Learn to Stack Chips Like a Boss

July 22 2013 Kevin Taylor

One of the more fun things about live poker as opposed to online poker is the realistic feel of everything. By that I mean: you get to touch the cards, see the players, and in the focus of this article, stack your chips. In this article we will discuss how to stack and build chip art like a boss.

There is no 'wrong' way

One of the best parts about stacking chips is that it’s just like playing poker: everyone can do it differently. In the beginning stages of the tournaments, you have a couple of options since you won’t have too many to start with. Some players like to keep their chips in one giant stack, and break it down when you need to bet. The advantage to this is that your stack can look bigger and more intimidating if it’s one giant tower. The down side is that it will take longer to bet when you have to break it apart, and the chances of you making a nervous mistake and fumbling your chips are greater, which could make it more likely you get called.



World Record Chip Stack!

Stack smartly

The other option is what I prefer to do, which is break down each chip into its own individual stack. This makes it much easier to not only pick out different chips, but also to count your stack and see how the bets in front of you compare to your stack total.

Once you are fortunate enough to have an excess amount of chips, then you need to think about how you will stack those. Standard practice at poker tournaments is to do stacks of 20. This is the perfect crossroad between easy counting and the starting point for intimidating looking stacks. Other alternatives to this are 10, 30, 40, and if you are feeling adventurous and have the capabilities to do it, then 50 stacks.

Intimidate opponents. When it’s later in the tournament, I prefer to do 40 stacks for a few reasons. The higher the chip stacks are, the more intimidating you will look at the table. Seeing how little a dent a standard raise or a call of someone’s bet is to your stack will deter people from playing back at you in fear and intimidation. This will let you set up an impenetrable look to your stack that will keep players away.



It's a Chip Castle

It’s important to point out that these are simply suggestions that other players use, and not rules set forth by the casino. In theory, you could have random stacks of 17 or 23 if you so desired, but if you choose to go the alternative route, you should be prepared to break down the stacks for counting purposes, not only for your opponents, but for yourself.

Don't make life harder

Keeping track of how your stack compares to the blinds and bets in front of you is extremely important, so keeping them in even stacks will make it easier to make a quicker and more informed decision.

Have fun!

Lastly, as your playing experience grows, your chip stacking abilities can as well. Players like Carlos Mortensen and Bryan Devonshire have built amazing castles with their chips that leave spectators and their opponents in awe. All they are really saying is: stay away from me, or your chips will be added to this house I’m building!