The Best Poker Chip Tricks

Poker chip tricks are a common activity at poker tables; whether poker players are performing them at tournaments or at your local casino, you’re bound to see them happen. All you need to master most poker chip tricks are good reflexes and a steady hand.

Regardless of how skilled you are at the game, it’s never too late to learn a few of the best poker chip tricks, which you can later show off to your friends at the tables.

Over the years, multiple players have used cool poker chip tricks, with some even gaining massive popularity due to their penchant for performing tricks with their poker chips at the table rather than their skill in the game.

Some players who mastered performing tricks with poker chips have won big pot money, turning them into legends in the poker industry.

Sounds interesting? Keep reading this article to learn how to do poker chip tricks to wow your fellow players the next time you’re at the poker table.

Learn Some of These Amazing Poker Chip Tricks

The poker chip tricks we share in this article are fun and easy to perform; all you need to do is master the basics.

Standard Chip Shuffle

The standard chip shuffle is the easiest and most common poker chip trick to learn. Almost every pro poker player knows how to perform this trick, and through some practice, you can too.

All you need to do is follow these steps:

• Start by placing six chips into two stacks of three each. The value of the chips doesn’t matter.
• You place your ring finger and pinky finger on the sides of one stack, while your index finger and thumb are on the other stack. This way, you have covered the stacks from every angle.
• Now lift the chips slowly from the middle, using your middle finger, and push the chips in to create a single stack of six chips.

You’ll be able to perform it inadvertently with enough practice. As the standard chip shuffle allows you to hold and cover the stack from all sides, there isn’t any risk of the chips falling over. Even beginner poker players can easily perform this trick with a bit of practice.

Knuckle Roll

The knuckle roll is one of the most fantastic poker chip tricks on this list. It has been made famous by numerous movie characters performing it to show off their poker skills.

Even though it’s a tough trick to pull off, you can master it without a problem with enough practice. What makes the knuckle roll more complicated than other tricks in this list is that you must use all the muscles of your fingers to perform it.

How do you flick a coin between your fingers?

• Start by holding a chip on the inner side of your index finger and your thumb.
• Next, you need to slide the chip to the top of the index finger and balance it over the knuckle.
• You then use the middle finger to push it down to sit vertically between the middle and index fingers.

How do you roll poker chips on your fingers?

• After that, you will roll it over to balance on top of the middle finger before using the ring finger to push it down.
• You can also use your index finger to push the chip up, flip the poker chip with your pinky and ring finger, and roll it entirely into your palm.
• Then, you will use your thumb to bring the chip back to your index finger and repeat the cycle.

How do you make a coin disappear with one hand?

There are plenty of ways to make a coin disappear, but we will cover the technique used by most professionals when performing this trick.

• First, you must position the coin between the first two fingers and your thumb.
• Move your hands close together so that the empty hand covers the one with the coin and pretend to take the coin.
• However, make sure you tuck the coin between your third, fourth, and fifth fingers.
• Don’t look at your hands and perform it in a fluid motion.
• You can distract your audience by pointing to your empty hand with the one discreetly holding the coin.
• Now make the coin disappear by tapping on the table, throwing it into the air or making it fall down your sleeve.

Chip Twirl 

The chip twirl isn’t too tricky to master, and once you get used to it, you may even find it calming and use it as a stress reliever. Your goal here is to use one hand to hold a stack of chips and pull the middle one out, twirl it, and return it to the pile.

Here’s how you do it:

• Take a stack of three chips, start by having two chips of one colour and one chip of a different colour. You can place the various coloured chips in the middle of the other two.
• Hold the stack with your thumb and index finger, position the centre of the chips to align with your fingers.
• With your middle finger, try to feel the edge of the middle chip and drag it with your finger.
• Now catch the middle chip with your ring finger, and at the same time, release your middle finger and hold the chip between the side of your index finger and ring finger.

It may be hard to accomplish at first, and you may drop your chips a few times before you get it right. However, you will become better at it with a little bit of practice as you push on the edge of the middle chip with your middle finger to twirl or rotate it instead of flicking it. 

