I would advise learning this chip trick first, as it straightforward, commonly seen on television, and it looks cool. This chip involves taking two stacks of chips (usually three or four in each stack) and combining them into one bigger stack.

Step 1 – Start with two stacks of three or four chips that are touching. Place the thumb on the lower left hand corner of the left stack, with the index finger in between the two stacks and the middle and ring fingers on the right side of the right stack.

Step 2 – Push the two stacks together with the thumb, middle and ring fingers, while the index finger simultaneously lifts the stacks. It is best to do this trick slowly at first, and it is much easier to execute on a softer surface (lifting the chips off the ground is the most difficult element of this trick). It is also recommended that beginners use two different colours of chips, as this makes it much easier to see what they are doing right/wrong. Once the form starts to come around, try completing the trick on harder surfaces.

The Chan

This chip trick gets its name from the immortal Taj Mahal scene in Rounders, when Mikey sits down and bluffs out Johnny Chan. While Johnny ponders Mikey’s reraise, he repeatedly does this trick, all the while looking like the coolest cat alive. This trick is not terribly difficult to master, but you’d never know it.

Step 1 – Start with six or more chips, and rest them between the ring and pinky fingers, on an angle toward the palm. The chips should rest on the pinky finger at a 45 degree angle, with the ring finger holding the chips in place.

Step 2 – Reach the thumb down to the chips that are furthest from the palm, and loosen three. After this, roll the three chips so they are being supported by the thumb and ring finger.

Step 3 – Continue rolling the three chips onto the middle finger, with the index finger lying directly on top of the middle finger. Once the chips have rolled off the ring finger, they will be supported by the middle finger and thumb. The chips then move from this position until they are supported by the index finger and thumb. 

Step 4 – The chips are now being held by the index finger and thumb. Raise the three chips above the others, and then slowly release pressure on the chip closest to the fingertip, allowing it to roll down the middle and ring fingers until it comes to a stop at its original place. Do the same for the other two chips, and then close your palm. 

The Backspinner

The Backspinner is one of the simplest chip tricks to execute. All you need is one chip and a smooth felt surface.

Step 1 – Secure a chip between the thumb and index finger. Using the index finger, propel the chip forward by pushing down on the side of the chip. This will create backspin, causing the chip to move forward, stop, and then roll back towards the player’s hand in a straight line. All of this adds up to a cool visual effect.

Note: This chip trick should only be done in home games. Dropping this chip trick in casinos will result in the chip crossing the white betting line on the table, indicating your intention to bet and thus nullifying the effect of the backspin to your stack. You also run the risk of being beaten senseless by the hardened rounders that would just as soon shove the chips up your punk ass.

The Magic Restack

This chip trick is for advanced players only. The level of difficulty is quite high, and you require a healthy stack of chips to achieve the desired effect. For both of these reasons, this trick is often credited to the great Phil Ivey (he can be seen doing it repeatedly at the WPT season 3 Reno event). This trick amounts to pulling chips from the top of a stack and then restacking them with the same hand, without the chips ever touching the felt. Thus, the Magic Restack.

Step 1 – Make sure you have around twenty chips piled in a large stack. Grab the top four or five chips with the middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger. If it sounds awkward it is, so don’t expect to nail this trick right away.

Step 2 – Move the gripped chips directly to the left of the original stack, and simulate the motion of setting them down. Simultaneously, with the index finger and thumb, pick up four or five more chips from the original stack.

Step 3 – Move the four or five chips held by the index finger and thumb onto the stack being held by the middle, ring and pinky fingers (there are now 8 – 10 chips being held in the hand). Put this stack back on the top of the original pile of chips. The chips have now been restacked without ever having touched the felt. 

Note: As stated previously, this trick is extremely difficult to master, and is usually only done by players that spend thousands of hours a year on the felt. It is also absolutely imperative to have large hands, as you are required to hold up to ten chips comfortably at any given time.

