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The Chip Review

Developed by Da-Sh
Originally posted: Saturday, Jun 26, 2004
Last Updated: Saturday, Jun 26, 2004

Please Note: This is merely the first draft of this document. I fully intend to have pictures of every style of chip (in particular, every Import chip) possible, pages separated out by topic and linked either in order, or thru a table of contents, and also just adding images in general (headers, etc). Please sound off in the poker chip trick forums if you think any of these "planned additions" are bad ideas. For now, you'll have to figure out which chip I'm talking about based on name alone. I don't think that's *too* challenging, and if you need any help, just ask me in a thread on the forums and I'll clarify. I hope you like what I've started here today, and I hope to give you something even better in the very near future (including new chips and more accurate information :). Enjoy!

Intro

Recently, I realized that the plastic chips I found years ago just weren't going to cut it anymore. They slip around, they sound funny, and generally, they look like crap. I'm a guy that like things to be aesthetically pleasing, and I needed something to add a touch of class to my home game. I immediately headed off to Google, and started searching with "Poker Chips." With the explosion of the web, and the omniprescence of UPS/Fedex, weekend gamblers and chip manipulators are no longer hindered by what's on the rack of the nearest Wal-Mart. But like many of you, I was absolutely overwhelmed. Hundreds of websites selling poker chips, 30 different styles, and not an ounce of useful, tactile information.

Now, when I decide I want to buy something, I generally look pretty hard into what I'm getting. I like to get the best deal possible on the most solid version of the item available. Workmanship is the only way to go. But the web makes it challenging to know just what you're getting. You can't hold the chips in your hand, and you can't drop them to see how they sound. You can't feel the weight, or stare closely at the artwork. All you can do is search around for crappy photos and take a shot in the dark. Until now.

This page was assembled, by myself, in order to give the world a centralized location for information regarding the numerous poker chip options available today. It's starting from the humble beginnings of a Single Sample Pack, but I hope to expand it and and bring as much information as possible to your fingertips. So let's get started!

Technical Stuff

There are a lot of website retailers out there, and I wouldn't think of suggesting one over the other. I feel that it is very important to show neutrality, especially when I'm reviewing and discussing products that someone is thinking of investing hundreds of dollars into. So if you ever find any links to a particular website, please realize that I am using that site as an example to illustrate principles and specific types of chips. I am in now way affiliated with any of these websites or companies.

Also, I plan to update this site with any new information I recieve. New chip-styles I've not seen before, better photos, changing price patterns, etc. I can't promise that it will be perfectly up-to-date, but I will make sure to put "updated on" dates in as many places as necessary to give you effective information.

Now, the criteria for examination will be in each of these categories: Sound, Weight, Feel/Slip, Bounce, Aesthetics, Durability, Cost.

Feel/Slip will be a combination of how they feel when you rub your hands across the chips, as well as how they slide both off your hands and off eachother. The bounce category will describe not only how they bounce off hard surfaces, but how easy it is to stack these chips upon eachother.

Now, I can't test durability very well, so I will only note basic items here, but aesthetics are another issue entirely. I won't go too much into "which style looks best", because that defeats the purpose of having your own personal style. However, I will talk about the quality of printing, whether ink looks weird, how crisp edges are, and other such items.
Finally, before I get started, I just wanted to note how I will show cost of chips. It will be in dollars per chip. So if each chip costs 50cents per chip, that will be described as $.50/chip. Nice and simple. However, there are a number of other costs to take into consideration: some chips have artwork costs, all chips have shipping costs, and some chips come in sets with chip cases and cards. All of this adds cost to the chips, and you need to be aware of this.

Also, I do realize that the USdollar is not the only currency out there, but it's the only currency I know well, and a large percentage of the online retailers cater solely to customers paying in the dollar. So that's what I'm going to work with.

Chip Quality

There are four or five specific levels of quality you'll find in Poker chips. I say "four or five", because the top two spots are really about personal preference, and are pretty much tied in general quality.

The first of these two high-quality chips we'll call "American Clay", and they can be found at Pokerchips.com. This is the site of Burt Company, an almost century-old manufacturor that started making chips in the 30's. Their chips have been on hand at opening day of some of the most well-known casinos on the globe: The Sahara, the Sands, the Riviera, the Golden Nugget, the Flamingo... J.P. Morgan had personalized sets from these guys. This is the old-guard, who still offer some of the most beautiful, personalized poker chips on the web. Just remember, with quality comes cost.

