[CK15c]

Hey everyone. I've been running these bar tournaments for the past few weeks, and one thing I've noticed is that people do not know how to handle chips! We play a T4000 and have a big stretch where there's like two hours with black 100's as the workhorse. A few players were accumulating a good number of black chips, and they seemed to be, not so much complaining, but they just didn't want all those black chips. Since they had most on each table, they were necessary as they are needed for blinds. So my question to all of you great sages of Chiptalk:

What are some chip etiquette rules or suggestions as far as stacking chips so they're easier to count and easier to bet?

I am running a final table type tournament of champions at the end of the season, where I will be the dedicated dealer, and was planning on having some little chip stacking/betting suggestions for the players, but after watching them play this week, I want something for next time we play (June 21st).

On a side note, one guy who was talking about not wanting all his black chips, made the final table, and was telling me how he got rid of all of them, but ended up having to make change with everyone to get some black back, lol. So, what are some suggestions? Thanks everyone!

[gagners]

Originally Posted by CK15c

Hey everyone. I've been running these bar tournaments for the past few weeks, and one thing I've noticed is that people do not know how to handle chips! We play a T4000 and have a big stretch where there's like two hours with black 100's as the workhorse. A few players were accumulating a good number of black chips, and they seemed to be, not so much complaining, but they just didn't want all those black chips. Since they had most on each table, they were necessary as they are needed for blinds. So my question to all of you great sages of Chiptalk:

What are some chip etiquette rules or suggestions as far as stacking chips so they're easier to count and easier to bet?

I am running a final table type tournament of champions at the end of the season, where I will be the dedicated dealer, and was planning on having some little chip stacking/betting suggestions for the players, but after watching them play this week, I want something for next time we play (June 21st).

On a side note, one guy who was talking about not wanting all his black chips, made the final table, and was telling me how he got rid of all of them, but ended up having to make change with everyone to get some black back, lol. So, what are some suggestions? Thanks everyone!

Either revisit your blinds schedule to see if something will work better, or, my personal favorite:

Tell them to shut the f@#$ up and play cards and stop f@#$ing whining about having so many chips! I mean, come on, who does that?

[bjjensen]

I provide optional chip racks for anyone who wants them to hold their chips. Generally makes it easier to easily count/access them, especially as quantities increase. Some players really like them, others see them as 'training wheels', but it's a thought.

bjjensen

[gagners]

Originally Posted by bjjensen

I provide optional chip racks for anyone who wants them to hold their chips. Generally makes it easier to easily count/access them, especially as quantities increase. Some players really like them, others see them as 'training wheels', but it's a thought.

bjjensen

Yeah, this might go over better than the "shut the f@#$ up" comment...

But I'm not as nice as you are, BJ

[jdunford]

Originally Posted by bjjensen

I provide optional chip racks for anyone who wants them to hold their chips. Generally makes it easier to easily count/access them, especially as quantities increase. Some players really like them, others see them as 'training wheels', but it's a thought.

Racks seconded. ... with "Shut the f$#% up" following as a close 2nd.

[Brewster]

Just show them how the pros stack them, in piles of 20. This makes betting easy and it is easy to determine how many chips a person has from across the table.


Second the "shut the f$#% up and play" option.

[Captn_All_In]

Well these guys sound like the guys I play with...some of them at least. What I do is let the guy count out his stacks of two at a time, or what ever asinine way he counts out his bet, then I scoop all of them out and count them properly...like a bet of 100 with 5's would be 4 stacks of 5 chips, or a bet of 300 made with 25's would be 3 stacks of 4 chips. Then after the repeated modeling they seem to get the point.

Just a thought...

[CK15c]

Originally Posted by Captn_All_In

Well these guys sound like the guys I play with...some of them at least. What I do is let the guy count out his stacks of two at a time, or what ever asinine way he counts out his bet, then I scoop all of them out and count them properly...like a bet of 100 with 5's would be 4 stacks of 5 chips, or a bet of 300 made with 25's would be 3 stacks of 4 chips. Then after the repeated modeling they seem to get the point.

Just a thought...

I do this at my home game when I'm the all-time dealer, but in these tournaments, I can't be sitting at every table. It just pains me to watch people not be able to handle chips in any kind of decent manner. I think I'm about ready to tell them if you don't want all the black chips, don't win so many pots! How about something along the lines of betting with the larger chips first, so instead of 14 black chips for 1400, a blue and 4 black for 1400? Is this a common recommendation?

[Captn_All_In]

Originally Posted by CK15c

... I can't be sitting at every table. It just pains me to watch people not be able to handle chips in any kind of decent manner.

I understand about not being able to be at every table, a remedy for that might be to appoint table captains. Instruct them on how to bet and they can in turn help the players.

Originally Posted by CK15c

...so instead of 14 black chips for 1400, a blue and 4 black for 1400? Is this a common recommendation?

Yeah but then you take away the psychological aspect of the game...some people might subconsiously fold to the large denom bet but call the lower denom bet, or they might do the opposite.

I think you truly need to take a look at the players in this game: they are people who play in a bar game. How many of them take the game with any kind of seriousness? Aside from the fact that they get pissed off when they lose, how many of them read about poker, or play poker in places other than your game, or play poker on the internet?? My guess is probably not many...

That being said this issue is probably something that your going to have bite your tongue over...as long as they get the chips in the middle, no matter how ugly or inefficient it may be, your going to have to deal with it.

[SinOrSwim]

I play in a local bar tourney once in awhile while traveling. They don't use chip denominations. Each chip is the same. Well, as you can imagine the number of chips you can accumulate gets quite large. At a certain point in the blind structure they chip down. You keep 1 out of every 5 chips and the blinds go back to the 1/2 level.

Maybe not the best way but it works pretty well.