Chip Tricks or Things to Do at Work

Ah, Chip Tricks. We've all seen them on TV. Poker players in the big money game flipping, shuffling, and playing with their stacks of checks like a sorority girl twisting her bottle blonde locks. That's just television. It's hard to take that seriously. Then, one day, you're feeling cocky, sitting across the table from some Joe with two small stacks and he suddenly riffles those two stack of chips together into one big stack it's a shock. It's intimidating. Considering the amount of time it must have taken him to learn to do that, he must have been sitting at poker tables a long time, and, more importantly, he must have had access to stacks and stacks of chips.

That can't be good.

In fact, if you are going to find yourself in that situation at the poker table, it would be best to be the guy doing the chip tricks.

The Finger Roll isn't necessarily the easiest, but it's a good starting place. Using your thumb, push the chip up next to your pointer finger and let it drop. As it falls, use your index finger to catch the falling side and flip it over to the ring finger, and so on. Once you get to the pinky you can flip it into your palm and bring it back up at your thumb, or, more difficult but deeply satisfying, you can reverse direction and start the chip rolling back across the back of your hand. This took me ten months to learn.

Next up is the chip stack shuffle. With two small stacks of chips, I found four each, eight total, was about the right number to start, cage your hand over top and push them together with your index finger and your thumb. Now, using your pointer, lift the inner edges of the stacks and allow them to fall. If you push in just enough with your index finger and thumb, the checks will shuffle together, one after another. This is easier than it sounds once you figure out where to put your fingers. But, then again, what isn't?

The next one I tried is the Chip Flip. This one is pretty easy once you get the trick. You hold three chips in your hand with your first three fingers, like you're just about to ask them to turn to the side and cough. Then use your thumb to pick the outside one up and flip it back over the other two. Rinse. Repeat. Turns out I do this one like a stranger, 'cause I practice it at work all day so I learned to do it in my left hand.

The last one in the lesson for today is the the Center Drop with a Twist. I'm sure there is some far less lame name, but the website is down and I can't find out what it is. It's much easier to learn after mastering the flip. Holding the checks as before, allow the center one to drop out. You end up holding the first and third between your thumb and pointer, and the second between your pointer and ring. Using your index finger, rotated the bottom chip one hundred and eighty degrees. Your pinky should come up to catch it. Then slide it back up into second position.

How many times have you had to say that?

There are more, but I haven't figured out how to do them yet. The last one is easier after the flip, because the flip lines the chips up in such a way that the center drop is simple. In my opinion that is the most intimidating combination. It takes the least amount of set-up and can be done absentmindedly.

And that's the key, really. Absentmindedness. If you look like you are concentrating on the hand and your fingers are still doing flips, then you look like you must practice a lot. If you practice often, you must always have access to chips. Generally speaking, someone who always has access to chips is probably a good player. And, unless you are always catching the river, it is helpful to be thought of as a good player.

Even if you're not.