Stacking your bets.

gobboboy · #1 08-31-2006, 07:53 PM

I haven't spent too much time playing poker in a casino, so I'm not very well versed in how I should be stacking my bets or if it really matters. I've played a lot of NL and limit, does the difference really matter?

Sometimes I just have a stack of chips and just essentially throw them out there (not splashing the pot, just not stacking the chips in front of me). One dealer didn't really like it and asked me to stack them, but it definitely is a habit of mine. I see on a lot of poker shows that they do the same thing, but do the dealers get annoyed with it? B&M, you decide.

someguyintucson · #2 08-31-2006, 08:03 PM

At my local B&M cardroom, it seems like Omaha H/L dealers prefer to have them stacked because of the split pots. I don't notice Hold'em dealers getting too upset if you don't stack your bets.

DeeMo · #3 08-31-2006, 08:07 PM

The chips have to be counted if the bet amount is not clear.

If you make that a habit it will not only annoy the dealers but other players as well because it slows down the game.

You'll be viewed as a turd.

Just try and make a habit of stacking your chips in amounts that make sense when placing a bet. In no limit games...stacks of $20 for $1 chips and stacks of $25/$100 for $5 chips...stacks of $100/$500 for $25 chips...etc.

In limit games stack the entire big bet or place 2 stacks of equal amounts.

cpk · #4 08-31-2006, 08:41 PM

My rule of thumb is to be sure to stack neatly 6 or more chips (in units of 3, 4, 5, or 20). Five chips or fewer can be splashed (but taking care not to splash the pot--never do that; it is a huge pain in the ass).

In split-pot games you should stack all bets neatly, as this helps the dealer.

cpk · #5 08-31-2006, 08:45 PM

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In limit games stack the entire big bet or place 2 stacks of equal amounts.

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Most dealers I know would prefer that you stack these in units of 3-5, depending on what makes sense.

DeeMo · #6 08-31-2006, 08:49 PM

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Most dealers I know would prefer that you stack these in units of 3-5, depending on what makes sense.

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What if you're playing 4/8, 40/80 or 100/200...those cases preferred stacks are 2, 4 or 8.

n.s. · #7 08-31-2006, 09:00 PM

Most dealers (like most players) just want to get in as many hands/hour as possible. It should be clear when betting in a messy pile is going to slow things down (the dealer has to count your bet, in limit or NL, so he will often have to stack it for you).

I usually play in a 4 chips/8 chip structure. Calling a flop bet, closing the action, you can practically splash the pot with your 4 chips and no one will care. However, if you 3-bet the turn with a big messy pile, you are going to slow things down considerably - people won't be sure if you are re-raising or just calling the raise, the dealer will have to make sure you actually put out 24 chips, etc...

AngusThermopyle · #8 08-31-2006, 09:06 PM

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I usually play in a 4 chips/8 chip structure. ... if you 3-bet the turn with a big messy pile,

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I usually put out 8..8..8 and then split the last 8 into two stacks of 4 (so they can see the stacks are really 8).

cpk · #9 08-31-2006, 09:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

I usually play in a 4 chips/8 chip structure. ... if you 3-bet the turn with a big messy pile,

[/ QUOTE ]

I usually put out 8..8..8 and then split the last 8 into two stacks of 4 (so they can see the stacks are really 8).

[/ QUOTE ]

I slap 4 chips onto a stack of twenty and make 6 stacks of 4. Easy peasy. :P

cpk · #10 08-31-2006, 09:21 PM

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What if you're playing 4/8, 40/80 or 100/200...those cases preferred stacks are 2, 4 or 8.

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Stacks of 4 are way better than either stacks of 2 or 8.

Concordantly, if you're playing 10/20, a turn bet can just be splashed as 4 chips, but if you raise you should stack them neatly in groups of 4.