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meh, I guess all the card rooms I've been at suck, as I've never been told not to put my chips on the bottom, but obviously not in the back. The problem I have with putting them on top is I never know which stack I'll use to bet with...so I don't want my high chips on the top.

Oh well, I guess I'm overruled and the bottom is considered dirty...good to know

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I would say the bottom is ok, if it is clear (that is if you have multiple large chips they will be clear if they are underneath, if you have some stacks of chips and a single large chip put it on top, not in a stack but on top of your chips, that way you can just push it out of the way whenyou grab a stack to bet) . Behind your chips is never ok. A lot can depend on the chips being used in the casino, some casinos have chips that are too close together in colot etc. There is also an issue with all the artwork casinos put on the tables these days, often chips can get lost in that.

In the example of the OP $144 is a small enough amount (unless it is being played with all $1 chips) that the chips should be moved. Saying "all-in" without moving the chips is ok if there are so many that it is hard to move them, but putting them out into the center makes the bet amount clearer (if nothing else the chips are closer so everyone can see them better).

It has been a long time since I have given this any serious thought, but the people that say that large denomination chips shouldn't be allowed on the table might be right (even though I said the opposite above). I have never really seen the hiding chips as an issue, but I actively walk the floor and have told players that have the view of there larger chips obstructed that they need to make their chip stacks clear.