Now, their direct competition is the Pro-Tech(tm). This chip is produced by CHIPCO International, who began developing the chip in 1987. It has a 10g weight, with a number of features adored by casinos (security topics, largely... but edge-to-edge printing is something you all will like). However, Chipco prefers to let its resellers interact with the general public, which is why names like thechipstore.com and homepokerchips.com (the two authorized resellers) get tossed around a lot. If you'd like a more modernish, matte-finished chip, with graphics how you like 'em, this is the chip for you. However, these chips are as expensive as their rival's.

The chips on the third rung of the quality ladder are the Imports. These are perhaps the most interesting development. With poker's popularity growing, the Asian manufacturors have seen chip demand skyrocket, and are stepping up not only production, but innovation. These chips are generally solid, weighty (11.5g), with smooth colors. They look good, they're available without artwork fees in packs of 50, and they're often combined with chip cases and cards in chip sets. However, they don't allow much custimization, and the chips are absolutely insecure in regards to casino-type situations. But at somewhere between $.10/chip and $.40/chip, these are products you cannot ignore. In fact, the reason this document came to fruition was due to the extremely varied nature of the chips in the Import category. There are so many styles that you really need a good comparison to understand the fundamental differences that these chips have not only with competitors, but within their own class. No two Imports are created exactly alike, I can assure you.

Finally, the last two rungs of quality consist of what I'll call the Cheapo-Plastiks, and the Cheap, Cheap, Cheap Plastiks. If cost is all you worry about, then this is what you want. They retail for somewhere between $.08/chip and $.02/chip. That's 8 cents and 2 cents per chip, if you're confused. If you just need something you can play with, these are it. I probably won't discuss them any further. If it's on the rack at Wal-Mart, it likely falls into this category.

Obligatory Myth Debunking

Before I go any further, I think I should take the time to make sure a few myths get debunked. First, the one you've probably read everywhere, but I'll say it anyhow: Chips advertised as Clay, are not made of real clay. No one has made real clay chips in 75 years, if ever. However, the highest quality chips ("American Clay", Pro-Tech(tm)) are made from a composition of materials that are superheated and compression-molded, much like clay pottery is superheated and compression-molded. I don't completely understand the physics here, but pretty much it makes them hard.

Now, the chips you see advertised as "Clay Composite", are Imports. They are not made of the same "composition" that I noted earlier. Very generally, they are produced by surrounding a metal insert (for weight) with plastic. Now, how much this is "pure" plastic, and how much it's a "clay-like external surface", depends. This has a number of effects that I will go into later, but just remember that "Clay Composite" is not the same as "a composition of materials that are superheated and compression-molded".

American Clay
(aka pokerchips.com)

These chips weigh between 8.5 and 9 grams, and cost somewhere between $.50/chip and $.95/chip, not including artwork fees and shipping.

However, I have to be honest and let you know that I have not ever held one of these in my hands. I cannot comment on feel, sound, or looks. All I've seen are the pictures on the web. I've *heard* great things about them, but until I hold one in my hand, I wouldn't dream of giving you all any sort of representation.

Here are a few images to give you a good idea of what these chips basically are, but just remember that there are not really any major "styles" like you have seen in the Import arena. Pokerchips.com customizes the chips for each individual order, and as such, they look like whatever you want them to look like.

There are a number of "generic" chips that have been put together and made up in large quantities. If you find chips that look exactly like this type floating around the web resellers, then in all likelihood it's either a generic, or that site had Burt Company make them up a large order of some particular style, and is then reselling those chips to you.

Pro-Techs(tm)

If you want a more modernish, matte-finished chip, with graphics how you like 'em, this is the chip for you. However, these are as expensive as their rival's, coming in at $.95/chip, plus artwork and shipping cost.

Sadly, my order of samples has yet to arrive, and I'm not even sure it's been shipped. But I'm going to keep trying, and the moment I have them in my hands, I'll give you all the firsthand knowledge I can.

The Imports

These are the new crop of poker chips. Like the original Toyotas that came across the pond, these chips can definitely compete. They may not be the highest quality, but they are priced at something near 1/3 to 1/5 of their nearest competitors. If anyone knows the term "Marginal Utility"... it applies here.

Most of these chips can be recognized by the fact that they weigh 11.5 grams. In fact, almost every one of the Imports weighs 11.5g. Apparently, it's the calling card of the Import Poker Chip: 11.5 grams.

