expect to play for cash games based on the set breakouts above:

  • Small Stakes Cash – .25/.50, .50/1, 1/2
  • Mid-Stakes Cash – 1/2, 2/5, 5/10

If you want to figure out your own distributions, here is a handy calculator you can use.

What Kind of Case Comes with the Set?

Unfortunately, this set does not come with a case. However, this gives you the option of either using a case you already have or buying one that you see fit. Here are two nice quality options to choose from:

  • Versa Games 500pc Deluxe Case (Click to see Amazon price)

Nile Club Cons

Here are a few minor imperfections in this set that you should know about:

  1. The chips are not always perfectly flat – While stacked the chips might easily spin. This is not uncommon among poker chips but some do a better job than others.
  2. Inconsistent texture – The chips are sometimes shiny at edges, sometimes they are the normal matte. This is not that noticeable but you will see it if you look closely.
  3. Small denomination labeling – The dollar amounts on the chips are a bit smaller than the other two options. They might be a bit hard to read for some.

I want to stress that these “cons” are extremely minor considerations and might not even be noticed by some buyers.

3. Nevada Jack Skull Poker Chips

Nevada Jack is a very popular brand due to the flashy design. However, this is the exact reason they did not make #1 or #2 on my list. I feel they might not appeal to a lot of serious players. The “old west” feel might be cheesy or tacky to some.

Basically, either you love or hate them.

Don’t get me wrong, these are extremely good quality and well-designed chips. They are very good for casual games where you don’t take things too seriously. Even so, the flashy design might eventually get old even to players who enjoy the design.

Neva Jack Features

Nevada Jack chips appear to have the most consistent quality of the three choices. There are no problems with “spinners” or flatness issues and the texture is consistent across all denominations. These have a nice feel and shuffle fairly easily for ceramics.

Scroll Poker Chip Specifications

  • Size – ~39.1mm wide, ~3.3mm thick
  • Weight – 9.3 grams
  • Materials – Ultra-Hard Plastic
  • Design – The inlay features a skull graphic with the dead man’s hand. The edges are slightly beveled but mostly flat.
  • Texture – Consistent subtle linen texture. They feel a bit softer than the other brands.
  • Durability – Excellent, virtually impossible to break
  • Sound – They sound the most “plasticky” of the three choices.
  • Value – A bit pricy
  • Denominations Available= .25, .50, $1, $5, $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000, $5,000

Which Denominations Come in This Set?

This 500-piece set comes with:

  • $1- 150
  • $5- 100
  • $25- 100
  • $100- 100
  • $500- 25
  • $1,000- 25

What Kind of Case Comes with the Set?

This 500-piece set comes with a standard aluminum case. The quality of the case does not do the chips justice, so you may want to invest in a better quality carrier. Once again, I recommend these cases:

  • Versa Games 500pc Deluxe Case (Click to see Amazon price)

Nevada Jack Cons

Here are a few minor imperfections in this set that you should know about:

  • Minor edge imperfections – Occasionally, upon close inspection, you can find a few minor concave areas. However, they are almost not worth mentioning since they actually are so minor you can’t feel them with your fingers.
  • Blue $1 chips – Some players might be so used to white $1 chips that they may be turned off by having to play with blue $1 chips.
  • Somewhat expensive – Expect to pay .20 to .30 more per chip for Nevada Jack chips.
Regeln

Poker Chip Variations

Pure plastic

Poker Regeln Chips Game

If you need a whole bunch of chips this is the way to go. Pure plastics can be bought in large quantity very cheaply.

Even so, if you are looking for high-quality chips at a lower price than ceramics, I recommend the Nextgen Pro Classics. They are an exceptionally beautiful set for the price.

Plastic with a metal slug

This type of poker chip is usually very heavy (up to 15 grams). While these chips do look nice, they are usually obviously cheaper looking. Even so, some people prefer the heavier weight.

If you decide you like heavier chips and want a really nice chipset I recommend the Monte Carlo Poker Club Set. It’s about as good as you can get in this class.

China clay

While often very attractive as far as poker chips go, china clay chips are typically easier to damage versus other types. Interestingly, they are not really made of clay at all but are actually really soft plastic.

They do feel very similar to actual casino chips. However, the labels are usually stick on and can peel off over time and can get dirty really easily. Even so, the cost is typically much cheaper than premium chips.

If you want chips that have a softer feel and might work best for chip tricks, I recommend the Milano Poker Set.

Premium clay

Premium clays feel and look very similar to a casino chip. There is no metal slug but they are weighted with heavy metals mixed in with the plastic. These are definitely easier to damage versus ceramics.

One bonus is that premium clay chips tend to have inlays and no stickers, which sets them apart from cheaper plastics or china clays.

If you want to save a lot of money and still get a great chipset, then I recommend some Monacos. Incidentally, premium clays are also a really good option for those that don’t like the slickness of ceramic.

