Why do poker players play with their chips so much during live events?

Question

I play at my local B&M and I rarely see this fidgeting of the chips.. why? It is distracting, and annoying on even watching it on television, does it have a purpose, or what.....?

B&M is Brick and Mortar games, meaning I play at actual live tournaments, not online. I find that most don't fidget like this at a real untelevised game. Hope those extra details help!

Answer 1

something to do, or it's just a habbit. i like to play with my chips, you can do cool things with them like tricks and what not. if you have a big stack how can you not play with them. some players have different stacking methods to intimidate other players. or you can use it as strategy too, another player might think your giving away a tell when you play with your chips but maybe you could be messing with them.

Answer 2

Think about it, you are sitting at a table for 12 - 18 hours, there's not much you can do between good poker hands.

You have to do something........you can't talk on the phone, watch TV, and you would gain 200 pounds sitting there eating, so the only thing to do is play with chips.

And add the "ego factor" to the table....who can do the best chips at that table (and the are some really cool tricks you can do with chips).

Answer 3

I live in Las Vegas and i deal poker full time and the number one reason people shuffle there chips is because they are trying to keep themselves entertained. In poker you can go hours without playing a hand, so to keep your mind on the game people shuffle there chips. I like to bring my i-pod to any event i enter, because if you go deep into a tournament you could be their for many many hours, so keeping yourself sharp is key. It's also a good intimidation tactic that people use to show others that they have been playing poker a long time because they can do so many chip tricks. Its just like when another player will throw his chips more at you then at the pot, because he wants to scare you. I myself know some chip tricks but i don't play to much with them.

Answer 4

i think it's just better to do chip tricks than to just sit there. When i play online, i'm hardly fidgeting because i can do other things like surf the net or whatever. Playing live, it might help me concentrate. I usually pay the mmost attention at the table while i play with my chips, so i don't think it takes away from my focus.

Answer 5

The players you see on TV sit at a poker table for the majority of their lives... It is a way to pass the time between hands. To most of these players, it is almost a reflex. The ametuers you sit with are usually somewhat new to the game... so they might not need to pass the time, or they might not know any tricks!

Answer 6

To answer the previous question, B&M means 'bricks and mortar'. It's just another phrase for saying it's a land-based casino, rather than online.

Answer 7

TV is the key word. when its not being filmed there is no one to impress. although I also play in live tourneys and I know several people who play with their chips on a regular basis. It can also be a tell so watch when someone plays with their chips and see if you can pick up on it.

Answer 8

Something to do while waiting. I twirl my pen in class, and I certainly shuffle my chips when I'm playing poker. In fact, doing that helps me concentrate since I can't seem to stay still.

Answer 9

It's like a sign of nervousness. Winning or losing, those players are still nervous. They could also just be showing off, or wanting to do something while they play.

Answer 10

Love to answer you if I knew what a B and M was. I've been to a casino exactly once in my life out of pure happenstance. Everybody there, including the staff, had that ' I need a life ' look on their face.