When you see a poker chip, do you see it as just a petty little thing used as a substitute for money in a poker game or do you see it as a unique and complex game accessory for what its worth? Did you know that there are several types of poker chips out there and that they are used different ways?

Different Types of Poker Chips

Basically, there are two general types of poker chips according to where they are used: casino-grade and for home game. Obviously, the premier chip is the true casino grade chip which costs a great deal more while the more affordable alternative is the home game chip.

Casino grade chips are further divided into two classes namely clay and clay composite. Although these two may look the same because they both have a general weight of around 9 to 10.5 grams, they have different compositions and are produced in two very different methods.

Clay chips are the most used and preferred chips in many casinos worldwide. In fact, they have become the standard chip for the majority of famous and popular casinos. They are molded through the process of compression but the exact composition and manufacturing process of this potent chip are highly guarded industry secrets. Commonly priced at more than a dollar per chip, they are the most expensive of the chip types.

Clay composite chips, on the other hand, are molded through the process of injection. What’s great about these chips is that they can be imprinted with full-face graphics which is quite hard to do on pure clay chips. Chipco, which utilizes ceramic material and Kardwell which boasts of their claylike chips in sound and feel, are the two primary manufacturers of clay composite casino-grade chips.

Today, clay composite chips are fast gaining popularity as they significantly have lower costs and are progressively looking more and more like their clay counterparts. In fact, the popular clay composite chip line now can barely be discerned as clay composite and not a pure clay chip.

For those who do not want to spend so much on a poker chip, there is a third type which is the most affordable. It is also a composite chip but it is made of PVC-injected plastic and metal slug. They are mostly manufactured in China and serve the majority of inexperienced and novice players. You can readily identify them with their multi-colored appearance and bulkiness as they weigh at about 11.5 to 13 grams per chip.

Because of their considerably cheaper cost and wide availability, PVC chips are perfectly appropriate for home use by occasional or learning players. What makes this type of chip the heaviest among the others is their metal core which comprises the majority of the chip. Aside from this, home game Chinese chips are quite slippery which makes it hard to form a high stack out of them and perform chip tricks.

If you have the budget and you are or aim to be a professional poker player, then you should invest in a casino grade quality chip, either clay or clay composite. After all, it’s often just a once in a lifetime purchase and with a set of three hundred to five hundred fine casino grade chips, you have more than enough to win you many memorable games in your lifetime.