Lower denomination chips get removed to reflect the changing stakes.Ī typical tournament chip progression looks like: In large multi-table tournaments, chip values increase as the blinds and bets escalate. How chip values evolve in tournament play Always check the chip values before buying into bigger tournaments and cash games to avoid costly errors. So the black chip is $5,000 instead of $100 due to the stakes. It can represent $500 or even $1000+ in specialty high roller events.įor example, here are the chip colors/values used at the $10,000 buy-in WSOP Main Event final table: In these bigger cash games and tournaments, the black chip loses its $100 value. You‘ll typically see purple $500 chips introduced, then grey or orange $1000 chips. When black chips deviate from the $100 standardĪs stakes increase, larger chip denominations are needed on the table. It allows for easy counting of pot sizes and bets in a game where buy-ins are typically $40-$300. Given how ubiquitous 1/2 and 1/3 No Limit Hold‘em cash games are today, the $100 black chip continues to be essential to low stakes poker.

When the Golden Nugget introduced $100 black chips, suddenly much bigger poker games were possible.' 'In the old days, downtown Vegas casinos had mostly low value $1, $5, and $25 chips on hand, limiting game sizes. Origins of the $100 standard black chip valueĪccording to poker legend Doyle Brunson, the $100 black chip became standard in Vegas casinos back in the early days. But in high roller cash games and tournaments, black chips can be worth far more, even into the thousands. This standard makes tracking bets and pots easy in the most popular limit games like 1/2 and 1/3 No Limit Hold‘em. In most low to mid stakes poker cash games, the black chip represents the highest common denomination, valued at $100.

Casino chip values