If you’re heading to a major tournament or even your local home game, there are several chip guidelines that you should be wary of. What are they, you ask? What are some common “do’s” for chip etiquette at the tables? Read on to find out.

Do Stack ‘em, Stack ‘em to the Top!

I’ll borrow a phrase from Tom Schneider’s wife during the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event. Always arrange your chips in stacks at the table. Stacks of 10 or 20 chips are common, with the latter typically being the standard in a live casino cash game.

There are several reasons why you’d want to have your chips stacked besides just being courteous to your fellow players. First, stacking your chips allows you and your opponents to see what you hold with ease. All they have to do is multiply the number of stacks by the number of chips in each one to come up with your stack size. This assumes you stack like chips together, which you should also be doing at all times. Similarly, it’s painfully easy for you to be able to glance down, count up the number of piles, and determine your stack size in just a few seconds.

Second, stacking your chips affords room at the table for placing bets, stashing your Coors Light bottle, and looking at your cards. Without chips strewn everywhere in a chaotic mess, the table space can be used to the fullest extent possible. Besides, if you’re “that guy” at the table with his chips spread around like coals on a fire, you’re not going to have any respect paid to you.

Do Push Your Bets Forward

Feel free to use the area directly in front of your chip stack to count out a bet, call, or raise. However, when you finally decide to commit your chips, push them out in front of you towards the middle of the table by moving your bet out about six inches. Some tables have an inner ring to push your chips across when you’re ready to act. If you have any questions about what constitutes action, ask your dealer.

I’m reminded of a situation involving Annie Duke during her 2010 National Heads-Up Poker Championship run. Duke counted her chips about three inches from her stack. The dealer, not realizing that Duke wasn’t ready to act, began counting down her chips for her opponent to see. This caused an unnecessary headache and could have been avoided by Duke pushing her bet out on every street.

Do Know When to Show ‘em

Always keep your high-dollar chips visible. One of the biggest errors players make at the tables involving their chips is hiding their highest value chips. Instead of keeping the green $25 chips where everyone at the table can see them, they keep them close for fear of thievery. Showing your high-dollar value chips to the rest of the table allows your opponents to gauge whether they want to tangle with you in a pot. Accordingly, if you’re the big stack at the table, prominently displaying your high-value chips can work to your advantage.

If you have cash or plaques on the table, make sure these are situated adjacent to your chip stack. Since bundles of cash can be worth more than your entire stack of chips combined, it’s critical to keep these in plain sight. If any theft were to occur, they’d be clearly visible to the “eye in the sky,” helping you determine the bandit quickly.

Do Rack Your Chips

When you move tables in a poker tournament or cash game, remember to rack your chips. Not only will this allow you to determine your exact chip count, but you’ll also eliminate any unnecessary spills that can come from holding chips in your hands. Simply ask your dealer for a plastic chip tray and you’ll be well on your way to a smooth table change or trip to the cage.

Do Purchase Nevada Jacks Chips!

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