Securing common chips for home cash game.

[MattHatter]

Hi there,

I'm getting a NL cash game going here on weekends of small stakes. About $100 buy in recommended. It is a friendly home game. No rake, nothing provided, BYO whatever, etc. And friends of friends are welcome to play.

The chips I have are the super common 'dice' set. As I wont always know/trust the players I am concerned with ppl bringing chips into the games. I will be responsible for cashing ppl out.

What would be the best way of securing/marking the chips?

There is no recess in the chip for stickers.. but they would work well after they began to wear a bit.. cause if someone brought in a chip with a new sticker.. it would be obvious.

How about etching or stamping? would this be better? Is there any easy way to do this?

It's probably been covered here before but a decent way to 'secure' the most common chips wouuld be of value to many players.

Matt

[mmbt0ne]

I remember Ten saying something about a UV pen when he first ordered the first batch of egyptian chips. If you do something like that, it'll only show up under a black light, and you can put whatever little mark you want on there.

Here's an example of one I think (http://www.omegasphere.net/store/uv-marker/uv-pen-marker.shtml)

[jojobinks]

Jason (jasone@verizon.net goes by cin0s3 on Ebay) and Brent of Lynbark (lynbark@nc.rr.com goes by lynbark on Ebay). are the two guys that do many of the labels for cheap chips. you can email them directly. they charge about $37 shipped for 1000 labels (for 500 chips).

label thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=home&Number=1530727&fp art=&PHPSESSID=)
another labels thread (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showthreaded.php?Number=1620085)

jason's web page (http://www.pokerchiplabels.net/default.html)
lynbark's site (http://www.ciretech.com/lynbark/)

[MattHatter]

It's certainly a fair deal they offer but I'm a do-it-yourselfer.

I have read about the Krylon spray and all... Does anyone have a link to round stickers on printable sheets that are just the right size?

The UV idea would surely be effective.. but to have to use it at cash in time (when it matters) would be a little to paranoid.

What about stamping or permanent visible marks on the chips?
Are there inks that would mark permanently?

Matt

[Duece Three]

Here is a link to a site that sells the labels:

Premium-Poker (http://www.premium-poker.com/)

[smoore]

I would just use stickers. The chips won't fit in a rack right anymore but at least the'll be semi-secure. Once you know the game is established get some nexgens or other stickerable chips from 5stardeal. I did 700 shipped, bought labels and a nice case for under $250. $100 NL game I would probably just buy lots of $1's and some $5's, maybe a few $25's.

[Eric H]

[ QUOTE ]
No rake, nothing provided, BYO whatever, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

You might want to consider a something like a $5.00 per player house fee. This isn't too much to ask considering your investment in your chips, cards and table(s). Save the money from the house fee and use it to buy new chips.

I charge $5.00 and provide pop and bottled water. If you watch the sales at the grocery stores, you can buy it very cheaply.

No one in my game objects to the fee. After all, you are providing a place to play, and the others either don't want to or don't have the chips, cards and table(s) to be host. One or two may grumble at first, but they are usually the ones that will grumble about everything anyway.

[jtnt1096]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No rake, nothing provided, BYO whatever, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

You might want to consider a something like a $5.00 per player house fee. This isn't too much to ask considering your investment in your chips, cards and table(s). Save the money from the house fee and use it to buy new chips.

I charge $5.00 and provide pop and bottled water. If you watch the sales at the grocery stores, you can buy it very cheaply.

No one in my game objects to the fee. After all, you are providing a place to play, and the others either don't want to or don't have the chips, cards and table(s) to be host. One or two may grumble at first, but they are usually the ones that will grumble about everything anyway.

[/ QUOTE ]

In most locations, a house charge (fee, rake, etc.) makes the game illegal.

[warewulf]

If you're playing with $100 buy in, I would strongly consider getting secure chips. Either something with a custom hotstamp, or a custom inlay. Labels should be relatively secure.

[MattHatter]

Yeah I agree...

We used to play with just a few close friends.. but want to open the game up and raise the stakes a little bit.