That notwithstanding, these chips are *everywhere*. All those poker chip retailers that you find on the web? They likely bought chips in packs of 50 (everything comes in 50 packs) and just started reselling them. The dice sets? Imports. The Suited Chips? Imports.

Now, there have been two "waves", if you will, of the Import poker chips. The first wave made such a splash, that overseas manufactorurs have started innovating, and coming up with new, cooler looking chips. These more complex chips are part of the "second wave", which is now beginning to appear in larger quantities on more and more websites (which means price competition! Yay!).

Manufacturors have also begun experimenting with new textures and sound-qualities, which I will discuss in the "Hopefully Near Future" section. But for now, let's take a look at the styles of chips that make up a *large* majority of the current marketplace, and discuss them.

The First Wave
(INSERT IMAGE)	Diamond chips. These are simple, "Clay Composites", with a circle of diamonds. Nothing fancy, just a chip color, and a different color for the diamonds.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Dice Chips. Probably the most highly-regarded imports out there. Not only do these look good... well, they look damn good. They've got six cool stamped images of a single side of six-sided Dice, and two tones on the chip (chip color, edge-spot color). This is probably the most popular Import chip of the first wave, and it still holds its own against the second wave starting to sweep across the web.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Suited chips. This chip has the four suits (diamonds, clubs, hearts, and spades) going in a circle around the outer edge of the chip itself. It looks rather nice, actually.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Striped 8grams. Surprisingly, the Imports have an 8gram chip! It looks a bit like the dice chips, except without the dice, and the colors are a bit more symetrical. But don't let the lack of imaging throw you off; this is a cheap, less-weighty chip for those who desire that.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Striped Suited / Royal Suited. This is the same 11.5 gram chip as the rest, with a slightly different look to it. Rather than solid edge-spots, they've got a three-stripe line that looks like something you would squiggle under your name on a note to someone. They've also got the suits at four corners. The reason for the "dual names" is that I've seen it named using both names... go figure.

The Second Wave
(INSERT IMAGE)	Double-Dice Crown. One of the first things you'll notice about this chip is that the colors and edge-spots are larger, and seem to flow better than the first wave chips. Many of the "second wave" chips follow this same "larger, three-prong" approach, which I personally believe adds new aesthetic class unseen in the previous chips. The double-dice crown's have a series of crowns in one color of edge-spot, and six dice doubled up in the other three edge spots.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Diamond Suited. This chip may seem rather bland at first glance, but it is surprisingly wonderful to stare at and play with. It has the four suits pillow-embossed into four corners, and 12 diamonds of the same color going around the outer edge of the chip's face.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Dice Style B. This chip is the second iteration of the dice style. It has the six sides of a dice in the edge-spots, but unlike the original dice chips, this chip follows the three-prong approach to edge spots. In this regard, the edges look much better, and the engraved dice themselves look far better than the original dice chips. All in all, a worthy successor to an already great style of chips.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Tri-Color Suited. This chip is particularly interesting due to the fact that it adds more color than any previous Imports. There is the main chip color, the edge spot color, and then the lettering, which is in a third color. It looks damn good. The chip itself has images of the four suits, as well as the A/K/Q/J in the edge-spots.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Tri-Color Triple Crown. This is an interesting chip, in the sense that they took the double-dice crown style, and played with the colors, giving what was already a cool looking chip gorgeous, vibrant style. The Tri-Color's are definitely some of the greatest lookers of the second wave.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Soprano Six Stripes. These chips weigh in at 8.5grams, and make the claim of being like the chips used during gambling witnessed on the HBO show, The Sopranos. I'm not sure if these are licensed, or merely replicated by seeing the chips one day, but they definitely give buyers bragging rights. While not of the same "vibrant looks" of some of the other second-wavers, these chips still look great for all the armchair Sopranos out there.
(INSERT IMAGE)	Texas Hold'em. These chips are interesting, in the sense that they've been around for a bit, but they aren't exactly the same style as other chips. They don't even look like the other imports! However, they are still imports (11.5grams, composite resin insert ;). I almost put them into the "near future category", but I don't think they're quite evolutionary enough.

Now, I should go into detail here about a few things. Remember I mentioned the "Clay Composites" item earlier? Well, let's talk about that, shall we? The Imports largely consist of "Clay Composite" chips, which is code for "metal, surrounded by plastic that feels sorta like clay but mainly like plastic". All of the chips you just saw, first wave and second wave, are "Clay Composites" (unless otherwise stated by the retailer, and maybe even then). This style of chip has a number of specific shortcomings:

Sound: Drop these babies on a psuedo-hard surface (say, wood... or another poker chip), and you get hit with high-pitched twang. You know when you drop quarters on eachother? Same metalic sound, except higher-pitched. It definitely makes stacking chips obvious, and fairly noisy.

