The real answer is, "What ever weight feels best to you." But most people aren't happy with that answer. Most people want to know what weight is correct. Again, the answer is a very non-committal "that depends".

When you really get down to basics, most chips are around 11.5 grams. The reason for this is unknown; perhaps it is just that there are a few more chips with this weight. Your usual poker player probably plays with chips of this weight because they are readily available and he does not go to the casino regularly.

Casino chips are a whole new ball game. The size and weight of the casino chip varies. One thing is for sure it is not 11.5 grams.

Whether it's for reasons of security or personal design, the weight of poker chips in Las Vegas casinos varies slightly. Some are heavier than others but generally, poker chips in Las Vegas weigh about 10 grams. This may be because 10 grams is the weight of the clay in the chips when they're made to size. There are 13 gram clay poker chips available that are the same size as the 10 gram chips, but these chips usually have metal flakes mixed with the clay to increase the weight.

So the official weight of a poker chip is really 10 grams. However you should still go by your personal preference. You may not feel comfortable with the light feel of the 10 gram chip and want to go for the 13 gram style.

Of course the ultimate decision will be if you and your poker friends are happy with a particular weight of chips. You want your poker friends to be happy as this will give a better atmosphere to your home games.