Let's Talk About Poker Chips

Excess or Necessity? Poker Chips and the fascination of blinging your Board games

Iron Clays, Dice Chips, Boardgamegeek Poker Chips

It happens to us all. There comes a time in every board gamer’s journey where we see our shelves stuffed with games, some still wrapped in pristine cellophane, and wished there was a bit more we could do to spruce up our favorite pass time. Some are content with whatever comes in the box and as long as there is space on a table, any table will do. Others still, want more. A dedicated space for Kallaxes, card holders, exclusive tables where board games will forever be present and never a single scrap of food shall bet set. You know, fancy stuff.

I am not that fancy. I sit in that middle ground. I don’t mind having a do-all table just as long as its wiped clean before a board game is set. I have wooden holders for bits and stuff, but they are the cheapest I could find, not caring if they are slightly incongruent in size. And a dedicated room? Nice to have, but if I never have one in my life, I, on my death bed, would not be amiss.

But poker chips? I have agonized, irrationally come to think of it, about them. When I latch on to something I have a bad tendency to hyperfocus on it—specially when I know next to nothing about the subject. I’ve done it with pocket knives, I’ve done it with automatic watches, camera gear…and I did it with poker chips.

So today, I’m going to spit out a couple recommendations for poker chips if you feel a need to get just a little bit fancy.

Iron Clays

If we’re going to talk about a dedicated board game marker, we have to start at Iron Clays. These markers are made by Roxely Games (designed along side Chad Michael Studio) and were initially produced as a Kickstarter add-on for Brass Lancashire. It’s now available as a stand alone set that can be purchased in different denominations, so if a deluxe version of Brass isn’t your cup of tea, you don’t have to suffer through it to obtain these markers.

The chips themselves are quite expressive, delightful pieces. They have a nice heft and come in various denominations (1s, 5s, 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s, 500s, 2000s, depending on the set). The paisley pattern enveloping these chips is quite impressive with a modest, if somewhat understated, two-tone color scheme—they aren’t loud compared to what you’d find on the Vegas strip—they serve a purpose even if they are quite reserved, but they do so with a touch of class. These are, in my opinion, very good markers, and if you are set on one piece of kit to overrule any cardboard counter or money token, these are your best bet.

The biggest reason I like them is because they don’t look like poker chips and feel like they’re more a part of board game circles and not a vestige of a world not of our own. Which makes sense since these were made to accompany Brass Lancashire and Birmingham with their muted, grimy aesthetic. True poker chips tend to be bright and colorful, to the point of almost being garish. That tends to be by design, though, since players have to be able to discern color patterns from afar to know what sort of monetary value others might be putting into the pot or knowing how much they have to bet with. Iron Clays speak different. They have color, but in an anachronistic fashion. They function just as a regular poker chip would, but it does it in its own way. You still have edge spots, you still have denominations, you still have standard poker chip sizes. They just do it the Roxley way.

It’s not just those frilly traits, though. These counters also have a nice weight to them, without spilling over into hefty annoyance. At 9.5 grams a chip, these markers are splendid to hold and maneuver. They’re also an easier carry when traveling, although this applies to the 100 count version. They are sold in 200 and 400 options, too, but those get ridiculously large and heavy to lug around, less you desire a misaligned spine of some capacity. Lastly, I appreciate the clear distinction of the pattern of the marker and the inlay depicting the value of the chip. This is a small detail since you’ll be counting a chip based on its color rather than the printed denomination, but for players first encountering these markers, it makes it a breeze to learn the value of these fellas.

For exclusively board game players Iron Clays are a no brainer and I would probably tell you to buy them without hesitation…

But…

If you’re other than a board gamer or are into board games but also dabble in the odd poker game here or there, or are an ardent participant in those circles, Iron Clays may not be for you.

