Poker Chip Counter
Count a poker game's chips in under a minute: set your chip colors and values, enter each player's count by color, and the counter gives every player's dollar value and the table total. Then it checks that total against the money that went in, so you know the table balances before anyone pays anyone. Free, no signup, runs in your browser.
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How to count poker chips at the end of the night
- Stop play, and have every player keep their chips in front of them. Nobody racks up or leaves yet.
- Sort each stack by color.
- Count each color in stacks of 10 or 20. Matching stacks side by side make a miscount easy to spot.
- Multiply each color's count by its value and add the colors. That's the player's cash-out value.
- Add every player's value. That total has to equal everything bought in: every first buy-in, every rebuy and every top-up.
- Only when the table balances, settle up.
Worked example: 6 players, $20 buy-ins, 2 rebuys
$0.25/$0.50 cash game. White $0.25, Red $1, Green $5. Six players bought in for $20 each, and Mike and Dave each rebought once, so $160 went in.
Scroll table horizontally →
| Player | White ($0.25) | Red ($1) | Green ($5) | Chip value | Bought in | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mike | 10 | 6 | 0 | $8.50 | $40 | −$31.50 |
| Dave | 14 | 12 | 1 | $20.50 | $40 | −$19.50 |
| Jen | 22 | 24 | 2 | $39.50 | $20 | +$19.50 |
| Chris | 12 | 10 | 1 | $18.00 | $20 | −$2.00 |
| Sam | 24 | 30 | 3 | $51.00 | $20 | +$31.00 |
| Tony | 14 | 14 | 1 | $22.50 | $20 | +$2.50 |
| Table | 96 | 96 | 8 | $160.00 | $160 | $0.00 |
Mike
- White ($0.25)
- 10
- Red ($1)
- 6
- Green ($5)
- 0
- Chip value
- $8.50
- Bought in
- $40
- Result
- −$31.50
Dave
- White ($0.25)
- 14
- Red ($1)
- 12
- Green ($5)
- 1
- Chip value
- $20.50
- Bought in
- $40
- Result
- −$19.50
Jen
- White ($0.25)
- 22
- Red ($1)
- 24
- Green ($5)
- 2
- Chip value
- $39.50
- Bought in
- $20
- Result
- +$19.50
Chris
- White ($0.25)
- 12
- Red ($1)
- 10
- Green ($5)
- 1
- Chip value
- $18.00
- Bought in
- $20
- Result
- −$2.00
Sam
- White ($0.25)
- 24
- Red ($1)
- 30
- Green ($5)
- 3
- Chip value
- $51.00
- Bought in
- $20
- Result
- +$31.00
Tony
- White ($0.25)
- 14
- Red ($1)
- 14
- Green ($5)
- 1
- Chip value
- $22.50
- Bought in
- $20
- Result
- +$2.50
Table
- White ($0.25)
- 96
- Red ($1)
- 96
- Green ($5)
- 8
- Chip value
- $160.00
- Bought in
- $160
- Result
- $0.00
Every $20 stack was 12 white, 12 red and 1 green, and 8 stacks went out (6 buy-ins + 2 rebuys): 96 white, 96 red, 8 green. The count matches color by color and in dollars, and the results add to zero. Now the settlement calculator can work out who pays whom.
When the chip count doesn't match the buy-ins
A table that's off is almost always one of four things:
- Over by exactly one buy-in: a rebuy got chips but never got written down. This is the most common one.
- Short by one chip's value: a chip on the floor, in a pocket, under a drink or still in the bank tray.
- Off by an odd amount: a miscount. Recount the two biggest stacks first; that's where most errors hide.
- Off by a lot: chips from another set got mixed in, or someone's stack was counted twice.
If a recount doesn't fix it, use the house rule your group agreed on before the first hand. The usual ones are taking a shortfall off the winners in proportion to what each won, or having the host cover a small gap. Decide it before anyone pays, because changing money after people have been paid is how a $5 problem becomes a group-chat argument.
Host's note
The story from our first-time hosting video is the one we hear most from other hosts: a player rebuys with "I'll pay you at the end", nobody writes it down, and at 1:00 in the morning the count comes out $50 short. A notebook works if you never skip a line. Count color by color against a written buy-in list, and the gap shows up while everyone is still at the table.
Watch: running a cash game from buy-in to settle-up
This video walks through a home cash game in the order the night happens, including the end-of-night count and what to do when the table is off.
When the table balances, send the counts to the settlement calculator to see who pays whom. Track every buy-in during the game with the free buy-in tracker so the count has something to match against.
HG Poker does the same thing on the host's phone: it logs every buy-in and rebuy, and at the end the count screen tells you whether the table is over or short, with a reason like missing chips or a missed rebuy. Then it shares who owes who to the group chat. It takes no bets, holds no money and moves no money; your group pays each other the way it always does. App Store · Google Play
Track it while you play. Settle it when you finish.
If you run a regular home cash game, the calculation is only one part of the job. HG Poker keeps buy-ins and rebuys together while you play, guides the final chip count, and saves the result for next time. Start free and see your current allowance in the app.
Frequently asked questions
How do you count poker chips at the end of a game?+
Sort each player's chips by color, count each color in stacks of 10 or 20, and multiply each count by that color's value. Add the colors to get the player's total, then add every player's total and check it against the money that went in.
What should I do if the chip count doesn't match the buy-ins?+
Recount the stacks, check the floor and the bank, and look at the buy-in list. If the table is over by exactly one buy-in, look first for a rebuy that never got written down.
What if the chips are still short after a recount?+
Use the house rule your group agreed on before the game. Common ones are taking the shortfall off the winners in proportion to what they won, or having the host cover a small gap. Settle it before anyone gets paid.
Can I use my own chip colors and values?+
Yes. Set each color to the value your group plays with. The counter saves them in this browser, so next week starts with the same set.
Do I need an account?+
No. The counter is free and runs in your browser. HG Poker, the app, is only needed if you want each count saved with your group's history and the result shared to everyone's phone.