Aesthetics: You can't print images/logos on the imports. You can hotstamp 'em, but this process adds cost, and generally looks like crap. In fact, I believe it makes your chips look worse. Denominations are usefull, but if your poker buddies can handle looking at a sheet that says "blue = $10", then save the cost and put it towards good beer. However, hotstamping aside, these chips *do* look crisp. The lines are generally flawless, and you have to look very carefully for mistakes (especially on second wave chips). The engraving/embossing (if you will...) is top-notch. You may not be able to personalize these chips very well, but they'll look gorgeous nonetheless.

Bounce: Generally, a lot of bounce is considered a shortcoming. Chips should *thud*. They should land on a surface, and go flat. If you drop a chip on another chip, ideally it should vibrate momentarily, and then stay exactly where you dropped it. Except the "clay composites" don't do that. As a cheap comparison, put a quarter on a table, and drop another quarter on it from, say, 4 inches up (::sigh:: 10cm). That's pretty much how the "Clay Composites" bounce off eachother from the same height. This can be considered good or bad, depending upon your usage... but I should note that this "bounce" makes stacking these chips slightly more challenging than stacking other chips. It won't drive you nuts, and if this is the only chip you use then you probably won't even notice it... but it's true.

Feel/Slip: The "Clay Composites" are slightly more slippery than their competition. It's hardly noticeable normally, but if your hands get sweaty when you try to manipulate small objects, these chips could glide noticeably. Also, they slide off eachother *much* easier than the more traditional chips do. Some manipulators will consider this a bonus, and others not. You can still control the chips, but if you pay attention you will notice this. Also, the first wave imports feel very-much like plastic. When you hold them in your hands, you can easily tell that this isn't the same style you'll find at your nearest casino. The second wave imports don't feel quite as plastic-y, but it's still noticeable if you look for it. Just something to think about.

Durability: I should note that these chips got scratched up very easily. Practicing my chip twirls outside, I dropped chips here and there in the dirt, and they got fairly scratched up. Now, you only really notice these scratches if you look closely at the chips, but it doesn't change the fact that they exist. Also, dropping them on hard objects (cement, a rock) bangs up the edges fairly well, and makes it obvious that you are, in fact, dealing with plastic.

Cost: These chips are cheap. You can get 'em at ebay auctions for about $.10/chip. Generally, the first waves run about $.17-$.22 per chip at retail sites, and often you can get them with aluminum chip cases and cards, in 500 packs for about $.20/chip. Now, the second waves currently run about $.30-$.45 per chip, and you can get them for about $.40/chip in 500 sets with cases and cards.

Despite these chips having shortcomings when compared to higher-quality chips, demand grew, and the manufacturors realized that innovation was in order. This brings me to the "Hopefully We'll See This In The Near Future" section.

Hopefully We'll See This In The Near Future
INSERT IMAGE	12 Stripes, 3 tones. I have a feeling that this was more of a "product-concept" than anything else, but this chip is on sale out there. However, there's more to it than what meets the eye. This chip feels like clay chips. It doesn't feel like the other imports. First waves, second waves... this chip feels absolutely different. It doesn't even sound the same! Many of the "shortcomings" I noted earlier for the other imports, don't apply here. Now, it doesn't look all that hot, and the printing on this chip leaves a lot to be desired, but I'll talk more about this later.
INSERT IMAGE	Suited. You've seen this chip before. It was a part of the first wave, in fact. However, this chip isn't the same chip. It still weighs 11.5grams, but it has the same clay-like feel as the one I just talked about. This feel is wonderful, however the printing leaves a lot to be desired.
INSERT IMAGE	Dice style, 13.5grams. This chip is interesting for a number of reasons: one, it weighs 13.5grams, which is 2g more than the other imports. I haven't found this extra weight to be very noticeable, however... maybe I just can't feel the difference between a few grams. The other interesting reason is that it has the same clay-like feel as the other experiments. It may look like the dice chips that you're used to, but this baby is a whole new breed.
INSERT IMAGE	High Roller. This may be the most interesting Import chip I have seen yet. At first glance, it looks like it should be a Pro-Tech(tm). In fact, I originally dismissed it as a Pro-Tech(tm). However, it's not! It's an import with completely different looking edge-spots, and a massive central image that goes fairly close to the edge. There's no personalizing involved here, however, you'd almost feel bad messing with the beautiful look of this chip. I've only noticed it at one store, and I have a feeling that the overseas manufacturors are beginning to find themselves some preferential resellers. This chip leads me to believe that we will be seeing some new, beautiful iterations in the very near future, that border on competing with the "highest quality" chips for looks. The future isn't going to be just about the new dice-style hotness.