Ceramic

After reading to this point, you already probably know a lot about ceramic chips. Even so, here are a few more interesting facts about ceramic poker chips:

  • In Ceramics, the inlay is almost never perfectly centered, it’s normal.
  • Chip Play/Tricks are difficult with ceramics due to the texture. If you don’t like the slick chips, go with Premium Clay.
  • All ceramic poker chips have “dimples” in the side where they were separated as part of the manufacturing process. You have to look closely, but they are there on every ceramic chip.
  • The inlay is almost never perfectly centered on all ceramics. However, this is usually minor and not noticeable unless you are looking for it.

Poker Chip Specifics

When it comes to purchasing the best quality poker chip set for hosting the perfect poker night, here are further explanations of the considerations used in this article:

  • Size
    Poker chips are almost universally around 39mm wide and 3mm thick.
  • Weight
    Ceramics are generally listed as 10 grams but actually, come in closer to 9 grams. You will find that cheaper chips actually tend to be heavier.
  • Materials
    Poker chips are almost universally made from some type of plastic. “Ceramic” poker chips are not made from the same material as ceramic dishes. Instead, are solid hardened plastic.
  • Design
    Cheaper chips usually come with a sticker. Quality chips come with a graphic inlay usually imprinted directly on the surface with no sticker necessary.
  • Texture
    Poker chips come with a wide variety of textures. They can range anywhere from very coarse to completely smooth. Ceramics tend to have slick edges, which are not the best for tricks. They are usually easy to shuffle but not as easy as other materials due to “slickness”.
  • Durability
    All chips wear, ceramics do on the edge very slowly. It’s normal to have a patina eventually. Clay chips wear, but it doesn’t show as much since they are solid color throughout. Ceramics are white underneath an inlay. Ceramics will still probably last decades for normal use and are virtually impossible to break by hand.
  • Sound
    The harder the materials, generally the higher pitched the sound. Ironically, high-end poker chips often sound cheap when you bump them together. This is because they are typically made of hardened plastic. China clays and premium clays tend to produce the most popular sound.
  • Value
    Cheap plastic chips can be under $.03 each while high-end ceramics can be well over $1 each. You almost always get what you pay for when it comes to poker chips.

Additional Home Game Products and Info

I have written other informational articles on hosting a poker home game. Be sure to check them out if you want to enhance your home game experience:

Summary

In this review I tried to find the best quality chip sets for the price. To my surprise, my favorite two chip sets that I recommend also happen to be among the most affordable out there.

I hope you enjoyed this review, be sure to comment if you know of any other chip sets that should have made the list.

Table Of Contents

Other Poker Game’s Rules:

Poker regeln chips game

Learning how to play poker should not be difficult. If you want to understand why so many people love this game, this beginner's guide to the rules and the basics of poker is all you need.

Poker is a simple game to learn, but the poker rules can be challenging for a complete beginner.

But don't let that put you off. It is not hard to learn how to play poker, and you can move from the basics of the game to the tables of the top online poker sites in no time.

Here's everything you'll learn in this guide on how to play poker:

  1. And lots more

Before you move to the 'practical' side of this guide on how to play the most popular variants of this game, you need to learn the basics of poker.

When most people say they want to know 'how to play regular poker,' they imply that they want to learn the basics of Texas Hold'em.

Texas Hold'em is (by far) the most popular poker game out there and it's the one you find at every online poker site.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg. With so many poker variants to play online and offline, the only proper guide on how to play poker for dummies is the one that gets you access to all the best games out there.

Not just to the most famous one.

Many poker rules are consistent from game to game, although among the dozens of variants such as Texas hold'em, Omaha, and seven-card stud you will find some ket differences you need to kno.

Let's have a quick look at the poker rules of the most played poker games online:

How to Play Texas Hold'Em

GameTexas Hold'em
How Many Players2-10
Poker RulesHow to play Texas hold'em

Also called the 'Cadillac of Poker,' Texas hold'em is the one you are going to play over and over again.

This is the most popular poker game online and it is also the one you are most likely to play with our friends in your next home game.

Whether you play it in the form of a tournament or as a ring-game, the basic poker rules and the hand rankings don't change.

> Discover how to play Texas Hold'em

How to Play Omaha Poker

GameOmaha Poker
How Many Players2-10
Poker RulesHow to play Omaha
Where to PlayTop poker sites

The second-most popular poker variant. Omaha poker finds its roots in the game of Texas Hold'em, although the rules of the two games are slightly different from each other.

Many players find learning how to play poker Omaha to be the natural step to take after they have successfully mastered the basics of Texas Hold'em.

In the poker rules page dedicated to the game, you find the perfect beginner's guide to moving your first steps in the world of Omaha.

> Learn how to play Omaha poker

How to Play Seven-Card Stud

GameSeven-Card Stud
How Many Players2-8
Poker RulesHow to play 7-card Stud
Where to PlayTop poker sites

Before Texas hold'em became king, anyone who wanted to learn the basic poker rules and how to play poker had to go through the game of seven-card stud.

As the name suggests, this is a variant of stud poker. 7-card stud is also the 'S' game in the H.O.R.S.E. poker — but if you are still learning how to play poker, it's probably too early for you to jump on that.