The Finger Roll

The finger roll has a medium level of difficulty, but it is the simplest of the “rolling hand” series of chip tricks. If you can master the Finger Roll, you can move onto a whole bunch of more advanced, cooler tricks. This trick requires one chip and manual dexterity.

Step 1 – The chip starts between the index finger and thumb, with the chip being held sideways – thin edge facing the fingers. With the index finger serving as a guide, start rolling the chip across the middle finger and then grab the chip with the side of the middle finger.

Step 2 – This action is now repeated, with the middle finger now serving as the guide and the index finger pushing the chip over to the ring finger. The ring finger then grabs the chip, and the chip is finally pushed over to the pinky by the middle finger.

Step 3 – Once the chip reaches the pinky the process continues in reverse, so that the chip travels back across the hand and ends up where it started – between the thumb and index finger. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Once you’ve mastered the Finger Roll, move on to the Knuckle Roll.

The Twirl

The Twirl is a tough trick to master, and it is generally executed by only the most experienced of players. It must be said, however, that the Twirl is a trick well worth pursuing. It is very cool visually – a favourite of my boy Gus Hansen. Gus was seen doing the Twirl repeatedly during the WPT season two Caribbean Adventure, when he played some of the sickest poker I’ve ever seen and busted out Daniel Negreanu and Hoyt Corkins.

Step 1 – The Twirl is generally done with three chips, which start out being held perpendicular between the index and ring fingers (the middle finger is used as support). It is important to make sure the chips aren’t held too close to the fingertips.

Step 2 – With the thumb, loosen the two outer chips, leaving the middle chip in its original position between the index and ring fingers. When the outer chips are loosened, use the thumb to propel them upwards to be held between the thumb and index finger.

Step 3 – Pull the ring finger away and allow the middle chip to roll along the index finger, while simultaneously bringing up the pinky to support the bottom of the chip. When the chip is secure, the ring finger releases its grip.

Step 4 – The middle and ring fingers are now placed on the edge of the chip being secured by the index finger and pinky. The chip is now spun in a 180 degree motion by bending the middle and ring fingers towards the palm, with the index and pinky fingers functioning as secondary support. This spin is the titular twirl.

Step 5 – When the chip completes its 180 degree rotation and sits perpendicular to the fingers, the middle and ring fingers are pulled out. The pinky then rolls the chip along the index finger and up, while simultaneously the thumb brings the outer chips back down so that the single chip may be inserted back between the two.

Note: The Twirl is damn hard to do. It requires hours and hours of practice, and it is extremely frustrating at first. Don’t even think about attempting this trick until you can master more basic ones. Baby steps, my friend.

The Elevator

The Elevator garners its name from the fact that a chip is pulled from the bottom of a stack and placed on top. This is a straightforward trick that can be easily mastered by beginning players – I recommend the Elevator as one of the initial two or three tricks a player should learn.

Step 1 – Start with three chips stacked vertically. With the thumb at 3 o’clock, the middle finger at 9 o’clock and the ring and pinky fingers directly below the middle finger, hold the 3 chips.

Step 2 - Touch the top right part of the thumbnail with the index finger, and then administer pressure to the bottom chip with the side of the index finger tip.

Step 3 – Direct the lip of the bottom chip upwards with the index finger, so that it flips upward and lands on the top of the other two chips. Repeat.

The Switch

The Switch is a good maneuver for intermediate chip tricksters. It is not overly difficult, and it offers a cool visual effect of switching the location of one (or more) chips. The Switch requires only four chips.

Step 1 – The Switch starts by placing the four chips perpendicularly in between the index and ring fingers. Using the middle finger as a support, apply pressure to the four chips so that they remain firmly in place and do not separate. With the thumb, roll the chip closest to the palm out towards the ring finger and then down to the pinky.

Step 2 – The thumb and pinky finger now holds the chip. Next, push the thumb and pinky down towards the ground, while simultaneously lifting the other fingers in the opposite direction. There should now be a separation between the two groups of chips, with the chips being held by the index, middle and ring fingers now coming in towards the palm.