I already have a set of 500 dice.. these are about $70 canadian.. ($60US or so). A set of custom chips would be great but at about $1 a chip US im looking at a $600canadin investment.. + all the extra cross border shipping and duty charges. I wouldn't be surprised if a custom set would be like $750 canadian.

Now to weigh the merits of the cheep routes:

stickers - low cost
- could be duplicated (by badguys) but probably not worth the effort/reward for $1 and $5 chips. I mean how much could you get away with.. $100?
- will wear, im sure, even with krylon spray.
- complex cool designs possible on my own.
- even wear of stickers with use would actually be an added security feature.

Hot stamp:
- if I could get the temperature just right I could use a seal of some kind and press it into the chips with a press I suppose. I have both a small press (drill) and a good soldering Iron.
- if results were good it would be quite hard to duplicate?
- This is probably too much work.

I guess this issue comes down to this:
- The stakes are at a point where some security would be worthwhile but not high enough that it is a HUGE deal.
- Too many dice chips out there.
- customs are just too much right now.

I guess stickers are the best route.. and that is why so many are chosing to go that way for cheap custom chips.

I would have liked to hear some other unique ideas that ppl had used for securing the ubiquitous(sp) "Dice" chips.

Matt

[iluzion]

id go with decals surely, it wouldnt be worth the effort to get a couple bucks, if you play much higher id definitly get rid of those chips in general though.

[Eric H]

[ QUOTE ]
In most locations, a house charge (fee, rake, etc.) makes the game illegal.

[/ QUOTE ]

And having a buy-in does'nt?

[MattHatter]

I'll have water for my guests.. tapwater.

And I might share my bag of chips /images/graemlins/wink.gif.

But I just dont need the hassle of collecting money and having 'refreshments' be my problem. I don't want to provide a service. I want to play cards. /images/graemlins/smile.gif


Matt

[SamIAm]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In most locations, a house charge (fee, rake, etc.) makes the game illegal.

[/ QUOTE ]

And having a buy-in does'nt?

[/ QUOTE ]Correct. If the house is profiting off the game, it's different than if friends get together for fun. Of course this varies from state-to-state.

If you're charging $5/person, then you're running a business. Running a cheap business, but running one never the less. /images/graemlins/smile.gif
-Sam

[jtnt1096]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In most locations, a house charge (fee, rake, etc.) makes the game illegal.

[/ QUOTE ]

And having a buy-in does'nt?

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on the state you are from. A lot of states it is illegal no matter what. Some state poker is legal as long as the house does not take in any money (rake, contributions, etc.)

In my state there is a "social gambling law". You can play poker or any other skill game (no slots, etc.) as long as the house DOES NOT rake the pot, charge a fee to play (such as your $5 recommenation), sell alcohol, or make any sort of profit from the game. The only other rules are that each player must have the opportunity to deal and no player can win or lose more than $50 in a 24 hour period.

We usually play .10/.25 or .25/.50 NL cash games and they are completely legal in my state as long as the requirements are met above.

Here is a link to many of the state gambling laws:

http://www.gambling-law-us.com/

[tubalkain]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
In most locations, a house charge (fee, rake, etc.) makes the game illegal.

[/ QUOTE ]

And having a buy-in does'nt?

[/ QUOTE ]

It depends on the state you are from. A lot of states it is illegal no matter what. Some state poker is legal as long as the house does not take in any money (rake, contributions, etc.)

In my state there is a "social gambling law". You can play poker or any other skill game (no slots, etc.) as long as the house DOES NOT rake the pot, charge a fee to play (such as your $5 recommenation), sell alcohol, or make any sort of profit from the game. The only other rules are that each player must have the opportunity to deal and no player can win or lose more than $50 in a 24 hour period.

We usually play .10/.25 or .25/.50 NL cash games and they are completely legal in my state as long as the requirements are met above.

Here is a link to many of the state gambling laws:

http://www.gambling-law-us.com/

[/ QUOTE ]

So you're in Iowa too.

