[PantsOnFire]

Here are my comments:

1. I think that chips in your hand are irrelevent. The chips that count are the chips that leave your hand.

2. If you verbally state "call", then you can fumble and mumble any way you want until you have the correct amount for a call. This would also apply to stating "raise to x".

3. If you verbally state "raise", then you can grab a handfull of chips, and start dropping them one at a time over the line. When you pull your hand back whether it has chips in it or not, you are done.

4. If you grab a bunch of chips and stack and count them over the bet line, I would rule that all those chips that are out of your hand and on the felt over the bet line are your action. You can't go back and grab a chip and return it to your stack. (Again this is for non-verbalized actions).

So I would say Ways #1 and #2 are fine. With no verbal declarations, the only exception would be adjusting the amount. If you accidentally put in less than a call, you would be required to put more in to match the call. If you put a little more in than a call, you would be required to perform a min-raise and put in two calls.

I think most casinos would have a problem with Way #3. I haven't seen many instances where a player can put chips over a bet line and then take some back (in a non-verbalized action that is). This would be the opposite of a string raise. You plop a grand over the bet line, look at your opponent and then take $900 back. That doesn't seem right to me.

Personally, I think it is a bad way of betting because you may accidentally drop more chips than you intended and like I have said, in non-verbal actions, I do believe these chips play.