There are literally thousands of poker chips from which to choose. A quick search of "poker chips" on Yahoo! Shopping yields over 29,000 results. But when you get down to it, there are three major types of poker chips available to the aspiring poker pro. These chips are either plastic, composite, or clay. Each type of chip has it's own pros and cons so selecting the right one depends on why you want to buy poker chips in the first place. Here are the facts to help you decide which type of poker chip to choose.

Plastic

Plastic are pretty low class when it comes to poker chips. They will nto raise any stir among your poker playing friends and certainly will not support any tricks. You can get them at a cheap price from your local Wal-Mart. You can also dispose of them whenever you want.

They are for the one time only poker party and are useful only for the occasional poker player.

Composite

Composite chips come at a good price and are very rugged. Compared to the elite clay chips they are very easy to clean, and instead of lasting for just 5-6 years will virtually last a lifetime.

So what is the disadvantage? Well they simply do not feel like the authentic casino chips, and they do not have that beautiful clink. They are just missing something as far as poker enthusiasts are concerned.

Clay

These are the most elite chips you can get. The poker pros use these, and of course all casinos will use these exclusively.

Why are they so wonderful? This is because they have a special feel and a magical click. A true poker lover will not settle for anything less.

However clay chips will cost you time and money. You will need to baby these beauties by washing them and oiling them every few months, to preserve them. When you really take excellent care of them they will last 5-6 years. However if you neglect them they will deteriorate fast. If you get clay chips you must take care of your investment.

Whatever type of chip you get will be determined by what you are going to use it for. Do you want authentic chips or just a one night stand. Be sure to do your research and make an educated choice.