If you’re thinking of buying poker chips, then perhaps you’re aware that you have several good alternatives to choose from. You can get poker chips in clay, plastic and metal too, among others.
Clay chips: Clay poker chips are the best you can get. They are made of a mix of clay and other materials that go around a metal core. They weigh about 8-14 gm and have a standard diameter approved by casinos, of 39 mm. They feel soft and are of good quality.
Composite resin chips: These chips are made of plastic and are usually made of plastic and come with a metal core around the chip. Each chip weighs between 8 and 14 gm and conforms to the standard casino diameter measurement of 39 mm. Being plastic, these chips are durable, inexpensive and of good quality. They feel smooth to the hands as against clay chips which feel soft.
These chips come in a large variety of designs you can choose from and can customize them to your tastes. Among designs, you can choose a 3-tone, suited, big slick, diamond, or designs with colorful pictures or names of casinos like Party Poker.
Clay composite chips: These are the most popular kind of chips used outside casinos. They are so called because they are made by an injection mold process by combining clay with other materials. Here, a metal piece is put in the middle of the inlay of the composite chip to raise its weight which usually ranges between 11.5 gm to 13.5 gm.
Casino grade clay chips: This is the best kind of poker chips, even in terms of security. Each casino has a secret blend composition to mold its chips in order to stave off any chance of counterfeiting. The chips are then injection molded, complete with the casino’s unique copyrighted designs in factories with tight security.
Usually, these chips are a mix of a synthetic polymer acrylic composite and a laminated center and are made of molded and compressed clay. Though they aren’t very slick, they are heavy to carry because of the heavy materials used, usually about 10 gm. Buyers need to purchase them from a casino at face value or from a reseller.
Metal chips: These chips have a metal center and are surrounded by plastic. They weigh anything between 8 gm and 11.5 gm. These metal-core composite poker chips are the closest match to what you’ll find in most casinos these days, and are a good, durable choice.
Plastic chips: Though plastic poker chips are insubstantial when compared with other kinds of chips, yet they are preferred because they are inexpensive and serviceable. Besides, they are available almost anywhere and weigh just about 7 gm. However, they can be easily damaged and do not give much security. Plastic chips might suit newcomers to poker well for their inexpensiveness.
You can buy poker chips online or offline but before you buy them, ask other poker players for any advice.
