It always takes me a while to arrange stacks for a home game. Is there a quick way to do it? Like some chip measurement device. I've seen a 50 chip rack with 10 chips per row. That helps to count stacks of 10. But is there a better way?

I guess it matters if the game is a cash game or a tournament.

Tournament starting stacks are often comprised of three or even four levels of chips. The sets are "skinny" in that there are not enough low value chips to give each player a large number of chips. Plus the lowest value chip is intended to be removed from play as soon as the blinds make it impractical.

Tournament set-up does not lend itself to quick and easy set up like a cash game.

I use racks to set up my cash game - a rack is 20 chips X five rows = 100 chips. I match my racks to the nature of the chips where possible. Nice "Paulson" racks holds 20 unworn chips snuggly in each row. 21 will not fit, so I always know when the rack is full or short chips.

Cash game the easy way - if everyone buys for the same amount. Count out the total buy-in. Put racks of chips on the table equal to the total buy-in and let the players sort it out. Cash in = chips out. Easy, quick, takes a load off the host.

Setting up for a $1/$2 game. Each player gets 20 X $1 chip or one barrel out of a rack. A barrel of $5 chips is $100, so they get a barrel less four chips. 20 $1s plus 16 $5s is $100. Add barrels for each $100 buy-in.

Same type of thing for a $0.25/$0.50 game. A barrel of quarters = $5. cut 5 chips off a barrel of ones to make a $20 stack. Every extra $20 is another barrel of ones.

At some point you will want to stop issuing the lowest value of chip. Buy-ins after that just get barrels of "workhorse" chips. < $5 chips in a $1/$2 game, $1 chips in a $0.25/$0.50 game > Let the players handle change.

Run out of workhorse chips? Then issue "store of value" chips, whatever those are for your game.

Key thing to have are racks to hold the chips. I store my chips that way. I carry chips in bird cages rather than briefcases. If I have to use a briefcase, then I bring a few racks and cut the chips into barrels / racks before the game. I pick the "right " racks where possible - right means 20 chips fit and 21 chips will not.

DrStrange

The more you set up the stacks the easier and quicker it becomes. Just like everything else practice and reps is the best answer.

I think some of us have been playing (and planning) long enough to count chip much quicker than others. Chip racks (2o per row/barrel) are a great help, but some racks fit 19 or 21 of some chips

Re: Chip measuring device... It won't take long with practice to grab a stack of 20 chips, and break it down to four stacks of 5-chips to verify. There is no better device than your hands. Maybe you just need a better/faster technique?