Poker chips do not come with their value stamped into the rules of the game. Whatever colour a chip is, it is worth whatever your table agrees it is worth. That is freeing, but it also means every host has to make a few decisions before the first hand.
This guide covers poker chip values and colours, how to choose sensible poker chip denominations for a cash game, and how to plan home poker tournament chips, including starting stacks and a simple blind structure.
There is no single standard, only conventions
It is tempting to look for an official colour chart, but there is not one. Casinos follow their own habits, which vary from room to room and country to country. What exists is a set of conventions that many players recognise, and which make a game easier to pick up when guests are used to them.
Three principles matter more than any particular colour chart:
- Agree the values before play starts. Say them out loud, or write them on a card in the middle of the table.
- Keep it simple. Four or five denominations are enough for most home games. Six gives you extra flexibility.
- Be consistent. If red is worth 5 in the first hour, it should still be worth 5 in the last.
If you buy a set with several colours, you can follow a convention below, or ignore it completely and set your own. Nobody will mind as long as the values are clear.
Typical colour conventions (UK home games and the US casino convention)
Many UK home games use small, round numbers and a short list of colours. The US casino convention is widely seen in films and online, so lots of players know it, but it is built around larger casino stakes.
Here is how the two commonly compare. Both are conventions, not rules.
| Colour | Common UK home game value | US casino convention |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1 | 1 |
| Red | 5 | 5 |
| Blue | 10 | 10 |
| Green | 25 | 25 |
| Black | 100 | 100 |
| Purple | 500 | 500 |
| Yellow or grey | 1,000 | 1,000 |
You will see that, at the lower end, the conventions overlap a good deal. The main difference in practice is the unit. A UK home game usually treats a white chip as 1p, 5p, or just "1" with no currency attached, depending on the stakes. In a tournament, the units are simply points and no money changes hands at the table.
If you play both formats, you can keep the same colours for both and just change what the number means. White might be 5p in a cash game and 25 in a tournament.
Choosing values for a cash game
For a cash game, start from the buy-in and work backwards.
- Pick the buy-in. This is the amount each player pays for their starting stack, for example a fixed amount agreed with your regulars.
- Pick the smallest bet. This is usually the small blind or the ante. The lowest chip value should match it, so nobody needs change for the opening bet.
- Choose a stack of around 50 chips. A common convention is to hand each player a mix that adds up to the buy-in, using enough low-value chips for the first rounds of betting.
- Check the largest value. The highest chip should be worth no more than a fifth or a tenth of a full buy-in, so a single chip never dominates the table.
A typical cash game stack might look like this, assuming a buy-in worth 100 units and using the UK-style values above:
- 10 white chips (1 each) = 10
- 8 red chips (5 each) = 40
- 5 blue chips (10 each) = 50
That is 23 chips for 100 units, so you could easily scale up the white and red quantities for deeper play. The key point is to give players more small chips than large ones so that betting is smooth and change is easy.
If your friends regularly rebuy, keep a "bank" of spare chips at the side of the table, with someone in charge of swapping cash for chips. Our guide on how many poker chips you need covers how large that bank should be.
Choosing values and starting stacks for a tournament
Tournaments are simpler in one way and fussier in another. Nobody buys extra chips mid-game (unless you allow re-buys), but you do need to plan how the stacks and blinds fit together.
Starting stack. A popular convention is to give each player 50 to 100 big blinds at the start. Deeper stacks mean a longer game and more room for skill, while shallow stacks make for a faster night. If you only have a couple of hours, lean towards the shallow end.
Chip mix. Hand out mostly small and medium chips, with a few larger ones. That way, players have enough low denominations for the early blinds, and the larger chips come into play as the blinds go up.
Colouring up. As the blinds rise, the smallest chips become awkward. At a break, you collect those chips and swap them for larger ones. It reduces clutter and keeps the game moving. Having a spare denomination or two that is not used at the start makes this much easier.
Number of players. For an evening with six to ten players, a 500-piece set is usually plenty. The same arithmetic works for any group size: multiply players by chips per stack, add a reserve, and check you are under your total.
An example, using a starting stack of 10,000 per player at white = 25, red = 50, blue = 100, green = 500 and black = 1,000, might be 4 white, 6 red, 6 blue, 6 green and 6 black, which adds up to 28 chips per player. It is a light stack in chip count but a healthy one in big blinds.
A simple blind structure
A blind structure tells everyone how the stakes rise. Aim for a new level every 15 to 20 minutes for an evening game. If you want to finish in around three hours, the shorter interval keeps pressure on.
Here is a straightforward structure, based on a starting stack of 10,000 (50 big blinds at the first level):
| Level | Small blind | Big blind | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 200 | 50 big blinds each to start |
| 2 | 150 | 300 | |
| 3 | 200 | 400 | |
| 4 | 300 | 600 | Break: colour up the white chips |
| 5 | 400 | 800 | |
| 6 | 600 | 1,200 | |
| 7 | 800 | 1,600 | |
| 8 | 1,000 | 2,000 | Break: colour up the red chips |
| 9 | 1,500 | 3,000 | |
| 10 | 2,000 | 4,000 | Short stacks go all-in or fold |
New to the game? Our guide on how to play Texas Hold'em explains blinds, the flop, turn and river.
Adjust the pace for your group. If you find the early levels drag, shorten them; if the game is ending too quickly, lengthen them. A tournament timer from the Poker Accessories range takes the job of watching the clock away from the host, and a dealer button helps everyone keep track of position.
As the blinds rise, knowing which starting hands to play matters more. The Poker Whizz Wheel is a handy pre-flop strategy guide for newer players: it rates all 169 Texas Hold'em starting hands and shows when to play them from early, middle or late position.
When a custom set makes sense
Most people are well served by a ready-made mix. If you would like more control over what is in the box, the Tangiers sets offer a choice.
The 500pcs Tangiers Casino poker set is sold in two versions:
- Standard Set: the chips come with the standard values.
- Custom Set: you choose your own mix of chips, in multiples of 25, from the values that are available.
The 1000pcs Tangiers Casino set offers the same choice. A Custom Set is worth considering if:
- you run mostly tournaments and want extra chips in a particular denomination;
- you play for small stakes and want more low-value chips than a standard mix provides;
- you have a regular blind structure and know exactly which values you will use.
If you are not sure yet, the Standard Set is a perfectly good place to start. You can always top up later with loose poker chips, which come in rolls of 25. For a closer look at weight and materials, see our guide to poker chip weights and materials.
Printing or labelling your own values
Some hosts like their chips to show the value directly, which removes any doubt for new players.
A printed value takes away the need for a colour chart and is especially handy if you invite guests who do not play regularly.
It is a good idea to plan ahead if you need chips for a particular event, and to check the details before you order.
A few general tips for labelled chips:
- Keep values short. Numbers such as 25 or 1K are easy to read at a glance.
- Use contrast. Dark text on pale chips, or the reverse, makes values easier to read in dim lighting.
- Stay consistent. If you label some chips, label every denomination so that nothing is ambiguous.
Still unsure which route suits you? The FAQ answers common questions, and you are welcome to get in touch.
Shop the range
- 500pcs Tangiers Casino poker set
- Poker Accessories (timers, dealer buttons)
- Loose Poker Chips (rolls of 25)
- Poker Whizz Wheel (pre-flop strategy guide)
Related guides: How many poker chips do you need | Poker chip weights and materials | How to host a poker night