Poker Chip Values: What Each Color Is Worth
Updated Nov 13, 2026
Short answer: There's no universal standard for poker chip colors. Each game sets its own values. For a home cash game, the easy default is white $0.25, red $1, green $5, black $25. Make your smallest chip equal to the small blind, make each color 4 or 5 times the one below it, and put the values where everyone can see them.
Poker chip values chart (3, 4 and 5 colors)
Values are a home-game default, not a rule.
Scroll table horizontally →
| Color | 3 colors | 4 colors | 5 colors (low stakes) | 5 colors (bigger game) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.05 | $1 |
| Red | $1 | $1 | $0.25 | $5 |
| Blue | $1 | |||
| Green | $5 | $5 | $5 | $25 |
| Black | $25 | $25 | $100 | |
| Purple | $500 | |||
| Good for | $10–$50 buy-ins, $0.25/$0.50 blinds | $50–$200 buy-ins | nickel-and-dime games, $0.05/$0.10 blinds | $200+ buy-ins, $1/$2 blinds |
White
- 3 colors
- $0.25
- 4 colors
- $0.25
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- $0.05
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $1
Red
- 3 colors
- $1
- 4 colors
- $1
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- $0.25
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $5
Blue
- 3 colors
- 4 colors
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- $1
- 5 colors (bigger game)
Green
- 3 colors
- $5
- 4 colors
- $5
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- $5
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $25
Black
- 3 colors
- 4 colors
- $25
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- $25
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $100
Purple
- 3 colors
- 4 colors
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $500
Good for
- 3 colors
- $10–$50 buy-ins, $0.25/$0.50 blinds
- 4 colors
- $50–$200 buy-ins
- 5 colors (low stakes)
- nickel-and-dime games, $0.05/$0.10 blinds
- 5 colors (bigger game)
- $200+ buy-ins, $1/$2 blinds
Every step is 4x or 5x the color below it (the bigger-game column matches the higher-stakes column on our chip calculator), so any chip can be broken into smaller ones without odd change. If your set has different colors, keep the order and swap the names: what matters is that the cheapest chip is the one you have the most of.
Which poker chip color is worth the most?
Whichever one your game says. In the charts above, black is the highest in a 4-color set and purple in the bigger 5-color set. If your set came with blue, use it in the middle. Light colors for small values and dark colors for big ones is the habit most players already have, so it's the least confusing.
How to choose chip values for your game (3 steps)
- Smallest chip = the small blind. $0.25/$0.50 blinds means a $0.25 white chip. (This is the rule from our video, Poker chip values explained.)
- Each color 4 or 5 times the one below. $0.25, $1, $5, $25 works. $0.25, $0.50, $1 doesn't: you'd need three colors to cover what one $1 chip does.
- Use 3 or 4 colors in play. More colors mean more counting at the end and more "what's blue again?" Put the values on a card on the table.
Want to type in your own values and get each player's stack? Use the poker chip values calculator.
Poker chip values by buy-in
These are the same stacks as our chip distribution pages. Each one adds up to the buy-in.
- $10 buy-in ($0.10/$0.25 blinds): 20 white ($2) + 12 red ($3) + 5 green ($5) = $10, 37 chips. White $0.10, red $0.25, green $1. → $10 buy-in chip distribution
- $20 buy-in ($0.25/$0.50 blinds): 12 white ($3) + 12 red ($12) + 1 green ($5) = $20, 25 chips. → $20 buy-in chip distribution
- $50 buy-in ($0.25/$0.50 blinds): 12 white ($3) + 12 red ($12) + 7 green ($35) = $50, 31 chips. → $50 buy-in chip distribution
- $100 buy-in ($0.50/$1 blinds): 12 white ($3) + 12 red ($12) + 7 green ($35) + 2 black ($50) = $100, 33 chips. → $100 buy-in chip distribution
Tournament chip values
Tournament chips have no cash value. Everyone starts with the same stack and the chips only decide who's still in. Use bigger round numbers so the blinds can climb: 25, 100, 500 and 1,000 are easy. A 10,000 starting stack: 20 × 25 + 15 × 100 + 6 × 500 + 5 × 1,000 = 10,000 (46 chips). Our free blind timer starts at 25/50, so the 25 chip covers the first small blind.
Build the levels with the blind structure builder.
How many chips you need
The values decide the stacks; the player count decides the set. See how many poker chips you need or run the chip set calculator.
At the end of the night
When the game ends, count each player's chips by color and multiply by these values. The poker chip counter does it and checks the table against what was bought in. If you host every week, the HG Poker app logs every buy-in and rebuy, counts chips at the end with a check when the totals don't balance, and shows who owes who.
Watch
Watch: Poker chip values explained: what each color should be worth.
Frequently asked questions
What are the standard poker chip values?
There isn't one standard; every casino and home game sets its own. A common home cash game set is white $0.25, red $1, green $5 and black $25. Pick values so the smallest chip equals the small blind and each color is worth 4 or 5 times the one below.
What are poker chip values for 4 colors?
White $0.25, red $1, green $5, black $25 works for most home cash games from a $50 to a $200 buy-in. For a cheaper game, drop black and use three colors.
What are good poker chip values for a $20 buy-in?
With $0.25/$0.50 blinds, give each player 12 white at $0.25, 12 red at $1 and 1 green at $5. That's 25 chips worth $20.
What color poker chip is worth the most?
The one your game assigns the highest value. In a typical home set that's black ($25), or purple ($500) if you use a fifth color for a bigger game.
Are poker chip colors universal?
No. Colors and values change from casino to casino and from game to game. Post your values on the table so nobody has to guess.
Related guides
- Poker chip values calculator
- How many poker chips do you need?
- Poker chip counter
- Poker night invitation templates
Count chips at the end of the night with a check when the totals don't balance.