How do you keep track of stacks in live poker?

[Nepthu]

I'm an online player and I am going to be playing live poker in a casino this Monday for the first time. As you are aware, knowing how many chips players have in their stacks is important in no limit hold'em (the game I will be playing). I suppose I could try and estimate by looking at their stacks, but I am afraid they may have high value chips buried in their stack, or may make it may look like a different amount than it is.

Also, if someone asks you how many chips you have in your stack during a hand, do you need to make a response (for proper ettiquete etc)? I don't want to give away any tells through speech. Vice-versa, is it appropriate to ask how much an opponent has left in their stack during a hand, or outside a hand? Thanks.

[Zifadel]

At casinos players are required to keep bigger valued chips visible to avoid that very situation.

You have to eye ball their stack and ballpark how much they have.

[raze]

I have trouble with this too. Some tips... if someone clearly has you covered, you don't need to try and count their stack down, so that will save you some time. Also, a lot of people keep stacks of 20 chips (rack-size), so that's a shortcut.

[mitsu1775]

yes, it is appropriate.