When you take a seat at a poker table, there’s nothing more intimidating than a grizzled looking gambling veteran staring you down through mirrored shades while doing weird and wonderful things with the poker chips in front of him. It says – no make that shouts – “don’t mess with me”.
If you’re in any doubt as to the role chip tricks play in developing table image, just watch any episode of the World Poker Tour or World Series of Poker, where you’ll see every player constantly play with their chips, regardless of whether they’re a poker pro or internet qualifier.
And while you’re watching, take a careful look at how the players are handling their chips. If you watch carefully you’ll notice a pattern emerging – a way to make money at online poker, whether it’s through poker chips, or some other means.
There are a few fundamental principles driving chip tricks, the nature of which is aimed at dishing out one or two of the following tricks:
- Look at your opponent’s chip stack. If a particularly raiser has suddenly taken his seat at the table, because he’s concentrating on his short stack, you can guess (and probably guess correctly) that he’s concentrating on getting rid of those chips, so if you’re at the table with him you’re going to get some concentrative action. I.e. If he’s the first raiser and you’re at the table, he’s going to raise every single time. If you have position on him, you can guess (and probably correct) that he’s concentrating on getting rid of those weak little chips you might have nurtured along the way.
- If you’re at a table with a particularly irritable player, you can get a ‘visual toy’ – a blankie – and practise visual bidding with it for a while, before actually placing your money on the table. This will certainly train you to recognise what a visual toy is and the various techniques used within poker, and even to take it further and consider how to set it up for your opponent. Websites and books on the subject are filled with images of balls being dropped from a machine, or balls being bounced around a plate. Perfect poker tabletop, absolutely.
- Poker chips are generally colourful, and range from very bright all the way through to dull pastels. The ledges on a poker chip are designed to enhance the poker game, and help to make the chips more attractive. unscrupulous companies will often sell coloured chips that are slightly different from the rest. This isn’t as obvious, and most players aren’t conscious of it, but if you insist on making your bets roulette style, make sure you buy chips Signature Clay Poker Chips, or at least get a set to give off aheon of glamour.
So, when you’re home and fancy a game of poker, armour up in your favourite poker shirt, and equipped with some cool poker chips, just call around any poker followers, and you’re sure to find a friendly game of poker in progress. Tickets available at most events, and can be purchased from some of the online poker merchandise shops too.