If you’ve noticed, I’ve been calling these Iron Clays as markers, and avoided calling them a poker chip altogether (heck, even Roxley calls them “game counters”). That’s because as poker chips go, these go against the grain in a few ways. For starters, and maybe the biggest reason you want to avoid these, is if you do play poker regularly with folks that are primarily poker players, these markers will confuse the heck out of them. There is a set standard color demarcation within actual poker chips. Roxley nails the first denomination by making it white, but there on after, every single denomination is at complete odds with what’s a standard color scheme in poker circles. Those being:

1s are white (sometimes gray, sometimes blue)
5s are red
10s are blue
20s are grey (in specific situations, but 20s are somewhat of an anomaly)
25s are green
100s are black
500s are purple
1000s are yellow

This color scheme is pretty ubiquitous, but the Iron Clays are nowhere near that ubiquity. If other folks come to play with that preconceived custom, it will be an irritancy to have to relearn what is common knowledge. The other, somewhat problematic issue with Iron Clays is in how they are sold. I will get out with the good news first, however, since I think the 100 counter set is perfect for 90% of board game players out there (and at $35-$40 retail, I think a good value) and you’ll be happy with them. That other 10% of players, mainly 18xx players, will probably have some issues with how these are sold as sets.

Take this section with a grain of salt, since I am not one for these laborious, harsh economic games, so my knowledge is limited, but from what I can gather most 18xx players would prefer to exert some control over how to build their own set rather than be given one already constructed for them. Roxley makes it impossible to purchase individual denominations to construct a set of your liking. If you want a set, you’ll have to be happy with Roxley’s choice of denominations and their quantities. Each 18xx game also has a different standard of what’s an acceptable bank value; some will be fine with $5000, others with $12,000 and everything in between. Other’s might be better off with more quantities of 1s and 5s than what a set might have, and even some might view the 2000 value chip as superfluous.

What I’m getting at is that these predetermined sets might not fit some 18xx-ers demands completely. At $150 for the 400 chip set and $90 for the 200 version, it might be too much of a swing for some to justify a set that doesn’t fit the needs of their particular games.

Lastly, it’s availability. Iron Clays are not always in stock, so even if you determine these chips as a viable option for you, they may not be available for purchase, but if you can, and like the look and use case, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a set, particularly the 100 chip version. I think, for the most part, gamers will be pretty happy with these markers, and if you fall in this category, I wouldn’t think twice about purchasing them.

BoardgameGeek Poker Chips

Let’s say you do want to create your own set, however, and have a very detailed, almost granular philosophy of what a set should be like, well, you’re in luck, Boardgame Geek has an option for you.

What the Iron Clays lacked in some consistency the poker chips developed by BBG are truer to the discerning poker player. Here we have denominations that line up with standard color schemes (see above), and like Iron Clays, stick to dimensions and weights in synchronicity with standard poker chips.

The exact denominations available (as of this writing at least):

1s
5s
10s
20s
25s
100s
500s
1000s

They come in 40mm diameters and have a hefty 14 grams a piece, plus readability is superb as these have a clear and bold font used without a monetary denomination. It’s a small detail, but some folks would be annoyed if they had a money value when these chips are used as damage tokens or counters. Good on BGG for thinking more about what a board game player might want out of a poker chip. To top it off, these have a vibrant color palate. Reds flourish, blues go deep, the whites pop against the orange flair of the edge spots. These are far more expressive compared to Roxley’s offerings which could be a good thing in your eyes. I would say that I’m a fan of both Iron Clays’ dress up and BGG’s version of what a poker chip should look like. Your milage may vary, but overall these chips are more than serviceable.

So too is the way they are sold. If you definitely need more control over a set, you’ll be able to purchase denominations individually. They sell in packs (sometimes called barrels) of 25 chips per denomination, plus they sell a set of one chip of every denomination if you need to sample the whole collection before committing to multiple variations or want to fine tune amounts (with some limitations).

Where I feel some might scoff at acquiring these chips is when it comes to price. A single pack of 25 chips of one denomination will run you $8. If you do the math, obtaining all 8 types of chips will come out to $64 for 200 chips in all. This might not sound too bad but consider that this is not including shipping costs, which can get pricey pretty fast. Also, if you shop around, you can find alternatives that come well below the cost of BGG’s offering. Plenty of poker chip sellers have barrels of 25 chips at $4.50 or lower with plenty of denominations available and shipping is pretty similar with what BGG would charge—remember we are talking a heavy set of chips that can get upwards of 7 pounds for a good number of pieces. If you don’t care about looks and want to save some money, you’re better off finding other online retailers (apachepokerchips.com and brpropoker.com are popular options).

All of that is moot, however, if you do enjoy how these poker chips look and are okay about the shipping costs (it’s unavoidable, you will pay shipping unless you go into sets ranging around $200-$300). If you take all of that aside, the only negatives I see with these is two-fold: they don’t have the best fit and finish compared to Iron Clays, and they don’t have a chip holder; you’ll need to purchase this separate.

