Poker chip arrangement

First and foremost I would like to thank this forum and it's members for expanding my poker knowledge, as I mainly lurk.

I will be participating in my first formal MTT soon at a local bar, and I was curious as to any crucial pointers I should absorb, as well as mistakes I should avoid. As simplistic as this sounds, how would I arrange and keep my stack of chips organized during the tournament?

Keep each stack a certain amount and keep stacking the rest of em so you can easily see how much you have. Don't have 20 different stacks in front of you. Just make em even numbers.

Good luck in your tourney. I don't really think that you need to worry about how your chips are stacked as long as YOU know how they are stacked. You don't want to hold things up because you're looking for the right chip denominations. Also, make sure you know the "one chip rule" (most tourneys follow it). When you play online, there are no verbal bets and the one chip rule really doesn't exist.

iMaGiN makes a good point about knowing how much you have. It also brings up another good point. You must concentrate a little more on keeping track of how much the other players have. You can't just look at their avatar and see anymore. Knowing chips stack sizes is important when making some big decisions such as "is this guy pot committed or does he have enough left behind to be able to get away form this hand?"

DamianDelPiero said:

First and foremost I would like to thank this forum and it's members for expanding my poker knowledge, as I mainly lurk.

I will be participating in my first formal MTT soon at a local bar, and I was curious as to any crucial pointers I should absorb, as well as mistakes I should avoid. As simplistic as this sounds, how would I arrange and keep my stack of chips organized during the tournament?

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I wish you best of luck, and I hope this becomes a HUGE problem!

Seriously, I had the same question the first time I played live. I just remember the dealer asking one guy to put his big chips in front where people could see them.

aquadad said:

Good luck in your tourney. I don't really think that you need to worry about how your chips are stacked as long as YOU know how they are stacked. You don't want to hold things up because you're looking for the right chip denominations. Also, make sure you know the "one chip rule" (most tourneys follow it). When you play online, there are no verbal bets and the one chip rule really doesn't exist.

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What is the one chip rule?

artsmith1296 said:

What is the one chip rule?

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I googled:

Next to string-bets, the one chip rule (sometimes referred to as the over-sized chip rule) is probably one the least understood poker rules and can easily confuse new poker players in a casino. Simply put, a bet of one chip (or bill) is a call unless you verbally state otherwise. If you are facing a $5 bet and bet one $20 chip - that is a call of $5 and the dealer will refund you $15. if you intend to raise, you must verbally state "raise" before you release your chips or move them forward.

I made this mistake in my first live game.

Threw in a $25 chip for a raise, but I didn't say 'raise'. So it was just a $10 call.

If there are 9/10-man tables, you should also watch out that no one sitting next to you can get a look into your holecards, so maybe arrange your stack that you can hide your cards behind it

Wish you GL in that tourney!!!

TheNoob said:

Threw in a $25 chip for a raise, but I didn't say 'raise'. So it was just a $10 call.

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It dosn't matter if you put one chip or 100 chips in if you don't say raise it is a call. you must indicate verbally when you are raising.

One other thing that I think is important. Don't indicate what you are going to do before it's your turn. Don't start reaching for chips or folding your cards before it comes to you.

Zorba said:

It dosn't matter if you put one chip or 100 chips in if you don't say raise it is a call. you must indicate verbally when you are raising.

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Not so I'm afraid - the rule applies only to a single oversized chip.

If the bet is 200 and you throw out a 500 chip with no verbal announcement, it'll be deemed a call. Your action was ambiguous, it could've been either a call or a raise, and the rules say it must be a call.

If the bet is 200 and you throw out a 500 chip and a 100 chip, however, the action isn't ambiguous. You've clearly thrown out 600, and you intend to raise to that amount. Nobody will construe that as a call just because you didn't say "raise".

If you're new to live poker (or even if you're not) and you want to avoid mistakes it's good to get into the habit of announcing your actions. But it's not mandatory if you know exactly what you're doing.

