The short answer
Give each player 20 to 40 chips, worth about 100 big blinds at the first level. With 25/50 or 50/100 blinds, that's a 5,000 to 10,000 starting stack. Include about 8 of the smallest chip for posting blinds and making change, and keep the biggest chips in the case for later.
Which set size you need
- 300 chips: one table of 6 to 8 comfortably, up to 10 to 12 with smaller stacks.
- 500 chips: 10 to 14 players, or two tables.
- 1,000 chips: 20 or more, or a game with plenty of rebuys.
What usually runs out first is the smallest chip: every player needs a handful, and the blinds eat them.
Chip colors and values
Home chip sets don't have a universal color code, so decide yours and write it on the house-rules sheet. A common tournament scheme, used in the breakdowns below:
| Color | Value |
|---|---|
| White | 25 |
| Red | 100 |
| Green | 500 |
| Black | 1,000 |
| Blue | 5,000 |
Tournament chip values are just counters; they aren't money. Using 25 as the smallest chip (rather than 1) keeps the numbers readable as the blinds climb.
Breakdowns by set and number of players
Each player's stack for the two most common home sets. These come straight from our chip calculator, which leaves enough of every chip in the case.
300-piece set (100 white, 50 red, 50 green, 50 black, 50 blue)
| Players | Stack | White 25 | Red 100 | Green 500 | Black 1,000 | Blue 5,000 | Chips each |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10,000 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 7 | – | 27 |
| 8 | 7,500 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | – | 20 |
| 10 | 7,500 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | – | 20 |
500-piece set (150 white, 150 red, 100 green, 50 black, 50 blue)
| Players | Stack | White 25 | Red 100 | Green 500 | Black 1,000 | Blue 5,000 | Chips each |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10,000 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 7 | – | 27 |
| 8 | 10,000 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | – | 28 |
| 10 | 10,000 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | – | 29 |
How to split a stack yourself
- Pick the starting blinds, usually the smallest chip and twice it (25/50).
- Aim for about 100 big blinds: 5,000 at 25/50, 10,000 at 50/100.
- Give about 8 of the smallest chip for blinds and change.
- Give at least 4 of each middle chip so players can bet in different sizes.
- Make up the rest with bigger chips, and leave any chip worth more than a fifth of the stack in the case for later.
- Check the total: stack × players must fit in your case, with spares for rebuys.
Rebuys and add-ons need chips too
Every rebuy hands out another full stack, and an add-on usually another half or full stack. If you allow rebuys, keep enough chips back for the rebuys you expect (often one per three or four players) before working out the starting stack.
Coloring up
As the blinds rise, the smallest chips stop being needed. At a break, swap them for the next chip up (four 25s for one 100) and race off any leftovers: deal a card per odd chip, and the high cards win the new chips. Nobody can be knocked out by the race.
Next: how to start a home poker league, or the poker night checklist.