Step 3 – Once the three fingers have moved in towards the palm, there is an opening to bring in the single chip and place it on the opposite end of where it originally came from.

Step 4 – The two groups of chips are now brought together. When the chip in the thumb and pinky comes into contact with the ring finger, the pinky can release pressure while the thumb rolls the chip into its final place.

Bring the two chip holdings together. As you bring in the chip with your thumb and pinky, the edge should come in contact with your ring finger. Once this happens you can let go of the chip with your pinky. Simply roll the chip back up into place with your thumb. Once you have mastered the Switch with 1 chip, attempt it with second, and so on as your dexterity improves.

The Knuckle Roll

The Knuckle Roll comes next on the evolutionary ladder after the Finger Roll. It is a difficult trick to master, but when it is performed properly (and quickly) the effect is pure magic, as the chips appear to float over the fingers. Antonio Esfandiari is frequently seen dropping this trick at the tables.

Step 1 – The Knuckle Roll is performed with a single chip that starts laying flat against the side of the index finger with the thumb offering support, just a shade behind the finger knuckle.

Step 2 – Using the thumb, propel the chip onto the top of the index finger, and then raise the middle finger above the side edge of the chip. Next, lower the middle finger so that it pulls the chip down and lodges it between the index and middle fingers. The chip should now be standing straight up. 

Step 3 – Lower the middle finger again so that the chip comes to a rest on the top of this finger. Repeat the aforementioned process with the ring and pinky fingers until the chip comes to a stop on the top of the pinky.

Step 4 – The Knuckle Roll can end a couple of different ways. The process can be reversed so that the chip ends up back where it started between the thumb and index finger. Or, the chip can be allowed to drop down between the ring finger and pinky and caught with the thumb. The flat part of the chip should lay balanced on the thumb, and the trick is completed when the chip is brought back underneath the fingers to its original place between the thumb and index finger. 

Once this trick is mastered, move onto the daunting Butterfly, the granddaddy of the “hand roll” chip tricks.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly is absolutely at the top of the chip trick food chain. It is the most complex of the “hand roll” series of tricks (which also includes the Finger Roll and Knuckle Roll), and it is also one of the most difficult tricks to pull off, period. When performed properly the Butterfly is the coolest of all chip tricks – employing all 5 fingers in perfect harmony.

Step 1 – Start with four chips in a perpendicular position between the index and ring fingers, with the middle finger serving as support. Make sure the chips are positioned approximately an inch from the fingertips.

Step 2 – The two chips closest to the palm are now loosened with the thumb. As these chips are lifted and rolled onto the index finger the ring finger is dropped, pulling away the other chips. The pinky should now be moved up towards the index finger.

Step 3 – As the ring finger is pulled out, the pinky should become elevated and touch the chips held by the ring and index fingers. The index and middle fingers can then be used to move these chips into a new position between the ring and pinky fingers. 

Step 4 – Once the ring and pinky fingers have established a firm grip on the two chips, the index finger is released so that is now holding two chips with the thumb. There should now be two separate groups of two chips – one group being supported by the index finger and thumb and the other being supported by the ring and pinky fingers

Step 5 – The middle finger is now bent in towards the palm, and the two sets of chips are ready to be brought together. As the chips are brought together, ensure that the middle finger is in a position to touch both sets of chips and it can apply ample pressure.

Step 6 – Here’s where things get hairy. Use the thumb to pull the inner most top chip away from the middle finger, and the pinky to pull the outer most bottom chip away. As the thumb is pulled up and the pinky is pushed down, the middle finger extends back out away from the palm – rolling one of the remaining chips along the index finger and the other along the ring finger. You should now have a chip in each of the gaps between the fingers – this is called the fan, and the culmination of a sick chip trick. If you can pull off this trick you’ve come a long way, and my advice to you is to start drinking heavily.