Best way to count your chips?

Ask Jeeves · #1 09-22-2007, 05:14 PM

I'm wondering what you all do to keep track of your chips effectively? I often lose track of just about how much I have in front of me; Are there any quick ways to keep track of your chips and/or count your opponents chips? Like certain ways you should stack them etc? Or counting methods?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

TheStation · #2 09-22-2007, 05:19 PM

well most people will use standard 20 chip stacks which makes it pretty easy to quickly get a rough count

I am guessing you are referring to NL or PL games (and not limit) and have a hard time counting your own chips quickly, I would recommend coloring up a rack of chips every time you get 8 stacks of 20 of one denomination, just to make it simpler that way

I have also found that this is just something that get easier over time as well

sapol · #3 09-22-2007, 07:31 PM

Some beginner players find it better to stack chips in stacks of a certain denomination, for example stacks of 1000 chips. You can use chips of any denomination to make this stacks and then all you have to do to count your chips is to count the number of stacks you have.
Hope that helps

Ask Jeeves · #4 09-22-2007, 08:35 PM

Thanks for that info guys, good advice here, and I'll try to impliment it.

One more question: Do you all count your chips all over again, after every single pot?

pfapfap · #5 09-22-2007, 09:38 PM

Uh, I count my chips by looking at them. In a single chip game, once you're used to it, this is trivially easy to get a general sense from a glance. With multiple denominations, it just takes a bit longer to get used to it.

In cardrooms, most people stack by 20s (it's what fits in a rack). Some like 25, 30, 40, or 50, but it's pretty easy after a while to tell what's what for purposes of counting the stacks of others. At my home games, depending on the table type, it's either stacks of 20 or 10.

I tend to constantly remind myself how much I have on the table, because I'm OCD like that. It's not like I'm counting them all one at a time, just keeping them in the stacks. Do not keep your chips in a big messy pile.

Hair_of_the_Dog · #6 09-23-2007, 01:53 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Do not keep your chips in a big messy pile.

[/ QUOTE ]
In limit cash games it is a very good idea to keep them in a messy pile. It helps your table image and also keeps you from knowing exactly what your results are, thus helps you from being results oriented. In NL or PL it's a different story.

postoakpoker · #7 09-23-2007, 02:32 AM

[ QUOTE ]
One more question: Do you all count your chips all over again, after every single pot?

[/ QUOTE ]

Absolutely not. I personally count my stack about once every hour or two. Counting your chips more often than that will distract you from hands (even if you aren't involved, you should be watching attentively), and can also make you appear to be money conscious. A good player will take advantage of that; if you keep counting your chips they may figure that they can bet you off some of your hands by crossing a certain financial that you may (or may not) have.

I usually have a rough idea of how much I'm sitting with, especially when my stacks are in 20s (as previous posters have suggested). If you haven't quite gotten pumped up that much yet, just use a number that will make your total easy to calculate.

sirtimo · #8 09-23-2007, 09:46 AM

[ QUOTE ]

One more question: Do you all count your chips all over again, after every single pot?

[/ QUOTE ]

no, just stacking them in a neat order (20 chip stacks) gives me the info I need. I count my chips to the dollar whenever I leave the table for more than a few minutes, like taking a dump or getting a bit to eat.

RydenStoompala · #9 09-23-2007, 10:56 AM

I knew there would be a good picture or two when I spotted the OP.

Answer: stack whatever way works best for you. After several thousand hours I have reverted to 20 chip stocks. Sometimes I will make a big circular castle just because the games can get boring.

Ask Jeeves · #10 09-23-2007, 11:06 AM

Good stuff guys... But yes, I was counting my chips after every single pot. And yes, it's is very annoying and distracting. I know not to do that anymore...

The "20" rule and or stacking chips in dollar denominations (i.e., stack of 200.00 with multiple chips) sounds like what I'm going to try and do.

Thanks again!