Chip Management!

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ssbn743

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I have always had problems with physical chip management in live games. Online, it’s obviously easy, but live poker presents a few challenges.

For example, I like to size my bets with an extra chip on top; if I wanted to make the bet around $3K I would make it $3,100. I have always found that this works well, even though you would think it would be irrelevant, it has a psychological effect on many opponents that benefits me. I was initially turned onto this idea in a poker book, and it’s so common now that I have no idea who first came up with this – maybe Mike Caro?

However, I often find myself at the table with no $100 chips; usually this is because of antes. I try to keep one $100 chip back, but dealers hate it when I make them change a $500 chip when I have perfectly good $100 chip right in front of me.

Additionally, I’m often times thinking about so many things that I forget to leave that extra $100 or $25 chip in my stack and find it gone when I want to raise or bet.

Now I can just as easily throw out $3,500 or $4K and verbalize $3,100 – but that doesn’t have the same effect – in fact it has the opposite effect.

I was just curious if anyone else has had this issue and what they have done to mitigate it!
 
IPlay

IPlay

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Just get change from the dealer, who cares if it is annoying to them, it is their job.
 
Jacki Burkhart

Jacki Burkhart

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I agree, just keep back a couple of smaller demonination chips and be polite to the dealer about breaking it.

If you have a big stack nearby just politely ask them to break you down as they win a pot and are already in the process of stacking chips.

It really is not the dealer's business how you want to manage your chips.

Also, most places have a rule of "big chips in front" so you could pretty easily keep a couple of smaller chips "in back" of your stack and then the dealer won't even notice you're holding back....

You could also just keep a couple smaller chips on the very bottom of your stack, you are less likely to spend them unless it is deliberate
 
Arjonius

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It's the dealer's job to keep you happy, especially if he's looking for tips. Also, there's nothing wrong with asking the players beside you to swap chips.
 
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mlgibbs78

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Learn about spr in ed miller's book
 
jordanbillie

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It's the dealer's job to keep you happy, especially if he's looking for tips. Also, there's nothing wrong with asking the players beside you to swap chips.

Tournament players don't tip.
 
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redwards92

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I just announce the size of the raise to the dealer as I also sometimes find myself running out of antes/smaller denominations
 
Arjonius

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Tournament players don't tip.
Not directly, but part of the fee is often allocated to the dealers so in effect, a tip is included in the fee. Also, while it's not common, it does happen once in a while that a tournament player decides to tip a friendly or accommodating dealer.
 
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chauncey274

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However, I often find myself at the table with no $100 chips; usually this is because of antes. I try to keep one $100 chip back, but dealers hate it when I make them change a $500 chip when I have perfectly good $100 chip right in front of me.
I don't have a ton of live experience, but I've yet to meet a dealer that had any problem changing chips. Get the chips you want and let the guy get pissy if he wants.
 
jordanbillie

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Not directly, but part of the fee is often allocated to the dealers so in effect, a tip is included in the fee. Also, while it's not common, it does happen once in a while that a tournament player decides to tip a friendly or accommodating dealer.
Tournaments are typically a loss leader for both the casino and the dealers. The concept is that these players will overflow into the cash games once they bust. The "fee" that you speak of (ie. Dealer Bonus Buy) accounts for $5-$10 of the dealer downs. If nobody else tips, the dealers are making an average of $15/hr compared to the average of $35 on cash games.
 
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