Think about this: would it be legal for the house to order pizza and overcharge for it (with a 2 slice minimum or something) in order to slowly recover the cost of KEMs/Copags, secure chips, etc?

[jtnt1096]

[ QUOTE ]


So you're in Iowa too.

Think about this: would it be legal for the house to order pizza and overcharge for it (with a 2 slice minimum or something) in order to slowly recover the cost of KEMs/Copags, secure chips, etc?

[/ QUOTE ]

It would be a tough argument, but I would think that it would still be considered a "charge to play" if it were required that each person is to purchase pizza.

There was a pretty big debate over this same topic a couple of weeks ago on another board. Some great thoughts on there and it was pretty much determined that any money going to the house (for food, reimbursement of supplies, rake, etc.) would make the game illegal no matter what state you're in.

I guess we won't know for sure until someone is made out to be an example.

[MickeyHoldem]

Go buy some avery white 3/4 inch stickers... make alogo and print them on you printer... I've had mine on for over 2 years... using them every 2 weeks or so... never had any problems...

pic (http://us.f2.yahoofs.com/users/40b60998_bd1d/a197/__sr_/826e.jpg?phX0tNCBGs2hciZi)

[SugarV]

I would say hot stamping might be your best bet. If you can't do it...there should be someone decent in the area that should be able to hot stamp. Any bar/gameroom store should be able to do it.

When my old place just started up, and I didn't have a lot of cash to throw away on chips, and needed a lot for the Roulette table...I went the economic way and bought the diamond chips...then, with a sharpie, drew on edge spots along a stack of 20 chips. There wasn't any markings on the face of the chip...just on the edges. It did it trick. I didn't have to worry about anyone bringing chips in.

I finally did away with them, when I made enough to get all custom chips. Maybe you should look into that. Play well for a few weeks in a row, so you can make an extra 500-600 bucks...then get the customs, NexGens, or NJ's.

sv

[msb]

It smacks me a little funny when a guy that has a regular $100 buy-in game balks at spending a couple hundred bucks for some more secure chips (nowhere near $700, by the way).

Buy 500 of these (http://www.5stardeal.com/deals/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=10-1010-500S) chips for $42 US and get a custom hotstamp on them for another $45 US for a total of $87 (plus shipping). Not a bad investment for a little piece of mind.

http://www.5stardeal.com/website/gaming/pictures/10-1010grn.jpg

[MortalWombat]

[ QUOTE ]

How about etching or stamping? would this be better? Is there any easy way to do this?


[/ QUOTE ]You could go to a arts and crafts store such as Michael's and pick up a rubber stamp and some permanent ink for not too much money I would guess. Take one of your chips with you to see if the stamp pattern fits. Then you can always reuse the pattern if you buy more chips.

The downside is that all your chips will have flowers or a garden gnome or some such pattern on them.

[tubalkain]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

How about etching or stamping? would this be better? Is there any easy way to do this?


[/ QUOTE ]You could go to a arts and crafts store such as Michael's and pick up a rubber stamp and some permanent ink for not too much money I would guess. Take one of your chips with you to see if the stamp pattern fits. Then you can always reuse the pattern if you buy more chips.

The downside is that all your chips will have flowers or a garden gnome or some such pattern on them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or he could spend ten bucks and get one (for each denom) custom made for a bit of added security. Not to mention not having to have some silly gnome on his chips...

[Brain]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

How about etching or stamping? would this be better? Is there any easy way to do this?


[/ QUOTE ]You could go to a arts and crafts store such as Michael's and pick up a rubber stamp and some permanent ink for not too much money I would guess. Take one of your chips with you to see if the stamp pattern fits. Then you can always reuse the pattern if you buy more chips.

The downside is that all your chips will have flowers or a garden gnome or some such pattern on them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or he could spend ten bucks and get one (for each denom) custom made for a bit of added security. Not to mention not having to have some silly gnome on his chips...

[/ QUOTE ]

You mean like...
http://www.shopsecurenetwork.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000002/53t.jpg