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Poker chip values: how to set up your chips
Updated November 2026
In casinos, white or blue chips are usually $1, red $5, green $25 and black $100. At home you can give the colors any values you like, as long as everyone knows them. A good starting stack is about 100 big blinds, spread across three colors.
| Color | Casino value |
|---|---|
| White | $1 |
| Red | $5 |
| Green | $25 |
| Black | $100 |
| Purple | $500 |
A home game stack
Casinos vary, so check the rack before you play.
How many chips do you need?
Plan on about 54 chips per player. That's enough for 100 big blinds in three colors, with plenty of small chips to bet with.
A 300-chip set handles five players and a 500-chip set handles nine.
Sets
Why 100 big blinds?
Because it gives people room to play. With 100 big blinds you can fold a few hands, raise, call a raise and still have chips left. Below about 40, a single raise uses too much of your stack and the game gets rushed.
Stack sizes
What about a tournament?
Pick a stack of 100 big blinds at the first level and raise the blinds as you go. A common start is 25 and 50 with 5,000 chips. As the blinds rise, the smallest chips stop being useful, so swap them for bigger ones at a break. That's called coloring up.
Example
What should you avoid?
- Too many colorsThree is plenty for a small game. Five confuses people.
- Values that are hard to addStick to round numbers.
- Too few small chipsPeople need change for the blinds.
- Changing values mid-gameDecide at the start, then leave it.
What if you don't have chips?
You can play with coins, buttons or pieces of paper. Here's how.
Do you know your chips?
Twelve spots in three rounds.
Questions players ask
What color is a $5 chip?
Usually red in a casino.
What does coloring up mean?
Swapping small chips for bigger ones, usually at a tournament break.
How much should chips be worth at home?
Whatever suits your buy-in. Set it so that 100 big blinds equals the buy-in.
Hosting a game this week?
Send your friends the chip plan.