Chip Tricks
Marcus Bateman
/
Marcus Bateman /
05 November 2008 /
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One of the first things that strikes any newcomer to a poker room is the sound of chips moving. Then endless and unique clicking and clattering sound that chips make when shuffled and played with really becomes part of the atmosphere of a poker room. Chip tricks are mainly just there to relive the boredom of long hours in the card room; by giving your hands a little task to do you seem to be able to trick your brain into forgetting (at least temporarily) about how you have had to fold every hand for the last hour.
Many players who started online can be identified very quickly when they start playing in big buy in live events. This is simply because most players with enough live experience to play in large buy in events will have usually learnt at least a few chip tricks during the many hours they have spent playing - online players have not.
This can be a useful tool in identifying how good/what style a player is when you sit down with them. As an example of this, online players can usually play short stacks very well (due to the fast structure of online tournaments), and I have made some quite thin calls against young players with no chip tricks, simply because I know that they are usually pushing a very wide range if folded to when short stacked.
A small repertoire of chip tricks - even if it is just the ability to shuffle a few together - also has a useful purpose beyond keeping you occupied and stimulated at the table. By sitting down and doing a few tricks with chips you instantly show the table one key thing - you are a reasonably experienced player.
No one who has come off the street and started to play for the first time will have any chip tricks - by knowing a few you indicate that you have spent many hours playing and will not be a complete idiot. This is very useful - especially in tournament poker - as you will get respect for your raises very early on. Even if you are playing like a wild man, being able to pull off a few chip tricks well will usually get a few more folds out of players than if you do not.
Check out this video if you need some inspiration on the kind of tricks you want to learn. My personal favourites are the basic chip shuffle (simple, classic and extremely addictive), and the knuckle roll (looks great and feels very instinctive once learnt), although anything will do. Add a few tricks to your poker repertoire and to relieve the stress, and maybe add a few extra dollars to your bankroll as well.
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