Let’s tackle the first part, my set of chips overall were pretty darn good, but most chips had some form of flashing. Flashing is the small plastic bits hanging off the edges of chips from the molding process. They aren’t a defect, but mostly a lack of finishing and polish from the manufacturer. Compared to BGG, Roxley has a stricter tolerance on how the end product turns out. Their chips don’t have any sort of flashing, they look more complete. Mind you, this is not a deal breaker. The flashing present here has absolutely no bearing on how these poker chips perform. If you don’t care about it, this is probably a moot point.

The second part is a bit of a problem, but not by much. Again, comparing these to Roxley’s offering, any Iron Clays you purchase come with a box and plastic chip trays. With BGG’s it’s BYOT: Bring Your Own Tray. You could just dump these chips into plastic bags like an animal, but if you prefer to be human, you’ll have to hop online to purchase a tray (BGG does not sell one). It’s a separate cost, but luckily there are plenty of affordable options, it’s just an extra step you’ll have to take for organizational purposes.

Is any of the above a deal breaker? In my eyes, not really. While it would be nice to have a tray that is designed for these chips, the beauty of the BGG poker chips is that you can customize what you need for a perfect set. This is especially true if you need more chips in certain denominations because of player counts or game specific needs, or because you just want lots of 5s versus 10s. Pricewise, sure you could do better, but personally I dig the vibrant attributes of these chips, and the extra cost these incur as well as purchasing trays to fit what you need outweighs the convenience of a predetermined set.

If price isn’t an issue, these BGG poker chips are perfect.

DIce/Suited Poker Chip

Suited Poker Chip on the left, BGG chip center, Iron Clays on the right

But what if price is an issue, or at least a major consideration? In that regard, you can’t beat the dependable suited poker chip. Folks, if you need a no frills, adequate poker chip or counter, then a generic suited/dice poker chip is the way to go. You’ll find these everywhere—like dandelions growing in an unkept field. You probably have one tucked neatly in a corner of your attic, basement or closet. If there is any sort of gaming, this is probably one of the first accessories a person will get, an essential progression in the path to full on gamer geek.

Like I said before, if price is the biggest objector to going with a more premium product, then these chips, brittle as crackers, devoid of flair and full of defects, knicks and misprints will totally work for your needs. Let’s be honest, we play games for the fun of it, not because of how awesome any particular component might be. Even as pedestrian as these chips are, replace the paper money in any game that has it with these and it’s an instant upgrade. A game like Raccoon Tycoon, with its plastic “paper” money is so much better with these ABS plastic slabs—counting bills one by one is a chore compared to just tossing in the required chips. No contest.

However, there are stark differences when compared to the other chips mentioned here.

For one, the thickness of these chips is thinner. I consider this a neutral since the thickness of the stacks you make can be a personal preference, but on the other hand, some of these affordable chips dismiss edge spots completely making it hard to figure out how many chips are in a stack at a glance (see picture above). The biggest culprit, to some extent, is having a lack of any denomination. If you have newbies or just folks that don’t play that many games, a lack of denominations could be frustrating. How much is a white? How about a red? Going back and forth trying to remember numbers can be off putting, or even worse, tempo killing. However, it’s nothing a sharpie can’t fix, but you’ll have to put the effort to write out a value on a set of 200 chips.

Lastly, if you’re particular about game presence, or things looking extra sharp and neat, these chips will disappoint you. Dice or suited chips are mass produced and created for volume rather than exclusivity. You will see plenty of chips with misaligned graphics, or no graphics at all, with chipped edges and cracks down the middle, to totally broken chips altogether from a spanking new set. In other words, it’s always Friday afternoon right before clocking out for the weekend, every day at that poker chip factory.

Of course, what lacks in quality control you gain in quantity. Some of these sets have enough chips to double whatever BBG and Roxely can offer at a lower price point. Even retail, you’re still looking at $20 for a set of 150 chips with a metal case and some cards thrown in. They are also extremely easy to find. You can save some money by looking at the used market, and you’ll probably find listings going well below $10 for a good set with modest wear.

If you’re starting out and just need to make a quality-of-life upgrade that doesn’t break the bank, these chips should have a place in your accessories.

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Mar 10 Let's Talk About Poker Chips