Poker Supplies – Buying Before You Play

Looking to host your own poker game at home?  If you’re just beginning to play poker, you’ll need to make a few purchases first – a few decks of cards and some playing chips.  Not all cards and chips are the same, though, and there are a few things you should know before you begin to deal.

Let’s begin with cards.  There are three different types of playing cards: plastic, vinyl and paper.  Plastic cards, used in most casinos, are the most durable cards and usually the best investment if you’re going to host more than one poker party.  Vinyl cards are a bit cheaper, but will bend and wear down easier than plastic cards.  Paper cards are the cheapest to buy, but will have to be replaced often. Here at BuyPokerSets.com we supply you with the best brands possible, here is what we offer for Playing cards.

You know your friends would never cheat.  However, serious poker players recommend choosing a deck of cards with a simple back design surrounded by a white border.  The white border makes bottom dealing or other forms of cheating more difficult to manage.  Cards with simple back designs are also more difficult to mark.  Choose cards that have faces that are easy to read, so that at 1:00 a.m., everyone at the table can still see what suits and numbers are showing.  Novelty cards add spice to your home game, just make sure that they are marked clearly enough to be used in serious play.

Now that you’ve selected your cards, you’ll need to decide what type of chips to buy.  (The kind used in play, not dip.)  As with cards, you need to consider how often you wish to play versus how often you wish to replace your chips. 

Casino quality chips have only been available to the home Poker player for only a few years.   Made from a synthetic polymer acrylic composite with a laminated center, these chips are the most expensive, and the most durable. If you’re looking for a chip that sounds and feels like a casino chip in a slightly lower price bracket, you might consider purchasing a set of high quality pure clay poker chips. These chips usually have the look and feel of real casino chips without all the security features.  With good care, a set of pure clay chips should last for years.  Most chips used in homes are clay composite chips.  Clay composite chips actually last longer than pure clay chips because additional material is added to the chips for durability. A metal insert inside the chip adds a bit of weight as well.  If you don’t want to make a large investment in poker supplies just yet, ABS plastic, or composite poker chips are affordable and durable chips.  Made of hard compressed plastic that will last virtually forever, plastic composite chips also contain a metal insert to properly weight the chip.

Once you’ve decided on the type of chip you would like to buy, make sure to buy enough for all your players. Depending on the size of your game, you will need between 200-800 chips.  For small games of 3-4 players, 200 chips should cover all bets. For this we recommend a 300 piece set. For every additional player, add an additional 100-200 chips to your table:

200 Chips for 3-4 players – Recommended 300 Piece Poker Chip Sets
400 Chips for 5-8 players – Recommended 500 Piece Poker Chip Sets
800 Chips for 8-10 players – Recommended 1000 Piece Poker Chip Sets

It is better to have too many chips than too few, so plan on buying enough for unexpected guests. If you like a particular set and it does not have enough chips, you can order additional chips from BuyPokerSets.com to cover all your players.

Now that you have your cards and playing chips, consider purchasing additional poker supplies like a dealer button or a quality table top for play. BuyPokerSets.com makes this easy buy offering three different levels of Sets. A 300 piece, a 500 piece, and a 1000 piece poker set that includes playing cards, dice, a dealer button, and a nice metal case to carry it all in. 

If you want to make a real casino feel or for a more comfortable poker environment, consider purchasing a Poker Table. If you do not want fixed furniture, that is ok, you can always get an affordable Poker Table Top. We also carry Poker Table Accessories to complete your home casino, call up your friends and set out the food and drinks. It’s time to enjoy a night of poker.