Thumb Flip

The thumb flip is a classic poker chip trick that players at casinos commonly perform. It’s one of the easiest tricks to learn and one that you should know as a poker player. 

Here’s what you need to do to master the thumb flip:

• Take out three or four chips from the stack and rest them inside your index, ring, and middle finger.
• Use your thumb to apply pressure on one chip to flip it upwards.
• You can flip it and catch it in your hand to return it to the back of the bunch.

Practice the thumb flip repeatedly to get the hang of it, but don’t try it with more than five poker chips in your hand. You can even use the thumb flip trick to intimidate your friends or other poker players at the table when you are feeling the pressure.

Chip Bounce

The chip bounce is one of the more complicated tricks in the books, and you will only learn by practising frequently. Additionally, you should make sure you practise on a proper poker table. The goal is to bounce the chip off the table and onto the stack of poker chips.

Here’s how you can do it:

• First, put a stack of four to six poker chips on a felt table. The number of chips you stack will depend on how high you want the chip to bounce off the table after dropping it.
• Hold the chip between your thumb and index finger. Tilt the chip slightly towards the direction of the stack you built.
• When you drop the chip, make sure that it lands an inch or more away from the stack. It has to land on its edge at a slight angle towards the direction of the stack.
• By doing this, the chip can bounce off the table and, hopefully, land on the stack of poker chips.

With this specific trick, It’s all about the weight and material of the chips. Additionally, the table’s surface makes a big difference; felt surfaces are ideal for this trick due to their softer texture.

Try experimenting with this trick by doing it at different speeds and angles, but be aware it may take some time to get the hang of it.

The Riffle

If you attended any major poker tournament, you might have heard something resembling crickets chirping. However, it’s not crickets but the sound of players riffling chips together at the same time. Of course you will need skills to master this move, but it’s a trick most poker players master before moving onto more advanced tricks.

In short, any poker player worth their money should know how to riffle shuffle chips.

Here’s how to perform the riffle poker chip trick:

• Start with a stack of six chips and divide it into two stacks of three each.
• Now align your fingers to cover each side of the stacks.
• Put your pinky finger on the back and your ring finger on the front and the left.
• Now use your middle finger to lift the chips slowly and guide them together.
• This way, you will slide the chips together, which creates the riffle and the cricket sound.

You should be aware that your hand may feel uncomfortable at first because you haven’t used your muscles like this before. However, after you have practised with six chips and feel comfortable, you can add more chips and perform the trick. Most pro players can riffle a stack of 20 chips easily. 

Chip Fanning 

The chip fanning poker trick is one of the more straightforward tricks you can master to impress your friends the next time you host a poker night. It doesn’t involve flipping and is one of the smoothest tricks you can use to show off.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Hold a stack of chips in your hand and slide it in a curve or straight line, so half of your chips are fanning over the other half. For instance, if there are three chips, each chip must cover half of the other chip.
• The way the chips spread over each other creates a fan, and you need to learn how to do this neatly and efficiently.
• When restacking the chips, you need to ensure that the chips don’t disturb the structure and slide through the stack.It’s also best to perform the chip fanning trick over a smooth surface like felt to get the best results.

The Vanishing Chip

The vanishing chip trick is more complicated than other tricks because it requires a lot of dexterity.  You will need to master balancing the chip on your wrist as you show your friends you made the chip disappear. However, if you perform it perfectly, you are bound to gain more respect from poker players at the table.

When performing the vanishing chip, ensure the audience is facing you and no one is beside you. 

Here’s what you need to do to pull it off:

• Take a chip in the fingers of your left hand and pass it smoothly to your right hand. 
• When you close your right hand, shift the chip slowly to your wrist.
• Ensure that you have balanced the chip on your wrist.
• The audience will think that the chip is still in the first of your right hand.
• Rub your fingers and open the hands to show that they are empty and the chip has vanished.
• Now cross your left hand back over your right hand.
• Pick the coin smoothly with your fingers with the left hand.
• Move your hands up and down and push the chip out with your left thumb.