I want to note a few things about these "experiments." They are not yet massively produced, and each one seems to gain shortcomings while overcoming others. For example, the clay-like chips feel wonderful, sound *great* (no metal twang whatsoever), and stack like clockwork (bounce is miniscule). However, the printing leaves a lot to be desired. My white chip is already starting to get dirt rubbed in, and looks to become a faded white, and partly grey, within less than a week. And the lines themselves on the printing are hardly perfect, and are filled with noticeable idiosyncracies. Even the "dashes" that go around the "center" of every import so far are not crisp... they are oddly rounded and mishaped, even when compared to others on the same chip. Form vs Function, eh?

Also, I want to note that I have not held any of the "high-rollers" in my hands yet. Although these seem to look awesome, and I hope are the new path that the imports are heading towards, I cannot comment on sound, feel, bounce, or even aesthetics, without first being able to hold them, drop them, and attempt to manipulate them.

As you can see, the future of the import poker chip looks to be changing daily. While I think that there is still a lot of success to be had with the current crop, I don't think for a moment that we've seen the last of the innovation that seems to be roaring. New styles, new images, more refined sounds and more refined feel look to be just around the bend. And all this at the same low prices!

I, for one, can't wait to see what comes up next.

Chip Cases, and Sets

While I've talked in depth on the chips themselves, I've only mentioned chip sets in passing. I feel that this page wouldn't be complete without at least noting that many of you out there are going to buy import chips in sets. These sets, very generally, consist of something like 300/500/650 chips, enclosed in a carrying case, and including some sets of cards and dice. Most of the cases you'll get are aluminum, with felt interiors. However, there are a number of higher-quality holders out there, that one can easily get to add class to the set. From carosels, to oak cases, to vinyl cases.... My personal favorite is a 500-chip holder made of stained mahogany. Of course, at $99.99, I'll have to make some sacrifices to get ahold of it.

Just don't forget that something to keep your chips in, really is necessary. You should figure out what you want, and try to get it as cheaply as possible. Import chip sets offer just that ability, but even if you're getting a set of "American Clays" or Pro-Techs(tm), you still need something.

Conclusions and Thoughts

Now that you've learned craps-load about chips, I'd like to take the time to finalize and conclude some of the things you've read about so far.

Firstly, the "most bang for your buck" award goes to the Imports. They may not be the perfect chips, but the cost differences will make them affordable for many, many players out there. If all you want is something that looks good, plays well, and gets the job done... these are chips for you. At somewhere between $.10/chip and $.40/chip, you almost can't go wrong.

However, for some people, the Imports don't offer enough. And that's great! They were created to fill a niche that was generally unfilled (classy, but generic...). It's like the difference between buying a Honda, and buying a Benz. Hondas may be getting better and better with each passing year, but it doesn't change the fact that Daimler-Chrysler is still making the top-quality vehicles for those who demand them.

For those out there who want their chips personalized, with artwork abound... there are good options. With quality, comes cost... and $.95/chip + artwork costs can add up very quickly. So if you're willing to spend that money, the stuff by Burt Company or CHIPCO international is probably your best bet.

Now, I'd like to just remind everyone out there that they should look for the best deals possible, but also remember that there are other factors than just chip costs. Artwork costs or personalization costs, can look small, but add up quickly. And don't forget sales tax! If you buy from a company with business locations in your state, they are very likely to charge you tax. If you go elsewhere, you can very likely get something akin to the same deal, without having to add on 10% in taxes.

Finally, I'd just like to say to everyone out there, choose with style! Find the style that looks good to you, and get it! Don't forget that when you pull out the chips on your buddies, they are going to take a look and go "damn!" There's something special about poker chips that just sets the mood. So enjoy it!

= Da-Sh =

Change Log
Jun 26, 2004	This document was first posted to the WWW.

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The Chip Review

The First Wave

The Second Wave

Hopefully We'll See This In The Near Future