1/2 NL buy in? Which chips?

[F0rtysxity]

standard is to get three rows of red ($5) chips - the dealers will make change for you

if you are at a local cardroom where the dealers don't carry so many singles you might get $290 in red and $10 in white, they usually guide you at the chip window

balla: three hundred in green ($25), you can change out 4 for red from another player when you sit down at the table and play from there.