When performing the vanishing chip trick, you need to act out other hand movements to add to the illusion, like a magician. Initially, it would help if you practised in front of a mirror to see how it looks to the audience.

Fun With Poker Chips

Even though learning tricks with poker chips is the ultimate goal for most beginners, it shouldn’t be your only goal. You can do numerous things with poker chips, and occasionally that includes breaking world records. 

These are some other fun things people have done with poker chips: 

The Statue of Chips

Some players don’t use poker chips for impressive tricks but want to show their artistic flair by stacking them during live games or even for a victory photo. You can attempt to create a statue of chips the next time you’re playing poker at home or the casino. 

Record-Setting Chip Stacks

You can take your poker chip stacking skills to the next level by creating a record-breaking chip stack at poker festivals dedicated to such activities. There are currently numerous world records involving chip stacks, and with practice, you can attempt to break those records too.

Classic Chip Art

In addition to being used for tricks and games, poker chips can also serve as artistic inspiration. Sculpture Studio, a firm in England, redefined classic chip art by creating giant chips as a gaming display for a television episode in 2011. Since then, many have taken inspiration, creating art using only poker chips.

In Conclusion

Poker chips are a valuable currency that you use at the table when battling other players; however, people have found different ways to use them to pass the time in between games. Learning the best poker chip tricks is fun, and they won’t take much time to master.

Once you get the basics right, you will be performing these poker chip tricks all the time. Another benefit is that your tricks will likely intimidate and impress other players at the poker table, earning you more respect.

FAQ

We understand you may have some additional questions related to poker chip tricks, which is why we have gathered and answered some of the most frequently asked questions here:

How do you twirl poker chips?

The chip twirl is a straightforward poker chip trick that can quickly become a habit at the poker table. The aim of the trick is simple: use one hand to hold a stack of chips, pull out the middle one, twirl it, and put it back into the pile.

Here’s how you do it in detail:

• Hold a stack of three chips and pull out the middle chip.
• Hold the stack with your thumb and index finger, position your fingers so that the centre of the chips aligns with them.
• Now drag out the middle chip with your middle finger.
• Catch the middle chip with your index finger while releasing your middle finger and hold it between your ring and index finger.
• Next, push the middle chip’s edge so that it twirls and rotates and then slide it back into the stack.

An unexpected benefit of the chip twirl trick is that it can improve your focus and concentration during the game. It can be tricky to master, but you will perform it subconsciously once you get the hang of it.

How do you shuffle chips like a pro?

If you want to impress your friends at the poker table, one trick you need to master is shuffling poker chips. But it’s not that difficult, and it makes you like a pro at the poker table.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Hold two stacks of chips and place your dominant hand over both stacks.
• Merge the stacks using your fingers and apply pressure inwards so that chips slide gently into a single stack.
• Add more chips when you can shuffle with confidence and regularity.

Most seasoned poker players can easily shuffle a stack of 20 chips while playing. It’s therapeutic and also allows you to intimidate other players at the table.

How do you do the chip trick in Casino Royale?

The iconic poker scene in Casino Royale where Mads Mikkelsen performs a poker chip trick isn’t as difficult as one might think. You can quickly learn it and do it to impress your friends the next time you’re at the poker table.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Hold a stack of chips in your dominant hand.
• Place the stack between your index, middle, and ring fingers.
• Take your thumb to the ring finger and lift the chip at the front of the stack.
• Once the chip comes out from the stack, you squeeze it with your thumb quickly.
• That motion will flatten the chip, and you then use the momentum to push the chip down.
• That will see the chip perform a flip and move to the back of the stack.

Keep on practising this trick until you get the basics down, and then move on to adding more chips into the stack. You will be performing the Casino Royale chip flip in no time.

Why do you shuffle poker chips?

If you’ve watched professional poker tournaments or played poker at the casino, you may have noticed that most players will shuffle their poker chips. It looks cool, but you may have wondered why they do it?

Most poker players do this subconsciously, while others do it to help them concentrate or pass the time in between turns. The best part is that shuffling poker chips not only looks impressive but is also super easy to learn.