> Discover how to play seven-card stud poker

Other Poker Rules to Learn

If you want to go deeper and you want to learn how to play even more poker games, PokerNews is the right site for you.

Pick one poker variant to learn from the list that follows and find out how to play some of the most exciting and lesser-known poker games out there!

Use these guides to learn how to play poker and master not only the most 'obvious' games like Texas hold'em bu also all the other different variants out there.

In our guides for beginners, you find the official poker rules, the basic strategy tips, and the hand rankings — because knowing how to calculate points is key if you want to win at poker.

Common Traits of Most Poker Rules

The Value of Poker Hands

One element used in most poker variants is the system of hand rankings.

The highest ranked hand is a Royal Flush (five cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten), followed by a Straight Flush (five cards of the same suit of consecutive ranks).

The third-best combination is the Four-of-a-kind, which is then followed by the Full House (three of a kind plus one pair), the Flush, the Straight, the Three-of-a-kind, Two Pair, One Pair, and High Card or no pair.

When a hand reaches the showdown, the player with the highest-ranked hand wins the pot.

That's true of Texas hold'em, pot-limit Omaha, seven-card stud, and five-card draw.

Of course, in 'lowball' games like razz or deuce-to-seven triple draw, the hand rankings are turned upside down and the 'worst' hand according to traditional hand rankings is the winning one.

Poker Hands Ranking

  • Royal Flush10JQKA
  • Straight
    Flush
    56789
  • Four Of
    A Kind
    3333K
  • Full HouseJJJKK
  • Flush2459K
  • StraightA2345
  • Three Of
    A Kind
    45777
  • Two Pair499KK
  • One Pair3QK1010
  • High Card248QK
Download as PDF / ImageImage

Suggested Readings

  • Poker Hands Chart: The official classification of all poker hands with a free pdf to download and print.
  • What Beats What in Poker: the perfect starting guide to learn how to count points in poker and discover the real value of each hand.

Blinds and Ante Bets

Games like hold'em and Omaha feature small and big blinds, so called because they are 'blind' bets players have to make before they are dealt any cards.

Meanwhile stud games usually use 'antes', which also involve players putting chips in the middle before the hand begins.

From there players bet more as the hand progresses, thereby creating larger pots.

Limit vs. No Limit Poker Games

Some games are played with no-limit betting, which means players can bet as much as they like at any point in the hand, including going 'all in.'

Poker Regeln Wie Viele Chips

Pot-limit betting means that the current size of the pot creates an upper limit on how much a player can bet.

Games that are played with fixed-limit betting have predetermined amounts from which players cannot vary when they make their bets and raises.

Poker regeln ohne chips

The Action

There are other terms that tend to be used in all different poker games, including many having to do with the actions you perform when playing.

When the action is on you, you can:

  • Check: Decline to bet
  • Fold: Withdraw from the hand, if someone else has bet already
  • Bet: Place a wager on the table
  • Raise: Add more chips by matching your opponent's bet and putting in a greater amount.
  • Call: Match the bet of your opponents to stay in the hand and continue to play.

All of those terms are an important step in your journey to learn how to play poker since they tend to come up in all poker variants.

The Betting Rounds

In games with community cards like hold'em and Omaha (also sometimes called 'flop games'), the betting rounds are referred to as:

Poker Regeln Wert Der Chips

  • Preflop: The bets made before any community cards are dealt
  • Flop: The bets made after the first three community cards are dealt)
  • Turn: The bets made after the fourth community card
  • River The bets made after the fifth and last community card.

Suggested Readings

  • How to bet in poker: a beginner's guide to betting in Texas hold'em.
  • Texas hold'em betting tips: This short article gives you some actionable tips to learn how to play poker with your stack of chips.

Poker Regeln Chips Free

The Table Stakes

One other poker rule common to just about every variant of the you'll play – whether you are playing live poker or online poker – is one called 'table stakes.'

Table stakes means that once a hand begins, you can only bet whatever amount you had on the table to begin the hand and are not allowed to add anything more during the hand as it plays out.

If you only have $100 on the table to begin a hand, you can't pull out your wallet and add more halfway through the hand – you can only play out the hand with whatever you had to start.

Practice Poker Online for Free

Now that you know the basic poker rules and you have links to go back to your poker guides when you need to, it's time to look for the best websites to practice poker online.

Don't start to play poker for real money right away. Try out the games for free first. That's the only way to discover if you have really learned how to play poker.

Looking for a site to practice online poker for free?

Don't miss the updated list of the best free poker sites in 2020!

There are countless options to give the game a test run, but the best way is to try out the real deal.

Sign up for a poker account with one of the big online poker rooms and give the freerolls a try.

Poker Regeln Chips Poker

That way, you can practice poker online without any risk; you're not wagering any money.

And if you want to try out cash games instead of tournaments, all major poker sites online have so-called play money tables.

Poker Regeln Chips Wert

That way you can practice the game, learn the rules, and figure out how the software works, readying yourself for the big stage.

Register a free gaming account and test your poker knowledge in the next freeroll!