NAGB’s? Spill the tea?

[Bill_Man618]

Since this is a more free place to speak than PCF I figured I’d inquire on the NAGB situation. I’ve heard a variety of things regarding them ranging from there being secret forums on PCF that others didn’t know about nor have access to all the way to it just being something people got slightly upset about. So if you know something speak on it here. I’m real curious how this stuff happens.

 

[troyboy2002]

What is nagb?

 

[Bill_Man618]

It’s PCF slang for Not a Group Buy Group Buy. There was thread on here about the Paulson chips from Tiger Palace. Those were an NAGB. I’m doubtful anyone will say a word since they’re kept a closet gaurded secret.

 

[troyboy2002]

Okay good to know Thank you

 

[cpiaaq]

I can tell you it’s quite simple to have “secret” forums. They’re no different than the forums that only mods can see, or forums guests or new users can’t. It’s a trivial thing to do in the software.

And while I don’t have firsthand knowledge, I’ve heard several times there were private forums for the development of the “Boat*” chips. Of course there were!

I wasn't really around when most of the drama happened, but people did get upset. Apparently it got discussed, things got hot and lots of posts got deleted. A user created another forum to continue the discussions (it eventually shut down). Personally I felt envious and "slightly upset" about not being included. It doesn’t feel good to be reminded you’re not part of the in-group. (At the time I thought 5k posts at chiptalk and my paulson collection should have been enough)

Fake casino method vs VIP method
To order from GPI, the boat chips nagb involved creating a fake casino-services business that worked with cruise lines. Other NAGBs have been purchased through a card room, casino, or casino host, that has the go-ahead to create custom sets for VIPs.

I believe the first NAGB was supposed to be part of the sin city showdown (meetup). They were going to create a custom set for the meetup and attendees could buy racks or a set to take home. But public discussion (design phase) was quashed I think at the request of the casino/host/hookup. The meetup came and went, and the organizer did eventually end up with a full custom set of Paulsons. (To be clear, this is a personal cash set, procured years later at the same time as the Big Top Poker chips. As far as I can tell, they’ve never been sold or shared with anyone)

NAGBs are an interesting topic!

* boat chips are: empress star, aurora star, and pacific star

 

[Carnth]

I'm one of those people on the outside. I get the general idea of how NAGBs work.


But why are the chips so expensive?
I'm sure GPI doesn't charge legit casinos $7 - $15 per chip. Why are NAGB chips priced this way when they go up for sale on the forums?

 

[Bill_Man618]

I can tell you it’s quite simple to have “secret” forums. They’re no different than the forums that only mods can see, or forums guests or new users can’t. It’s a trivial thing to do in the software.

And while I don’t have firsthand knowledge, I’ve heard several times there were private forums for the development of the “Boat*” chips. Of course there were!

I wasn't really around when most of the drama happened, but people did get upset. Apparently it got discussed, things got hot and lots of posts got deleted. A user created another forum to continue the discussions (it eventually shut down). Personally I felt envious and "slightly upset" about not being included. It doesn’t feel good to be reminded you’re not part of the in-group. (At the time I thought 5k posts at chiptalk and my paulson collection should have been enough)

Fake casino method vs VIP method
To order from GPI, the boat chips nagb involved creating a fake casino-services business that worked with cruise lines. Other NAGBs have been purchased through a card room, casino, or casino host, that has the go-ahead to create custom sets for VIPs.

I believe the first NAGB was supposed to be part of the sin city showdown (meetup). They were going to create a custom set for the meetup and attendees could buy racks or a set to take home. But public discussion (design phase) was quashed I think at the request of the casino/host/hookup. The meetup came and went, and the organizer did eventually end up with a full custom set of Paulsons. (To be clear, this is a personal cash set, procured years later at the same time as the Big Top Poker chips. As far as I can tell, they’ve never been sold or shared with anyone)

NAGBs are an interesting topic!

* boat chips are: empress star, aurora star, and pacific star

Very interesting insight! I knew about the VIP method which seems to be the easiest. I’ve tried to get my bum ass local Cardroom to do it since they are lucky to get 1 table most days and I have friends who both work there and are regulars. The Cardroom is owned by WindCreek though so I’d prolly have to at least double the yearly income to even be considered a high roller at the larger casinos. I didn’t know that they were working as a “casino services business” that seems like a much easier way to skirt the requirement for a license. I’ve gotten into contact with a member of GPI’s sales team posing as a member of the purchasing team for a small Cardroom opening. However, they always ask me for some sort of licensing which I obviously can’t procure. I could prolly (likely) secure the funding if I knew I would be able to sell the chips on PCF for like 50% markup to freeroll my personal sets and sell at cost to friends. One day I hope I can get a custom set of Paulsons like HQ was able yo do with the Harlequin set.

 

[Bill_Man618]

Working with cruise lines or international casinos seems to be the best though. If anyone has connections in the DR the HardRock Punta Cana casino had some very nice spotted hotstamp RHC’s they used at one point as the chips for the local currency. They have oversized RHC’s for the USD chips and add phasing them out for ceramics. All this to say that if y’all have to connections I’m sure those chips are out there and could be purchased from them. They didn’t seem to know they existed when I asked at the cage for a rack, but I suspect it’s like the SD situation at Lake Elsinore. They have the chips, but most staff doesn’t care about them and doesn’t know.

 

[SkipChipowski]

I'm one of those people on the outside. I get the general idea of how NAGBs work.