OP, this thread may be of interest to you: https://www.cardschat.com/forum/learning-poker-57/playing-live-what-you-need-know-114205/

OZ is right, though if you are playing live for the first time make sure you announce all your action. You can easily make a mental error and put the wrong chips out, then your stuck with whatever happened. By verbally declaring action, you dont have to worry about accidentally picking up $100 chips instead of $25 chips. Also please know when its your action so you dont hold up the game, live play is sooooo many less hands than online so you need to maximize the number of hands you get to see.

OzExorcist said:

Not so I'm afraid - the rule applies only to a single oversized chip.

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Yes you're right,I I mixed myself up thinking about a different situation. i.e when someone says i call your $10 and raise you $10. in that situation it is only a call as it was the first thing verballed

Stacks of 20 for intimidation purposes, and make sure your high value chips are visible.

Apparently (according to the experts) you can give away bits of your personallity by how you stack your chips. If they are messy then you are a messy player. Loose, not in control etc...

I like to deliberatly knock over my chips and gauge peoples reaction to it in live play. I sometimes stack sometimes play with them, sometimes have a mish mash pile. I find it makes people concentrate on the chips rather than what I am doing.

Anyway.. general rules (guidelines) for live play.

DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR CARDS UNTIL IT IS YOUR TURN - very simply, you wont give any tells about the strength of your hand. (the amount of times I have folded a PP or A suited because the person to my left is already counting out his chips for a raise is unbelievable.) - Also , you have more information for when you do look at your cards.

Always state what you are doing, be it a call, raise or fold. (that way no one gets upset with you)

Don't talk about your cards when there are still people in the hand.

Try not to cheer if you suck out on someone.

Dont slow play things if you have the nuts.. (i.e you have quads.. and someone pushes all in. Just say call (or raise) and turn your cards over. Its not polite to make people wait.

You need to show both cards in a showdown. Dont just trun over your A.. It really pisses people off!

Have fun

Zorba said:

Yes you're right,I I mixed myself up thinking about a different situation. i.e when someone says i call your $10 and raise you $10. in that situation it is only a call as it was the first thing verballed

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Yeah, that you don't wanna be doing - just say one or the other

I have played online for so long it just about ruined me for live play. The first time I played live I was so nervous because everyone was patiently (or not) watching me. I was slow and didn't know all the protocol and rules applying to live play. Luckily I survived the traumatic event. Of course I lost, but it was quite a learning experience.

Stacks of 20 (as noted), pyramid configuration (see M. Malmuth: when someone asks you what you do for a living tell them "architect: I build pyramids").

Watch for the guys and girls that can flick the chips through there fingers, takes a lot of practice that. Which should indicate an experienced poker player.

vagas35 said:

Watch for the guys and girls that can flick the chips through there fingers, takes a lot of practice that. Which should indicate an experienced poker player.

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With that in mind, its best to practice with some chips at home. Play with them at dinner, watching the telly, reading a book, in bed.. I don't care where... Look like you are used to having chips in your hands!!!!

And google or you tube some chip tricks.. Will help a lot..

Ive you tubed alot of different tricks and I still cant get even one right, and thats in around 2-3 years of trying. I dont try everyday but its usually about 6 times a week (close to 1-2 hours).

DamianDelPiero said:

As simplistic as this sounds, how would I arrange and keep my stack of chips organized during the tournament?

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I prefer the pyramid stack. Gets the chips out in view of everyone at the table.

CAPT. ZIGZAG said:

I prefer the pyramid stack. Gets the chips out in view of everyone at the table.

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Perfect example of what not to do at a venue which enforces the "large denomination chips mus be clearly visible" rule too, FWIW - notice the 1000s are all at the back, and there's a dirty stack in the middle

CAPT. ZIGZAG said:

I prefer the pyramid stack. Gets the chips out in view of everyone at the table.

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Do not arrange your chips like this.

I figured I owed a response/ followup to this thread, since I never got to it. I'd like to thank everyone for their tips and advice. Most of it was common knowledge to me at the time, and I ended up placing in the final table in each tournament. Ever since then my game has drastically improved in my opinion. A few days ago I placed 2nd in a field of approx 1600 in a low stakes MTT on Stars. This is primarily due to the forums and their members' posts. Thanks a lot, I hope to play with you guys at the CC online events soon.