How To Poker Chips Tricks
Ed. note: For those who might have missed it before, we're reprising Robert Woolley's series of articles for poker players who are new to live poker. The series is great for newcomers, and likely useful as well to those with experience playing in casinos and poker rooms.
The DVD covers over 70 tricks with poker chips, often seen on TV or performed by professional poker players. The DVD also includes a range of poker chip tricks by Rich that are his own unique creations! 3) Whilst learning the skills, cheat and take a shortcut. There's nothing wrong with using a gimmick to start performing poker chip tricks. Learn how to do the easiest poker chip trick, a chip spread, with this how to video. This is a cool way to display your poker chips at the poker table. You can impress your friends and intimidate your opponents at the poker table with this cool poker chip spread trick.
This article concludes my three-part survey of the rules and procedures surrounding poker chips in brick-and-mortar casinos. In the first part, I discussed the complicated relationship between chips and money, chip colors, stacking chips, and other rules regarding chips. In the second part, I covered some things to think about when calling, betting, or raising with chips.
Today I want to finish the discussion by considering a variety of other chip-related topics. All of the following points apply equally to tournaments and cash games.
The 'Oversize Chip Rule'
It often happens that you want to call a bet but don't have a combination of chips that will match it exactly. For example, you want to limp in by just calling the amount of the $2 big blind, but you have only $5 chips. If you say nothing and just put out one red chip, it's potentially unclear whether your intention is to just call (expecting the dealer to give you $3 in change) or to raise to a $5 bet.
The 'oversize chip rule' (a.k.a. the 'one-chip rule') resolves this ambiguity in advance by declaring that a single chip larger than needed to constitute a call is nevertheless deemed to be just a call unless you have verbally announced a raise before putting the chip out.
Note that this isn't an issue when the overage is not enough to constitute a raise anyway, e.g., if you call a $4 bet with a $5 chip. The rule is also not invoked when you put out more than one chip. For example, if you are facing a bet of $15 and put out two green ($25) chips, nobody could mistakenly think that you intended to just call. Where there is no ambiguity, there is no need for a rule to resolve it.
Once in a while, a player new to casino poker believes that this rule should not be applied if he has small-denomination chips such that he could have used them if his intention were to call rather than raise. For example, he puts out a $5 as the first player to act after the blinds in a $1/$2 no-limit game. When the dealer, following the rule, declares this to be just a $2 call, the player might protest, pointing to the large stack of $1 chips that he could have used if he had wanted to just call.
This argument is never considered valid. The rule goes by what was actually done, not by what could have been done.
Handling Chips
I'm not a germophobe, but I do try to keep an awareness of which objects in my environment are reasonably clean and which are not. Casino chips, to put it bluntly, are filthy.
I prefer handling chips as little as possible, and advise you to do the same. Nobody knows for sure, but it stands to reason that poker chips could serve as a vector for transmitting cold and flu viruses from one player to the entire table. I, for one, would like to minimize the risk of being on the receiving end of such a 'gift.'
Chip Tricks
You will often see poker veterans playing with their chips in interesting ways. They will shuffle chip stacks one-handed, run them over their knuckles, flip them like tiddlywinks, bounce them perfectly onto a target, and so on.
Though I can appreciate the time and effort it takes to master such tricks, I have no interest in learning to do them myself, and my advice to you is not to waste your time and energy, either. It's a distraction from what you should be paying attention to.
Also, you may unconsciously give off 'tells' this way. Chip-shuffling players are notorious for slowing down — without being aware of it — when they have a monster hand.
Finally, if you spend much time in a large poker tournament room, the 'white noise' of hundreds of players mindlessly shuffling their chips may remind you of cicada season and make you want to vow not to contribute to the din.
Small Denominations
When playing a in a $1/$2 game, I like keeping at least five or ten $1 chips in my stack at all times. That way, I can bet any exact amount I want to without having to make a verbal announcement of the amount, or call another player's bet without forcing the dealer to make change for me in the middle of a hand. The reason for that is just that I don't want to be distracted by such details when I'm trying to focus on what my opponents are doing and making my best decisions.
If I have less than five or ten small chips, I'll rebuild my supply by paying a couple of round of blinds with larger chips and getting change from the dealer. This, of course, isn't a rule or even a standard practice or point of etiquette — just a practical hint that you might find helpful.
Making Change
How To Poker Chip Tricks
Sometimes another player or even the dealer will ask you to make change — e.g., exchange five $1 chips for one $5 chip, or whatever. Helping out this way when asked is not only perfectly acceptable, but a nice bit of social lubrication to keep the game friendly and moving efficiently. Just be sure that you count both the chips you're giving and those you're receiving, so that both parties concur that the trade is being done fairly.
Particularly when doing an exchange with another player, be as open as you can be about the counting of chips, both verbally and visually. That way, neither the other players nor casino security personnel observing the game through overhead cameras are given any reason to think that unethical 'chip dumping' is taking place.
Collecting Chips
Many players like to keep poker chips as souvenirs of their visit to a casino. Not only is this legal, but the casinos love it when you do this.
When they put into circulation chips with colorful designs commemorating this, that, and the other thing, they earnestly hope that you will take the chips home without cashing them out, resulting in pure profit to the casino. It's the same principle as the post office printing stamps that they hope you will purchase, then place in an album rather than on an envelope, giving them revenue without having to provide a service in exchange.
