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Can You Distinguish Casino Grade Poker Chips?
In casino table games such as poker, the small coin-like discs used in place of money are called poker chips. These are obtained from the casino cage cashier in exchange for money. Because of their shape and uniformity in size, poker chips are easy to stack up on the gaming table, and therefore, easier to count than paper bills. Another reason for using these substitute money in gaming tables is hygiene. Winning is the object of gambling, and in gaming tables, winnings will frequently transfer from one hand to another. If hard currency, both bills and coins, that have been in public circulation were used and passed around in the course of the game, the gaming table, along with the hands of the players, will be soiled in no time at all. Because poker chips undergo heavy use in a casino environment, these are frequently cleaned using a mild detergent and tap water.
Authentic casino grade poker chips are said to be made of "clay," but are actually a composite of clay and some other material to make them more durable. These are difficult to counterfeit, and for good reason - these chips are as good as cash in the casino. The game of poker has been around for hundreds of years, but it was not until the turn of this century that it moved from its image of a table game played in smoky seedy joints to a fashionable private party game. The new-found popularity of this table game gave birth to a booming industry that caters to poker accessories for household entertainment. There are two types of poker chips available in dealers near you - the casino grade, which are made of clay composite and the acrylic or plastic chips.
If you are planning to purchase poker chips for your private use, it will be a good idea to invest in good quality and durable chips. Plastic chips are inexpensive, but they are not as durable as clay composite. And because they warp, they do not stack evenly and have no consistency in color. Unfortunately, many dealers will claim that their chips are the "real ones" used in casinos. But there are telltale signs that even "newbies" can look out for to detect casino grade from imitation acrylic poker chips. Typically, the weight of casino grade chips is 8.5 grams upwards, but not to exceed 10 grams. With poker's popularity, the market for poker accessories was flooded with metal embedded plastic chips that weighed in at 11.5 grams. While no there is no prescribed standard size, imitation chips usually measure 40 millimeters in diameter, as opposed to the usual 39 millimeters for casino grade chips.
Finally, if the price being offered to you for "casino grade" chips is too good to be true, chances are these are not authentic. Imitation poker chips would cost from ten cents to twenty-five cents apiece, while casino grade will cost six to fifteen times as much per piece! If you are planning to invest your money in good quality casino grade chips, the better part of prudence is to ask seasoned poker players and research the internet for reputable stores that offer authentic poker chips.