They may not look like one, but they certainly represent money. They may seem like good old plastic chips designed to be used as toys for children, but they really worth millions.



That is what poker chips are all about. They may appear synthetic or even look dazzling with the different colors, but the main idea of the item is that they are actually money.









In a casino, these brightly colored chips are actually illustrative representation of money, each having its own distinctive amount.



Generally, poker chips are constructed with complex “edge spot patterns” and diagrammatic illustrations so that they will be difficult to forged or imitate. The exact procedure in making these checks, other name of poker chips, is an absolute “trade secret.” Besides, it uses relatively expensive machines.



In the U.S., the most common colors used in poker chips are white, pink, red, blue, green, black, and purple. Each color represents a particular denomination. For instance, purple represents the highest denomination in the world of casinos, $500. However, there are some casinos like in Las Vegas, has larger denominations, $1,000, and this is represented by the yellow or the orange-colored chips. They also have higher denomination like $5,000 up to $25,000 but the colors for these chips may vary from time to time.



How to Buy Chips



Poker chips had revolutionized from the time it was first manufactured. Before, poker chips are made of clay materials. It was during the 60s and the 70s that the brittle chips were used.



Today, poker chips are made of different quality materials intended to be used for a longer time. These chips now have various kinds and colors. Hence, it is important to know the buying tips in choosing poker chips so that you only get the best.



Here’s how:



1. Decide on the kind of material chips you want to buy



If you are not so much after the kind of quality most of the casinos have, then it is best that you get the lightweight plastics. They are actually available at your local “big box store.” The best thing about these kinds of poker chips is that they are cheaper and they are also durable.



2. Contemplate on the design



Poker chip designs may vary depending on the color used. There are poker chips that are solid in color. There are those that have 2 to 3 colors. There are also poker chips that have designs on them.



Whatever design you choose, it is important to know that these poker chips should last as long as you want them.



3. The number of chips that you should buy



If you are considering to buy poker chips, you can either choose whether you would buy 500 chips or the 300. There are also sets of 1,000. If you want more customized numbers, you can buy sets of 200, 650, 400, and 700.



The number of chips that you should buy will depend on the kind of poker you will play. For instance, if you will play Texas Hold ‘Em Poker with more than 7 players, it is best that you buy sets of 500 chips.



The idea here is that 1 player should have a minimum of 35 poker chips and a maximum of 100 for better games.



So now you know what to look for when buying poker chips. It is relatively easy to shop for more if you wish to upgrade the number of chips that you have. Just keep in mind that as your players increase, it is best that you have more poker chips than the usual.

By: Robert Thatcher -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides poker chip resources on www.about-poker-chips.info.