If you like collecting chips, feel free to do so. It can be fun to see how many different ones you can accumulate. Be aware, however, that, like most collecting hobbies, it can suck you in and drain your bank account if you let it get out of control.
Whew! Three whole articles just about poker chips! I hope it has been a worthwhile excursion into a subject that isn't discussed much, but is actually central to how casino poker games operate.
Next we will move on to tackle another category of poker table equipment, also sometimes confusing to the new player — all of the many forms of 'buttons' that are used.
Robert Woolley lives in Asheville, NC. He spent several years in Las Vegas and chronicled his life in poker on the 'Poker Grump' blog.
Tags
cash game strategylive casino pokerbeginner strategyrulesetiquettechips
Reputation is everything in the world of poker. In the beginning, it will be intimidating to play the pros. They have stone-cold poker faces, they can bluff, and they can even do poker chip tricks.
Now, this might sound like a joke to some, but poker tricks actually play a big part in the reputation of a player. Have you tried doing some as a casual player? We bet it never ends well. Don’t worry, though – it will come to you with experience.
Are Poker Tricks So Important?
Yes, they are. These tricks are a very big part of the game and a player’s reputation. Of course, they also add a fun element to the game which can get pretty serious at high-stakes tournaments. Players use poker chip tricks as a way to focus or just to show off (we’re not judging).
That being said, doing tricks with your chips is much harder than it sounds. Pros weren’t born with the ability to shuffle them like that – they learned that with a lot of playtime and experience.
Everyone can do poker tricks that come in all shapes and sizes. A chip bounce, for example, is easy even for beginners. The Knuckle Roll, however, requires a lot more pizzazz.
Different Types of Poker Chip Tricks
There are dozens of chip tricks you can learn, but not all of them are equal in difficulty. We can loosely separate them into 3 categories:
- Level 1 – Finger Flip, Thumb Flip, Chip Bounce
- Level 2 – Johnny Chan, Shuffle, Back to Front or Switch
- Level 3 – Chip Twirl, Muscle Pass, Knuckle Roll, Butterfly Trick
You must know that none of these poker tricks can be earned in minutes. Well, OK, there are some you could learn pretty quickly, but if you want to be like the pros, you’ll have to find tricks and practice.
Then practice some more and more. Why? Well, would you like to be seen on a stream or TV failing a trick in crunch time at big-money tournaments? No, we didn’t think so as well.
Just like any other trick, these things take time. When you finally learn how to do poker chip tricks, though, it’ll be a relief and a massive sense of satisfaction.
After a while, you’ll know how to perform them without looking. As soon as the Knuckle Roll becomes second nature to you, congratulations – you can call yourself a pro.
1. How to Do the Chip Bounce
One of the easier poker chip tricks on this list, the chip bounce involves bouncing a chip off the felt and onto your stack. There’s no special technique involved in it – you just need practice. Feel the weight of the chip and practice the bounce to get it right.
Remember – the angle is key. Just make sure you get it accurately to bag one of the easiest poker tricks of all.
2. How to Do the Finger Flip
You’ve surely seen this trick on TV one too many times. It’s pretty similar to the thumb flip, except you’re using the index finger.
Make sure your ring finger is under the index finger. Keep the middle finger pulled backed out of the way so you can flip the chip. Loosen the chips and pull them down and away from your ring finger when doing the trick.
Just like the Chip Bounce, this one requires a lot of patience and practice. We strongly suggest watching a YouTube tutorial – it will explain things better.
3. How to Do the Shuffle
Ah, the old shuffle. Many new players are anxious to learn this age-old trick that involves shuffling two smaller stacks. You need to lift them off the felt light and shuffle them together like a kind of a tower.
Of course, you’ll need two identical stacks of at least 3-4 chips. Although it looks pretty complicated, watch a YouTube video of how the poker pros shuffle chips. One of the easiest poker chip tricks on this list is pretty simple once you get the hang off it.
4. How to Do the Johnny Chan
Poker legend Johnny Chan invented this trick which looks like an optical illusion. In reality, it’s anything but. It might take you a few tries before you know it by heart, but you’ll eventually get there.
We can rank the Johnny Chan trick into the group of advanced poker chip tricks. You’ll need 6 or more chips to start with depending on how big your hand is. Instead of going step by step, we strongly recommend you watch a video of it.
Or watch the movie Rounders if you haven’t already – it has the great Matt Damon in the lead role. Chan popularized the best of his poker tricks in this movie where he does it a few times.
It really looks cool, to be honest.
5. How to Do the Knuckle Roll
How To Do Tricks With Poker Chips
The Knuckle Roll is one of the best poker chip tricks ever. Period. It’s cool even if you’re not a poker player. When done properly and fast, it looks like the chips are floating over your fingers.
How To Do Poker Chips Tricks
Now, let’s say it right off the bat – this one’s probably the hardest trick to learn. It requires only one chip and as the term explains, it involves the use of your knuckles.
The trick is to roll the chip over your knuckles without it falling. It sounds complicated and it is, so this is one of those poker tricks you’ll need to watch video tutorials for.
But it’s 100% cool. Learn it and everyone will think you’re a pro.
Conclusion
Although poker chip tricks won’t bring you any money, they look great and are a trademark of a pro. Learn the aforementioned and more and you’ll put the fear of God into others.
Or, you know, you’ll look cool at a table even if you lose. That’s something.