Short Guide to Poker Chip Tricks

This article will introduce you to a few of the more established chip tricks. It’s a great ploy for intimidating your opponents, making them believe you’re a regular grinder. So, make a smart investment in some chips (a set of 20 should be sufficient to get started), set aside a lot of time and start practicing!

The Chip Roll
This popular trick involves rolling a small amount of chips across the table from one hand to the other, in sequential order. The number of chips involved can vary quite a bit, depending on your skill level. It’s a good idea to start off with about three to five chips. Place the back of your hand directly on the table or a couple of inches above it. Make sure the hand is positioned at such an angle that the chips will not drop, but will roll smoothly onto the felt. Hold the chips between your thumb and your index finger. Release one at a time, so that it rolls across your palm, passing over the little finger before it lands on the table and continues rolling until it reaches your other hand.

The Chip Shuffle
If you’ve ever watched poker on TV, you have seen about half of the players doing this trick all the time, driving everybody else crazy with the rippling sound. This trick entails taking two stacks of chips and using your fingers to splice them together into one big stack. Voila! When teaching yourself this trick, start off with six to eight chips, divided in half so that there are two matching stacks of three or four touching each other. Place your thumb onto the left lower side of the left stack and your index finger in between the two stacks, making contact at the point where the chips meet. Your middle and ring fingers go on the right side of the right stack of chips. Carefully push the two stacks together while lifting up with your index finger and pulling both stacks up at the same time. When beginning, it’s wise to divide the stacks into chips of two different colors, which will allow you to easily determine the success of the trick.

The Chip Twirl
This might very well be the most difficult trick to master. It will demand a fair amount of time and patience. Start by holding three chips in one hand, using all your fingers except for your little finger. The ring finger should be on the bottom. Use your thumb and index finger to separate the two outer chips from the middle one. Raise the two outer chips and lower your ring finger to completely separate the middle chip from the other two. Then, use your middle and ring fingers to rotate the chip 180 degrees while balancing the chip on your little finger. When the chip is completely rotated, slide the two outer chips down around the middle chip and you are done. Sound tricky? It is. But you will be more than rewarded for the time and effort spent, once you can perform the amazing trick. Sit back and enjoy the fame.    

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