Poker is a pastime that can be as relaxed or challenging as you like.
It is perfect for the festive season that has just ended when the family can sit down after hours and have a few fun games, with nothing more than drinks and snacks at stake.
Of course, it gets more competitive when there is money on the table, and at the high end, it is an elite sport, with millions of dollars at stake.
The recent World Series of Poker saw plenty of poker millionaires made, and players at that level need to be able to calculate the pot odds, read their opponents, bluff until the cows come home and do so for hours on end.
Sitting around the table in your garage, you need a rudimentary grasp of poker terms, a few friends and a deck of cars. That’s more or less it.
If you want to host regular nights and join what is a mini poker boom sweeping the US, you might want to invest in a little more equipment.
There are plenty of full poker sets you can buy that come with branded cards, chips and such. The most expensive poker set on the market is thought to be the Geoffrey Parker Alligator Poker Set, thought to be worth around $8m.
Luckily for you, these five sets are all capable of helping you host a great game at a fraction of the cost.
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Trademark Poker Chip Set
Available on Amazon, the Trademark Poker Chip Set has all your basic poker needs covered. It features 500 chips and comes in a stylish silver aluminium carry case lined with felt.
There are two sets of cards to play with and the usual extras such as a dealer’s chip. The chips themselves are plastic, but they don’t feel cheap. You’ll be paying around $50 if you find it at the right time.
Fat Cat Clay Poker Chip Set
Fat Cat Clay began life as a Milwaukee dart company, but they’ve expanded into other traditional entertainment forms, including a poker set.
The set features different colored chips, 500 in total, with no denominations, so that you can set your own. That’s useful for small games, of course.
There are two sets of cards, a dealers chip and a neat case. Be cautious with the case though, the slots that hold the chips get easily bent. You should not be paying more than $25.
DA VINCI Professional Casino Del Sol Poker Chips Set
You’re going to be paying a bit more for this set, maybe as much as $175, but it is certainly worth the extra money.
The chips are not plastic for a start; they are made of a clay composite with a metal core and feel substantial.
The attention to detail is nice; the chip denomination is printed in a slight indent below the chip surface to prevent scratching. Of course, you get two mice card packs and a heavy carry case.
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy our pick of the best glass chess sets to complete your games night.