But why are the chips so expensive?
I'm sure GPI doesn't charge legit casinos $7 - $15 per chip. Why are NAGB chips priced this way when they go up for sale on the forums?

Because it’s the shiny new toy and everyone has to keep up with the Joneses.

And the lucky few who can get that “in” to have them made know that people will pay those prices.

 

[Bill_Man618]

I'm one of those people on the outside. I get the general idea of how NAGBs work.


But why are the chips so expensive?
I'm sure GPI doesn't charge legit casinos $7 - $15 per chip. Why are NAGB chips priced this way when they go up for sale on the forums?

For the Tigers I believe it was because they had taken spot patterns out of retirement and had them run one final time. Compounded with the fact that they had complex spot patterns on basically every chip which adds to cost. I also suspect that Paulson knew what was going on and charged more for that, but that’s just my opinion. When they’re sold though it’s all people hyping it up and the desire to have them. Same reason people spend $2K on the newest YSL or Prada bag and some spend $20K or more on a Birkin bag. I LOVE boat chip sales because I own none of them and people start selling “keeper” sets that are awesome to fund them. That’s when I come and scoop up the goodies at bargain prices. Like how I got the LV Inn set for $2500 when WW was offloading a bunch of sets. I’ve seen people get some real damn good chips when people offloaded.

 

[MakeChipsLeadedAgain]

I believe the first NAGB was supposed to be part of the sin city showdown (meetup). They were going to create a custom set for the meetup and attendees could buy racks or a set to take home. But public discussion (design phase) was quashed I think at the request of the casino/host/hookup. The meetup came and went, and the organizer did eventually end up with a full custom set of Paulsons. (To be clear, this is a personal cash set, procured years later at the same time as the Big Top Poker chips. As far as I can tell, they’ve never been sold or shared with anyone)

which set is this? never heard of this NAGB set.

 

[cpiaaq]

which set is this? never heard of this NAGB set.

 

[MakeChipsLeadedAgain]

View attachment 1891

oh that one. Im familiar with it. that was one of the first VIP sets along with chickens, trumans that was done with the BTP buy through a card room.

Yes i also heard BTPs originally were supposed to be available en masse but all got shut down when GPI pulled the second round of VIP orders and what I presume was a reorder of BTP chips.

The pulling of orders coincided with Angel's acquisition of GPI as the new owners put a hard stop on new orders from non "licensed" casinos.

I know of at least 2 other people who had their own NAGB orders pulled around the same time as they werent "proper" casinos even though they had originally been "approved" to order and were in the design stage. So close yet so far.....

 

[The Chip Spa]

Pricing, that's the secret... nothing more than profit protection.

 

[The Chip Spa]

Yes indeed it is "trivial" and quite easy to create a forum, a chat room, a whole category that is not viewable to the membership without permission. I haven't looked in on the platform software to see if there is a way to let members create their own "secret" forums but I do not believe there is, which leads to the NAGB either being done off platform, to keep the Admins from accessing, or on platform VIA the admin. My guess is its a combo of both. Easier to do it on platform as text groups are a bit annoying when someone dings the group at 2AM.

NAGB groups are less about bringing new Paulson's to the market and more or even solely to make money, I have a few in sets where I couldn't find a denom chip to put in or that casino simply didn't have that denom but other than that to pay $2000 a rack for a light weight fake isnt really my thing. I mean if your willing to pay 2K a rack for a modern fake why is a rack of mint TRk Inlayed spotted chips only $700? And if not soley about profits why keep the production numbers a secret?

But based on my experience at PCF I'd have to say if it goes on there via the admin, he isn't letting anything happen like that without a cut! This platform at best is a couple grand a year to host and in my talks with the service even PCF with its supposed 11,000 users and post count is considered a small forum. PokerChipper is and will be free to use and ads are for members to promote, I decided that having ads for dildos and singles sites to make a couple bucks have no place here.

 

[cmrheller]

I can tell you it’s quite simple to have “secret” forums. They’re no different than the forums that only mods can see, or forums guests or new users can’t. It’s a trivial thing to do in the software.

And while I don’t have firsthand knowledge, I’ve heard several times there were private forums for the development of the “Boat*” chips. Of course there were!

I wasn't really around when most of the drama happened, but people did get upset. Apparently it got discussed, things got hot and lots of posts got deleted. A user created another forum to continue the discussions (it eventually shut down). Personally I felt envious and "slightly upset" about not being included. It doesn’t feel good to be reminded you’re not part of the in-group. (At the time I thought 5k posts at chiptalk and my paulson collection should have been enough)

Fake casino method vs VIP method
To order from GPI, the boat chips nagb involved creating a fake casino-services business that worked with cruise lines. Other NAGBs have been purchased through a card room, casino, or casino host, that has the go-ahead to create custom sets for VIPs.

I believe the first NAGB was supposed to be part of the sin city showdown (meetup). They were going to create a custom set for the meetup and attendees could buy racks or a set to take home. But public discussion (design phase) was quashed I think at the request of the casino/host/hookup. The meetup came and went, and the organizer did eventually end up with a full custom set of Paulsons. (To be clear, this is a personal cash set, procured years later at the same time as the Big Top Poker chips. As far as I can tell, they’ve never been sold or shared with anyone)

NAGBs are an interesting topic!

* boat chips are: empress star, aurora star, and pacific star

That's interesting