If you have been at a poker table or seen one of your favorite James Bond movies, then you might have been impressed at how the players shuffled their chips. It is an amazing maneuver that they do with style. It usually leaves you with that desire to know how to shuffle poker chips like a pro.
It may surprise you that chip shuffling is not that difficult and with some tips and practice you too will be moving your poker chips through your fingers like a pro. There is a step-by-step guide that will transform your poker table experience, and very soon you will be one being admired.
How Long Does it Take to Learn to Shuffle Poker Chips?
You don’t need to be a poker expert to shuffle your chips. As a matter of fact, any novice can easily do this. Some players even use it as a tactic to trick other players into believing that they are pros.
How long does it take to learn to shuffle poker chips? Some people are faster than others, but it takes about 4 hours over a few weeks.
Players always have a few poker chip tricks up their sleeves, and they like to showcase them at the table. You will be able to use a few of them once your chip shuffling begins to feel natural.
How to Shuffle Poker Chips for Beginners?
Learning how to shuffle poker chips is every gambler’s dream and no surprise that you too want to get involved. Here is what you will need.
- Six poker chips
- If you do not have poker chips, get six coins of the same size
- Get a deck of playing cards
You are now ready to practice.
Step 1: Select Your Chips
If you are using poker chips start by selecting six chips of two colors – three of each. If you are using coins start with six coins of equal size. Please note that it will be more difficult to shuffle coins than chips.
Place your chips in two groups of three side by side on a table or a flat surface.
Step 2: Getting Ready for the Shuffle
Make sure that you maintain the colors together. If you shuffle correctly, you will have a single stack of alternating colors. Here’s a tip for you. You may have a better experience if you start practicing on a soft area, such as your bed or pillow.
Once you have mastered the craft, you can move up to harder surfaces. Make sure that the height of the surface is parallel to you.
Step 3: Making that First Shuffle
Begin by positioning your hand on the surface. Use your dominant hand. It should be parallel to the surface, with the tip of your fingers gently touching it. Place your index finger and thumb close to the first group of chips or coins.
Place your middle finger between the two groups of chips, so that it touches both groups without being on top of the chips. Your little finger and ring finger should now be caressing the second group of poker chips.
Step 4: Shuffle the Chips
Remember that your goal is to unite both stacks of poker chips into one. Start by pushing the two groups together using your fingers as you slowly raise your hand.
Apply pressure on the stacks with your four main fingers at the same time – your thumb, index, ring, and little finger.
Now, hook your middle finger below the stacks as you pressure with the others. Now pull your middle finger upward and allow the stacks to freely fallback to the surface.
Gently squeeze your fingers while doing this. This will allow the two stacks to unite.
Step 5: The Middle Finger Guide
The chips are now falling, but you need to make sure that they fall exactly where you want them. You can achieve this by guiding the chips with your middle finger.
Here is how you do it.
Scroll the chips with your middle finger as they fall back down. Use you’re your middle finger to alternate the stacks, assuring the alternate lineup that you desire.
You are almost done. As the chips fall into place, make a final squeeze with your entire hand. You now have a single stack of chips.
Why do poker players shuffle their chips?
Poker players are tactical geniuses, and they employ many tricks to gain a winning advantage or upper hand. One of the most common practices that they use is to shuffle poker chips.
There are five common reasons that players shuffle their chips.
- Players can concentrate better as they muse what is the best option to advance in a play.
- Some players use it as a psychological advantage to mislead other players into believing that they are pros. The trick is to let the other player feel inferior and make a bad move or pass.
- Poker can be a boring game at times, so some players just shuffle their stacks to pass time.
- Some players just do it for style and fun. They have copied the habit and used it, even at times unconsciously.
- Some movie fans of the James Bond saga are most likely to feel empowered by performing one of the hero’s most common pastimes. Bond is always in a casino and uses the practice quite admiringly.
Casino chips have been around for a long time now. Some people credit its creation to Richard Canfield, while others believe it dates back to Mesotomia. No one knows, however, who started to shuffle poker chips. Was it Canfield or another famous poker player?
It is one of those undocumented things we love to do.
Learning how to shuffle poker chips like a pro takes a bit of skill and practice. Once you get the knack for it, you too will be on your way to stunning others with your fingers.
